On July 22, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Robert H. Finch met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:01 am to 10:51 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 542-003 of the White House Tapes. Topics include: The President met with Robert H. Finch. [Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 11/06/2017. Segment cleared for release.] [Personal Returnable] [542-003- W002] [Duration: 6m 11s] Greetings Maureen (Finch) Shaw and John R. Shaw - Engagement - Met at Julie's party at White House - Maureen worked for Daniel P. Moynihan - John R. Shaw worked for Wally Fair[?] - John R Shaw - Colorado - Wedding - Finches' church - Maureen - Age - President at Finch congressional campaign in Englewood 1952 - Adelaide St. John's book on President and Robert H. Finch - President holding Maureen as a baby - Picture in Maureen's room - Maureen - Parents attempt to delay wedding - Robert H. Finch - Age at marriage California - Memorandum - Tom Reed - Ronald W. Reagan - Age - Possible political ambitions - Senate - Nancy Reagan's views - Ambassadorial post - Finch's opinion - Replacement by Ed Reinecke - Walter Annenberg - Ambitions - Trip - Nancy Reagan's comments about ambassador's residence - Possible political ambitions - Alan Cranston - Robert H. Finch's and Ronald W. Reagan's chances to win election - One- Term Senators Ronald W. Reagan - Advisors - Robert H. Finch's opinion - Belief that the President is one- Term president - Alternative candidate - Field poll - Ronald W. Reagan - Spiro T. Agnew - Nelson A. Rockefeller - Paul N. ("Pete") McCloskey, Jr. - National poll - Finch's opinion Vice President Spiro T. Agnew - Trip to Africa - Comment about Blacks - Context of remarks - Henry A. Kissinger - Contacts with press - Plans for the future [Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 11/06/2017. Segment cleared for release.] [542-003- W003] [Personal Returnable] [Duration: 1m 10s] Ronald W. Reagan - Political aspirations - Political advisors - Thomas Reed - Memorandums - Broker - Plenty of money and time - Robert H. Volk, Leonard K. Firestone - John N. Mitchell People's Republic of China [PRC] initiative - Ronald W. Reagan's support - John G. Schmitz - John Birch Society - Henry Salvatori's conversation with Finch - George A. Murphy - Taiwan, Republic of China [ROC] - Senate testimony - John G. Tower - Salvatori - Holmes P. Tuttle, Justin W. Dart - Asa V. Call - Health - Rose Mary Woods - Appeal to youth - Staff meeting - Finch's conversation with Daniel P. Moynihan - College students - Support for the President - Congress - The general public's support for the President - The President's attendance at baseball game, July 20, 1971 [Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 11/06/2017. Segment cleared for release.] [Personal Returnable] [542-003- W004] [Duration: 6m 33s] Robert H. Finch - Future plans -1974 - Announcement - California - Comparison with the President's actions while out of office - Enhancement for future political effort - Work on the President's 1972 re- Election campaign - Resignation from the cabinet - Law firm - Herbert W. Kalmbach - Timing of actions - Possible gubernatorial race - - Ronald W. Reagan - Edwin Reinecke, Evelle J. Younger, Tom Flournoy Possible ambassadorship - Spain, Mexico - Pluses and minuses of each - Timing - Politics - Mexico - Proximity to California - Hispanic ethnic groups - Youth Robert H. Finch - Timing of plans - Acceptance of appointment 1972 election - Renomination of the President - New Hampshire - Wisconsin Foreign policy accomplishments - PRC initiative - US- PRC summit - Possible US- Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] summit - Efforts to end the Vietnam war The economy - Unemployment - California, Michigan - Retail sales - Edward W. Carter's comments - Savings Issues - PRC initiative - Charles W. Colson - The Vietnam war and Pentagon Papers case - Effect of issue on the Democrats - Hubert H. Humphrey, Edmund S. Muskie - John F. Kennedy - Dean G. Acheson - Importance of encouraging disunity - Shift of focus from the economy - Unemployment - Compared to 1970 - Decrease - Michigan survey - Pentagon Papers - Foreign policy issues - Source of strength for the President - PRC, Vietnam [Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 11/06/2017. Segment cleared for release.] [Personal Returnable] [542-003- W005] [Duration: 2m 32s] Robert H. Finch - Political plans - Senate race - Different experience - Television appearances - California politicians - Opposition to Robert H. Finch - Mexican ambassadorship - Vacancy - Timing of departure from office - July- August Finch - Motion picture industry - Britain - Peter G. Peterson - Duties in job - Ambassadorial rank, Cabinet rank - Taft Schreiber - Enhancement of image - Office of Emergency Preparedness [OEP] - Donald Rumsfeld - George A. Lincoln's job as Director - Responsibilities - Emergencies - Stockpiling - Rumsfeld - Counsellor to the President job - Perceptions of stature - Comparison to image of the Vice President - Image [Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 11/06/2017. Segment cleared for release.] [Personal Returnable] [542-003- W006] [Duration: 1m 43s] Robert H. Finch's political career -1974 campaign - California - Effectiveness in campaigning for the President - Minorities - Youth - Industrial states - Outside of California - Robert H. Finch's travel since last election - Forty states Robert H. Finch's political career - OEP - Finch - Value as base of operation - Comparison to Republican National Committee [RNC] - Partisan organization Rumsfeld - Possible plans - Illinois option - Visibility compared to Finch - Speeches Finch's responsibilities - Relief efforts for Peru, Pakistan - Cabinet Committee on Opportunities for the Spanish- Speaking - Bicentennial Commission duties - David J. Mahoney - Possible Ambassadorship to Mexico - Carol C. Finch - Duration [Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 11/06/2017. Segment cleared for release.] [Privacy] [542-003- W013] [Duration: 39s] Robert H. Finch's family - Kevin Finch - Upcoming senior year in high school - Reluctance to move - Maureen (Finch) Shaw - Family moved when Robert Finch was Lt. Governor - Kevin Finch - Accomplishments in track and field and football Rumsfeld - Possible North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] assignment - Robert F. Ellsworth - Ambassadorial post - Belgium - Japan [Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 11/06/2017. Segment cleared for release.] [Personal Returnable] [542-003- W009] [Duration: 4m 35s] California - Robert H. Finch's forthcoming conversation with John Mitchell - Ronald W. Reagan - Beginning of mail operation - Use of young people - Robert H. Volk - Union bank job - Leonard K. Firestone - Instructions to proceed - Organization - Comparison with Reed, Holmes P. Tuttle - George Murphy, Max Rafferty - City and county chairman versus right- Wing nuts - Possible conversation with Ronald W. Reagan - Ronald W. Reagan's popularity rating - Possible tax increase - Forthcoming presidential election - Ronald W. Reagan's effectiveness as campaigner - The South and states outside of California Republican National Convention - Ronald W. Reagan - Provisions of the U.S. Constitution - Robert H. Finch, the President - Elliot Richardson - Possible candidacy - Capabilities - Spiro S. Agnew - Nomination of another person - Supporters, constituents - Need to counter efforts of supporters - George Wallace Finch - Discussion of job options with Carol Finch - Ambassadorship to Mexico - Cabinet - OEP directorship - Salary - Compared to Cabinet rank - National Security Council [NSC] - Anachronistic nature of job - NSC - Abolition - Staff [Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 11/06/2017. Segment cleared for release.] [Personal Returnable] [542-003- W011] [Duration: 1m 35s] California - Robert H. Finch's conversation with John Mitchell - Formation of political organization for 1972 election - Other states - Ohio - Youth - Voter and volunteer support - Mark Bitter - Wealth - Students - Talents as organizer Job assignments - Rumsfeld - OEP - NATO post - Abilities - Language - Knowledge - Travel as a Congressman - Spokesperson - Finch - Carol Finch - OEP - Ambassadorship to Mexico Finch left at 10:51 am. Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Finch, Robert H.
- Part of White House Tapes: Sound Recordings of Meetings and Telephone Conversations of the Nixon Administration, Oval Office Sound Recordings