Conversation No. 546‑1

Date:  July 26, 1971
Time:  4:20 pm ‑ 4:32 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with H.R. (ABob@) Haldeman.

The Pentagon Papers case

The President's schedule
‑John N. Mitchell, John D. Ehrlichman
‑Peter G. Peterson

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[Personal Returnable]
[Duration:  1m 25s  ]

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Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 4:20 pm.

Charles G. (ABebe@) Rebozo's schedule

Bull left at an unknown time before 4:32 pm.

The President's schedule
‑John B. Connally
-Peterson
-Ehrlichman
‑Mitchell, Peterson
-Peterson
-Mitchell
-John G. Tower
-Peterson, Ehrlichman

[Pause]

Connally
‑Contact with Haldeman, Ehrlichman
‑Role
-Meeting with the President

[Unintelligible]

‑Barry M. Goldwater

Bull entered at an unknown time after 4:20 pm.

Rebozo's schedule

Bull left at an unknown time before 4:32 pm.

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[Personal Returnable]
[Duration:  1m 44s  ]

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The President's schedule
‑Peterson

Henry A. Kissinger's return from Paris

Haldeman left at 4:32 pm.

Conversation No. 546‑2

Date:  July 26, 1971
Time:  4:32 pm ‑ 5:19 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Peter G. Peterson.

The economy
‑Current international situation
-John B. Connally
-John D. Ehrlichman
‑The People=s Republic of China [PRC] initiative
-Paul W. McCracken
‑Currency devaluation
‑Trade
‑Balance of payments
‑Hugh Scott, Richard S. Schweiker
‑Options
-Economic and political considerations
‑Control of inflation
‑Changes in world situation
‑Energy
-John Maynard Keynes
‑Dollar exchange rates
‑Forthcoming Presidential election, 1972
-Labor unions
‑Unemployment rate
‑Quota restrictions
-Past and future industries
‑Michael J. (AMike@) Mansfield
‑Legislation relating to foreign relations
‑Economic projections
‑Unemployment
‑Public perceptions of administration stance
‑Currency devaluation
-McCracken
-Political ramifications
‑Other nations
‑Value Added Tax
-European model
-Political ramifications
‑Balance of payments

‑General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade [GATT]
‑Great Britain, France
‑US businessmen
‑Wilbur D. Mills
‑Statements
‑Unemployment, economic indicators
‑Balance of payments
-Short term and long term prognosis
-Oil
‑Currency devaluation
-Quotas
‑Relations with other nations
‑Japan
‑PRC initiative
‑Balance of payments, balance of trade
‑US negotiations
‑Confidentiality of proposed action
‑Handling
‑Connally
‑McCracken, George P. Shultz
‑Currency devaluation
-Connally
‑Possible action by other countries
‑Coordination of effort
‑Staff
‑Connally, Paul A. Volcker, McCracken, Shultz
‑Confidentiality
-Threat of leaks
‑Peterson, Shultz, Connally, McCracken
‑Arthur F. Burns
‑Working group
‑Maintenance of confidentiality
‑Briefings
-Council of Economic Advisors
‑Legislation
‑Countering effects of inflation
‑Labor unions
-Edmund S. Muskie
-Burns
‑The President's foreign policy action
‑The PRC initiative
‑Timing of economic action
‑Europe

-Administration
‑Congress
‑Worldwide trends
‑Korea, Taiwan, Republic of China [ROC], Singapore
‑Presidential authority
-McCracken
‑Limitations
‑Congress
‑Confidential coordination of effort
‑Connally, Shultz, McCracken
‑The President's forthcoming meeting with Connally
‑Possible meeting
-Connally
‑Effect of currency devaluation
‑July 27, 1971 meeting with Connally, Peterson
‑Currency devaluation
‑Shultz
‑Free market approach
‑Japanese, Germans
‑Float currency
‑General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade [GATT] provisions
‑Import surcharge, export rebate
‑Political effect
-Connally

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[National Security]
[Duration:  11m 53s  ]

JAPAN

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US-Japan relations
‑Textile negotiations
‑The PRC, Taiwan
‑Appointment of new US Ambassador
-David M. Kennedy
‑Textile negotiations
‑Connally
-Exports

Personnel appointments
‑Peter M. Flanigan
‑State Department
‑William D. Eberle
‑Post dealing with international trade
‑Connally
‑Christian A. Herter, Jr.
‑Background
-European Economic Community [EEC]
‑Negotiations
‑Marshall Green, Connally
‑Kennedy

The State Department
‑US-Japanese relations
‑Economy
‑Peterson, Connally
‑Eberle
‑Outlook in negotiations
‑William P. Rogers, John N. (AJack@) Irwin, II, U. Alexis Johnson, [Unintelligible name]
‑Irwin
‑Role
‑Reorganization
-Legislation
-J. William Fulbright
‑Eberle
‑Possible role

Economic action
‑Confidentiality of meetings prior to action

‑Connally
‑Currency devaluation
-McCracken
‑Business community, the President's opponents

The President=s schedule
-Ehrlichman

Peterson left at 5:19 pm.

Conversation No. 546‑3

Date:  July 26, 1971
Time:  5:19 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Stephen B. Bull.

The President's schedule
‑Clark MacGregor's meeting request
‑The Mansfield Amendment

Bull left at 5:19 pm.

Conversation No. 546‑4

Date:  July 26, 1971
Time:  5:20 pm ‑ 6:12 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with H.R. (ABob@) Haldeman.

The economy
‑The President's forthcoming meeting with John B. Connally
-Peter G. Peterson

Clark MacGregor entered and Haldeman left at 5:21 pm.

Congressional action
‑Draft extension
‑MacGregor's, William P. Rogers= efforts
‑Michael J. (AMike@) Mansfield, John C. Stennis, F. Edward Hébert
‑Hébert
‑Mansfield Amendment
‑Rogers= memorandum
‑Handling of language
-Mansfield
‑Stennis‑Mansfield meeting, July 26, 1971
‑Senate reaction to compromise language
‑Presidential action
‑The People's Republic of China [PRC] initiative
‑Mansfield's resolution
‑Motives
‑Reaction
‑Motivation for support for the President's proposals
‑Schedule
‑John G. Tower
-John N. Mitchell
‑Busing
‑Requested meeting with the President
‑Busing issue
‑Possible Constitutional amendment
‑John D. Ehrlichman
‑1963 legislative efforts on Civil Rights Bill
‑William Kramer
‑Effect
‑Kentucky, California, Ohio, Tennessee
‑Housing issue
‑Education
‑Teachers

Foreign policy
‑PRC initiative
‑Mansfield Amendment
‑Opinion Research Corporation [ORC] poll
‑Reaction
‑Right wing
-John G. Schmitz
‑Walter H. Judd
‑Anti‑communism in the United States
‑Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR], Japan, Vietnam

‑Effect
‑The President's action
‑Mideast, Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT], Berlin negotiations
‑PRC initiative
‑Congressional reaction
‑Votes
-Public opinion
-Blue collar
-College educated

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[Duration:  2m 2s  ]

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Congress
‑Hébert

Ehrlichman was present at an unknown time after 5:30 pm.

‑MacGregor's forthcoming telephone call
‑Strategy
‑Tower
‑MacGregor's efforts

MacGregor left at 5:34 pm.

Economic impact of programs and legislation
‑HR 1 welfare legislation
‑Status
‑Strategy
‑Health issues, reorganization
‑The environment
‑Economic impact of legislative action
-John B. Connally

-Political evaluation
‑General revenue sharing
‑Commitments
-Citizen=s Committees
‑Local governments
‑Limitations on cutbacks
‑Edmund S. Muskie's work with Wilbur D. Mills
‑Possible bill
‑Effect
‑Presidential action
‑Vetoes
‑Office of Economic Opportunity [OEO]
-Richard K. Cook
-Carl D. Perkins
‑Director
‑Action on Great Society programs
‑Special revenue sharing
‑Aid to education
‑Timing
‑Congressional recess
‑October 1971

Proposal to chart Congressional action
-MacGregor

Carl B. Albert
‑Health
‑Appearance
‑Mrs. Albert
‑John J. (AJack@) Caulfield
‑Response of junior Democrats
‑Possible action of Mills
‑Speaker of the House
‑Continuation of House term or Presidential campaign

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[Personal Returnable]
[Duration:  41s  ]

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Leaks
‑[Charles M.?] Cooke
‑Deposition
‑Access to confidential cables by Daniel Ellsberg
-Elliot L. Richardson
‑Motives
-Tran Ngoc Chau
‑William P. Rogers, the President
‑Release of information

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[Closed by Statute]
[Duration:  4s  ]

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‑Top secret report from the President to the Attorney General
-Haldeman
‑Chicago Tribune
‑New York Times
-Egil G. (ABud@) Krogh, Jr.
‑Van Cleef (?)
-Department of Defense
‑Investigation

‑Polygraph
‑Unnamed State Department employee
‑Contact with William Beecher
‑SALT document

US-German relations
‑Supersonic Transport [SST]
‑Willy Brandt
-Press
‑Henry A. Kissinger
‑Egon Bahr

Public service symposium
‑The President's conversation with George H. Mahon

Education
‑School desegregation
-Ehrlichman=s conversation with Richardson
‑Limitation
‑Busing
‑Constitutional amendment
‑Action
-President=s conversation with MacGregor
‑Effect on liberals with children
‑Private schools
‑Constitutional amendment
‑Ehrlichman's conversation with John W. Dean III
‑Other alternatives
‑Effect in Bible‑belt region of the United States
‑Perceptions of the President

Lt. William L. Calley, Jr.
‑Status of court case
-Sentence
‑Position

Model cities program
‑Changes
‑Forthcoming announcement
‑General revenue sharing

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[Privacy]
[Duration:  46s  ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[National Security]
[Duration:  24s  ]

UNITED NATIONS

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration:  9s  ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8

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Paul W. McCracken
‑Possible new job and timing of departure
‑Role in economic policy
‑Connally

-Senate
-William Proxmire
‑George P. Shultz

The economy
‑Statistics
-Connally
‑Unemployment, retail sales
‑Employment
‑Vietnam veterans
‑Narcotics interdiction
‑Peterson
‑Connally, Shultz
‑McCracken
‑Implicit effect of departure
‑Connally's actions
‑Perceptions of possible action
‑Interpretation of statistics
‑Retail sales
‑Consumer confidence
‑Edwin L. Harper's memorandum
‑Analysis
-Charles W. Colson
‑Albert E. Sindlinger
‑Timing, method of McCracken's departure

Federal Reserve Board
-McCracken
-Arthur F. Burns
-Burns
‑Visibility with the press
‑Ehrlichman's encounter with Burns
‑Attitude

Newsweek article

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration:  2m 28s  ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9

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The Pentagon Papers
‑Continuation of efforts
‑The President's administration
‑The PRC initiative

The Pentagon Papers
‑Declassification
‑World War II‑era documents

The economy
‑Forthcoming Ehrlichman meeting with Haldeman
-Burns
‑Connally, Shultz, McCracken
-Peter M. Flanigan
‑Effectiveness
‑Public perceptions
‑Confidentiality and type of action
‑Comparison with with PRC initiative

The President and Ehrlichman left at 6:12 pm.

Conversation No. 546‑5

Date:  July 26, 1971
Time:  Unknown between 6:12 pm and 6:40 pm
Location:  Oval Office

Unknown men (Secret Service) entered.

[Unintelligible]

This recording was cut off at an unknown time before 6:40 pm.