Tape 550, Conversation 003 (550-003)

On July 28, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Alexander P. Butterfield, John D. Ehrlichman, White House operator, John B. Connally, George P. Shultz, Manolo Sanchez, and William P. Rogers met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:16 pm to 6:22 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 550-003 of the White House Tapes. Topics include: The President met with H.R. ("Bob") Haldeman. The President's schedule - Elliot L. Richardson - Veteran's legislation - Goals meeting - Welfare - The President's forthcoming conversation with Ronald W. Reagan - Timing -"Early Bird" group - Size - Purpose of event - John N. Mitchell - Clark MacGregor and William E. Timmons - Leslie C. Arends - Timing - Karl E. Mundt, Arends, William G. Bray, Joel T. Broyhill, Ancher Nelsen, Donald L. Jackson - Richardson meeting - John D. Ehrlichman - California trip - Reagan - Meeting with the President - Henry A. Kissinger Alexander P. Butterfield entered at 5:18 pm. -"Early Bird" Group - Arends' attendance at reception - Stephen B. Bull Butterfield left at 5:20 pm. - Richardson - Catholic war veterans group - Size Butterfield entered at 5:24 pm. - Arends - Postponement of reception - Rescheduling Butterfield left at 5:28 pm. - July 29, 1971 meeting with Sen. John G. Tower and Mitchell - Purpose of meeting - July 29, 1971 meetings - William D. Eberle - Martin C. ("Marty") Anderson - Ehrlichman - Catholic War Veterans Spiro T. Agnew - Memorandum - News story - People's Republic of China [PRC] initiative - Possible White House source for story - Relations with Robert H. Finch - Meeting with the President, William P. Rogers, Kissinger - Trip to Africa and Asia - Golf - Compared to the President's handling of trips Conservatives - Patrick J. Buchanan's role White House staff - MacGregor, Finch, Daniel P. ("Pat") Moynihan Congress - Arends, Michael J. ("Mike") Mansfield - Rogers The President's schedule - Morning schedule, July 29, 1971 - Tower, Mitchell Mitchell - Trip to Switzerland - Swiss Banks - Accounts - Trip to Great Britain - Meetings with foreign officials - Elizabeth II [Elizabeth, Queen of England] -[James] Harold Wilson - Switzerland White House staff - Finch, Donald H. Rumsfeld - Rumsfeld - Possible post - White House staff - Diplomatic assignment - Foreign travel Foreign travel by the President - Unknown place - Reception Steel industry [The President talked with Ehrlichman at an unknown time between 5:28 pm and 5:39 pm] [Conversation No. 550-3A] The President's schedule - Ehrlichman, George P. Shultz - Mitchell, Tower Steel industry - Status of labor negotiations [End of telephone conversation] [Pause] [The President talked with the White House operator at 5:39 pm] [Conversation No. 550-3B] [See Conversation No. 7-18] [End of telephone conversation] Ehrlichman entered at an 5:39 pm. Welfare legislation - Status in Congress - The President's forthcoming meeting with Reagan - Ehrlichman's conversation with Richardson - Nelson A. Rockefeller The President's schedule - Forthcoming meeting with Rockefeller - New York trip - John A. Volpe - Trip report Department of Transportation - Volpe - Work - Requested policy work [The President talked with Connally between 5:41 pm and 5:43 pm] [Conversation No. 550-3C] [See Conversation No. 7-19] [End of telephone conversation] Shultz entered at 5:44 pm. Schedule - Meeting Labor disputes - Railroads - Willie J. Usery, Jr. - Proposed meeting with Charles Luna Pentagon Papers Labor disputes - Railroads - James D. Hodgson - West Coast longshoremen - J. Curtis Counts - Meeting with Reagan, Tom McCall, Daniel J. Evans - Steel industry - Lack of progress - Evans meeting with Shultz Arthur F. Burns - The President's conversation with Connally - Meeting request - Previous meeting with the President - Burns' stance - Ronald L. Ziegler's press comment Economy -1971, 1972 forecasts - Stock market - Profit statements - International economic situation - Effect on business community - Sales - Machine tools - Paul A. Volcker's view - Release of statistics - Budget figures - Balance of payments - Retail sales - International debt Schedule Shultz left at 5:51 pm. Schedule - Shultz - Interruption of meetings Connally - Forthcoming Newsweek cover story - Compared to Agnew Economy - International economic news - Timing - July- August comparison - Steel - Budget - U.S. situation - Public attitude - Sales figures - Advertising - Balance of payments Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 5:51 pm. Refreshment Sanchez left at an unknown time before 6:00 pm. The President's schedule - Shultz - Proposed telephone call - Ehrlichman - Bull - Schedule Ehrlichman left at 6:00 pm. The President's schedule - Shultz's interrupted meeting - Connally - Call to Rockefeller - New York businessmen - Appropriations Committee - Raymond K. Price, Jr. - Forthcoming American Broadcasting Corporation [ABC] interview - Football questions - Vince Lombardi - Speech preparation - Length - Outdoor settings for speeches Meeting - Schedule decision - Effect of People's Republic of China [PRC] initiative on the President's image Agnew - Memorandum to the President - White House news source - Haldeman - Perceptions - News story source - Finch - Haldeman - Bryce N. Harlow - Leonard Garment - PRC initiative - Moynihan [The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 6:00 pm and 6:04 pm] [Conversation No. 550-3D] [See Conversation No. 7-20] [End of telephone conversation] Agnew - White House staff - Moynihan - Kissinger The President's July 29, 1971 schedule - Shultz - Time of meetings [The President and Haldeman talked with Rogers between 6:04 pm and 6:19 pm] [Conversation No. 550-3E] [See Conversation No. 7-21] [Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number LPRN- T- MDR-2014-030. Segment partially declassified with 11s cleared for release and 02s remains exempt as 550-003- W003 per Executive Order 13526, 3.3(b)(1) on 04/24/2019. Archivist : MAS] [National Security] [550-003- W003] [Duration: 11s] BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3 [National Security] [550-003- W003] [Duration: 2s] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3 [End of telephone conversation] [Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 02/10/2020. Segment cleared for release.] [Personal Returnable] [550-003- W006] [Duration: 22s] William P. Rogers - Health - Operation The President and Haldeman left at 6:21 pm. Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Butterfield, Alexander P.; Ehrlichman, John D.; White House operator; Connally, John B.; Shultz, George P.; Sanchez, Manolo; Rogers, William P.