Conversation No. 558-1

Date:  August 9, 1971
Time:  2:58 pm - 3:36 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.

President's schedule
-Cyclemates II
-Ziegler’s recent press conference
-Ellsworth F. Bunker
-Forthcoming meeting
-Timing
-Cyclemates II
-Republican National Committee leaders
-Press conference
-Timing
-International monetary developments
-Possible announcement
-Dwight L. Chapin
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Patrick J. Buchanan

Rose Mary Woods entered at an unknown time after 2:58 pm.

Call from an unknown woman

Woods left at an unknown time before 3:02 pm.

President's schedule
-Press conference
-Possible announcement
-Businessmen's group
-Buchanan

The President met with Thomas B. Evans, Franklin C. (“Lyn”) Nofziger, Edward S. DeBolt, Barry F. Mountain, Harry S. Dent, and Haldeman at 3:02 pm; the White House photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting.

Introduction
-DeBolt
-Mountain

[Unintelligible]

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration:  7m 19s  ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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Busing
-Press coverage
-Edmund S. Muskie, Hubert H. Humphrey, Edward M. Kennedy
-Muskie
-Southern delegates
-Dallas, Texas
-American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations [AFL-CIO] convention
-Reporters
-Demonstrators
-Placards

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration:  21m 52s  ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

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Presentation of gifts
-Golf balls
-Music box

President’s schedule
-John N. Mitchell

Ziegler, et al. left at 3:36 pm.

Conversation No. 558-2

Date:  August 9, 1971
Time:  Unknown between 3:36 pm and 3:38 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield.

President's schedule
-John N. Mitchell
-Location
-Situation Room
-Rose Mary Woods

Butterfield left at an unknown time before 3:38 pm.

Conversation No. 558-3

Date:  August 9, 1971
Time:  3:38 pm - 4:29 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Rose Mary Woods.

Schedule
-Lowell Thomas

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration:  3m 41s  ]

Woods left and John N. Mitchell entered at 3:40 pm.

H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman entered at an unknown time after 3:40 pm.

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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Leaks
-Henry A. Kissinger’s memorandum for the President
-Chou En-lai
-[Paul Scott’s] possession
-Distribution
-Peter G. Peterson
-William P. Rogers
-Mitchell
-John B. Connally
-Spiro T. Agnew
-Scott’s article
-Gold window proposal
-Connally’s comments
-Contingency plan
-Treasury Department policy
-Connally
-Kissinger's memorandum
-Distribution
-Alexander P. Butterfield
-Subject
Talks with Chou En-lai
-Scott
-Versions
-Sanitization
-Publication
-Distribution
-Rogers
-Agnew
-Connally
-Mitchell
-Kissinger
-Conversation with the President
-Security
-Gold window proposal
-Document
-Connally’s conversation with Haldeman
-Scott’s article
-Treasury Department paper
-Peterson
-Connally
-Peterson
-Scott
-Peterson
-Background
-Chicago

The President talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 3:40 pm and 3:53 pm.

[Conversation No. 558-3A]

Request for a return call from an unknown person

[End of telephone conversation]

Peterson

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[Duration:  2m 51s  ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4

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Leaks
-Scott’s column
-Kissinger’s memorandum
-Chou En-lai
-Distribution
-Investigation
-Lawrence M. Higby
-Egil G. (“Bud”) Krogh, Jr.
-Investigation
-Scott
-Impact
-Connally
-Accuracy
-Treasury Department study

Butterfield entered at an unknown time after 3:40 pm.

President's schedule
-Kissinger

Butterfield left at an unknown time before 3:53 pm.

Leaks
-Scott’s column
-President’s forthcoming trip to People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Preparations
-Ottawa, Canada
-Huang Hua
-Investigation
-Connally
-Treasury Department
-Council of Economic Advisors [CEA]
-Paul W. McCracken
-Schedule
-George P. Shultz

Kissinger entered at 3:53 pm.

-Scott’s column
-Chou En-lai memorandum
-Gold window proposal
-Scott’s column
-Kissinger memorandum
-Peterson
-Agnew
-Rogers
-McCracken
-Possible sources
-Kissinger's reaction to column
-Veracity
-Quotes
-Peterson
-McCracken
-Shultz
-Kissinger's meeting with Shultz
-Information in memorandum
-Gold window proposal
-National Security Council [NSC]
-Connally
-Peterson
-Treasury Department
-Peterson
-Possible effect of leak
-Run on gold
-Connally’s discussion with the President
-Shultz, Connally, and the President
-Peterson and McCracken
-Kissinger’s staff
-State Department
-Warsaw talks
-US fleet
-Kissinger’s conversation with Chou En-lai
-PRC
-United Nations [UN] Security Council
-US fleet
-Congressional approval
-Chou’s comments
-Possible sources
-Treasury Department, CEA, Peterson’s office, Shultz
-Cultural revolution
-Chou En-lai’s alleged comments
-Gold window action
-Shultz
-Scott
-Syndication
-Kissinger’s schedule

Kissinger left at 4:01 pm.

-Connally
-Haldeman and Mitchell

Kent State investigation
-News stories
-Grand jury investigation
-Announcement
-Timing
-School
-Congress
-Possible economic news
-President’s possible press conference
-Congress
-Public clamor
-Congress, citizens groups, William W. Scranton Commission
-President's possible press conference
-Possible questions
-President’s possible responses
-President’s dissociation from issue
-Possible press coverage
-Release for newspapers
-President’s possible press conference
-Possible questions
-Possible answer
-Justice Department
-Release for newspapers
-Press conference

Emergency Employment Fund
-Directive
-Use of discretionary grant
-California
-Aerospace industry
-Illinois
-Washington, DC
-Aerospace industry
-New Jersey
-Connecticut
-John [Surname unknown]

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration:  32s  ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6

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[George L.] Murphy
-Finances
-Taiwan

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration:  1m 43s  ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration:  2m 21s  ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9

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Textiles
-Political issue
-Mitchell’s memorandum
-State Department
-Asia
-Japan
-PRC trip
-David M. Kennedy
-PRC
-South Korea
-Taiwan
-Hong Kong
-State Department
-Peterson
-Japan
-NSC clause
-Trade bill
-Timing
-Findings
-Memorandum

Proposed economic action
-Import tax
-US as economic power

President's schedule
-Edward J. Gurney
-Photograph
-Congressional half-hour
-Gurney’s relationship with White House
-Florida newspapers
-Government projects
-Ohio, California
-[1970 Republican Senatorial primary]
-G. Harrold Carswell
-William C. Cramer
-Miami News
-Bill signing

Labor
-Teamsters Union
-Frank E. Fitzsimmons
-James R. (“Jimmy”) Hoffa
-Transportation Deregulation Act
-Fitzsimmons’s schedule
-Peter M. Flanigan
-Mitchell
-Hoffa
-Pardon issue
-Possible parole
-Parole board
-Political aspect
-Fitzsimmons
-Parole board
-Composition
-Possible action
-Mitchell’s possible conversation with Fitzsimmons
-Timing
-Parole board
-Public view
-Political clout
-Hoffa
-Barry M. Goldwater
-William Loeb
-PRC trip
-Pardon issue
-Political aspect
-Fitzsimmons
-View of parole
-Instructions to Mitchell
-Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]

President's schedule
-American Legion
-Veterans of Foreign Wars [VFW]
-Connally
-Rogers
-President’s future plans
-VFW
-Cartha D. ("Deke") DeLoach
-[Forename unknown] Johnson
-President’s future plans
-1972 election
-Donald McI. Kendall
-Connally
-Rogers
-Background
-President’s future plans
-1972 election
-National defense issue
-Kendall
-VFW
-Charles W. Colson
-Veterans groups
-Significance
-VFW
-Vice President

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 11
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration:  38s  ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 11

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[George C. Wallace]
-Presidential candidacy
-Possible administration action
-Eugene J. McCarthy
-Shirley Chisholm

Mitchell and Haldeman left at 4:29 pm.

Conversation No. 558-4

Date:  August 9, 1971
Time:  Unknown between 4:29 pm and 4:33 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield.

President's schedule
-Forthcoming meeting
-Photograph session
-Paul W. McCracken

Butterfield left at an unknown time before 4:33 pm.

Conversation No. 558-5

Date:  August 9, 1971
Time:  4:33 pm - 4:37 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with James F. Campbell, Charles L. Ill, Laurence E. Lynn, Donald M. Mosiman, Norman V. Watson, Richard S. Wilbur, and Daniel T. Kingsley; the White House photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting.

Introductions
-Appointees
-Campbell, Agency for International Development [AID]
-Ill, Navy
-Lynn, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare [HEW]
-Mosiman, Environmental Protection Agency [EPA]
-Watson, Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD]
-Wilbur, Defense Department

Government service
-Forthcoming responsibilities
-Recognition
-Public servants
-Types
-Office of President
-Assistant secretaries
-Budget
-Issues

-Foreign affairs
-Defense
-Navy
-War and peace
-Domestic
-Economics
-Crime, drugs, environment, housing, health

Presentation of gifts by the President
-Golf balls
-Cufflinks

Campbell, et al. left at 4:37 pm.

Conversation No. 558-6

Date:  August 9, 1971
Time:  4:37 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield.

President's schedule
-Paul W. McCracken
-Ellsworth F. Bunker

Butterfield left at an unknown time before 4:37 pm.

Conversation No. 558-7

Date:  August 9, 1971
Time:  4:37 pm - 5:00 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Paul W. McCracken.

International monetary affairs
-John B. Connally
-McCracken memorandum
-Length
-Delivery to President
-Stephen B. Bull
-Rose Mary Woods
-Paul Scott’s column
-Closing the gold window
-Treasury Department
-Contingency plan
-Planned action
-Timing
-Forthcoming meeting
-Council of Economic Advisors [CEA]
-George P. Shultz
-Leaks
-Possible US action
-Dollar floatation
-Closing the gold window
-Price of gold
-Gold
-Switzerland
-Position of dollar
-Undervaluation
-Impact on imports

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 4:37 pm.

Refreshment

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 4:43 pm.

International monetary affairs
-Position of dollar
-Undervaluation
-Impact on political leadership
-International trade
-Liberal orientation

Rose Mary Woods entered at 4:43 pm.

-Memorandum by McCracken

Woods left at 4:44 pm.

-Herbert Stein
-Ezra Solomon
-Hendrik S. Houthakker

National economy
-Retail sales figures
-Compared to June
-Compared to 1970
-Consumer confidence
-Trends
-Consumer spending
-Money supply
-Rate of increase
-Arthur F. Burns
-Federal Reserve Board [FRB]
-Relationship to economy
-Timing
-Housing
-Subsidies
-Compared to unknown program
-Interest rates
-President's schedule
-Trips to Ohio, Iowa, New Hampshire and Maine
-Public mood
-Iowa
-Crowd
-McCracken’s family
-Size
-Capital goods
-Status
-Investment tax credit
-Depreciation
-Inventory levels
-President’s recent press conference
-Retail sales
-Unemployment statistics
-June and July 1971

International monetary affairs
-Forthcoming meeting
-Leaks
-Possible crisis
-Possible Administration responses
-Closing the gold window
-Dollar floatation
-International cooperation
-Burns
-France
-Germany
-Great Britain
-France
-Japan
-Alternatives
-Closing the gold window
-Impact on the dollar
-Gold supply

National economy
-Domestic action
-Wage and Price Board
-President's press conference previous week
-Economic uncertainty
-Abuse of power
-Possible wage and price action
-Freeze

President's schedule
-Stein and Solomon

McCracken left at 5:00 pm.

Conversation No. 558-8

Date:  August 9, 1971
Time:  Unknown between 5:00 pm and 5:02 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with an unknown person.

George P. Shultz's schedule

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 5:02 pm.

Conversation No. 558-9

Date:  August 9, 1971
Time:  5:02 pm - 5:44 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Rose Mary Woods.

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration:  11m 20s  ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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George P. Shultz entered at 5:13 pm.

Letter
-[Forename unknown] Walker
-New York

Woods left at 5:15 pm.

Schedule
-Helena M. (“Obie”) Shultz
-Trip to New England
-Nursing home
-Conditions
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon

International monetary affairs
-President's meeting with Paul W. McCracken
-Discussions
-Leaks
-Paul Scott’s article
-Closing gold window
-Shultz, John B. Connally, and the President
-Possible run on dollar
-Connally
-France
-Germany
-Great Britain
-Arthur F. Burns
-Discussion with bankers
-Leaks
-McCracken, Peter G. Peterson, Connally
-Possible Administration actions
-Closing the gold window
-Export and import tax
-Wage and price freeze

National economy
-Wage and price action
-Shultz's preparations
-Congress
-Hearings
-Shultz’s possible testimony

International monetary crisis
-Connally
-Possible Administration actions
-Timing
-Closing the gold window
-Entire package
-Meeting
-San Clemente
-Shultz, Connally, and the President
-Burns
-Leaks
-Peterson
-Wilbur D. Mills
-Value
-McCracken
-Connally
-Burns
-Shultz's schedule
-Burns
-Tactics
-Gold prices
-Raising
-Consequences
-Congress
-Effect on prices
-Wage and price freeze
-Timing

National economy
-Wage and price freeze
-Public attitude
-Labor, business, consumers
-Analogy to Vietnam War
-Media
-Inflation
-Wage and price board
-Timing
-Wage and price board
-Possible name
-Burns
-Purpose
-Public relations
-Possible effectiveness
-Duration
-Wages
-Possible difficulty in implementing
-Automobiles
-Produce
-Women's apparel
-Services
-Rents
-Duration
-Scope
-Interest rates
-Home loans
-Shock effect
-Preparation for further action
-Import tax
-Inflation

International monetary crisis
-Import tax
-Inflation
-Milton Friedman
-Flexible exchange rates
-Inflation
-Burns
-Fixed exchange rates
-Closing the gold window

National economy
-Wage and Price Board
-Inflation
-Duration
-Public actions
-Motivation
-Self-interest
-Business and labor

An unknown man entered and left at an unknown time after 5:15 pm.

Ellsworth F. Bunker

National economy
-Possible Administration actions
-International situation
-Dollar floatation
-Possible political effect
-Wage and price freeze
-Automobile excise tax
-Investment tax
-Congress
-Possible budget cuts
-Imports tax
-Federal pay raises
-Delay
-President’s announcement
-Timing
-Congressional session
-Public confidence
-Vietnam war
-Blacks
-Environment
-Consumer issues
-Administration’s successes
-Foreign policy
-Blacks
-Critics
-Crime
-Effect on media
-Economic issues
-Congress
-Wage and price freeze
-Budget cuts
-Impoundment of funds
-Debt
-Family assistance
-Fiscal years [FY] 72, 73
-Revenue sharing
-Possible savings
-Federal government
-Pay raise
-Personnel cutbacks
-Appearance
-Congress
-Taxes
-Investment tax credit
-Automobile excise tax
-Estimated cost
-Personal income
-FY 1973
-Value added
-Budget
-Department of Defense [DOD]
-Navy
-Moses Waltz [?]
-Air Force
-Army
-Navy
-Military bases
-Caspar W.  ("Cap”) Weinberger
-Location
-Massachusetts
-California
-Florida
-Unemployment
-Ohio
-Testing center
-California
-Funds
-John N. Mitchell
-New Jersey
-Donald H. Rumsfeld
-Unemployment rate
-Unemployment
-Michigan
-Seattle, Washington
-New Jersey
-Kansas
-California
-Aerospace industry
-Shultz's forthcoming talk with Burns
-Wage and price freeze
-President’s talk with Connally and Shultz
-Possible leak
-Instructions for Shultz
-Burns’ memorandum
-Wage and price board

Shultz left at 5:44 pm.

Conversation No. 558-10

Date:  August 9, 1971
Time:  5:44 pm - 6:18 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Ellsworth F. Bunker and Henry A. Kissinger; the White House photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting.

John D. Ehrlichman

Stephen B. Bull [?] entered at an unknown time after 5:44 pm.

Request for a call from George P. Shultz

Bull [?] left at an unknown time before 5:47 pm.

Vietnam
-US
-Kissinger
-Negotiations
-Bunker
-Nguyen Van Thieu

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 5:44 pm.

Refreshments

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 5:47 pm.

Vietnam
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-Telephone call to Bunker
-People's Republic of China [PRC] trip
-Possible impact
-Peace
-Telephone call to Kissinger
-PRC
-North Vietnam

The President talked with Shultz between 5:47 pm and 5:48 pm.

[Conversation No. 558-10A]

[See Conversation No. 7-79]

[End of telephone conversation]

Foreign policy
-Vietnam
-Bunker’s conversation with Thieu
-US and PRC
-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-USSR
-India
-Kissinger
-Meeting with Indian Ambassador
-Possible military action
-Indira Gandhi
-Invitation from the President

An unknown person entered and left at an unknown time after 5:48 pm.

-India-Pakistan relations
-Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan
-Sheik Mujibur Rahman
-Indian Ambassador
-Pakistan announcement
-Trial
-Awami League
-East Bengal
-Awami League
-East Pakistan
-News service
-Expulsion
-Vietnam
-Elections
-Thieu
-Nguyen Cao Ky
-Mutual disdain
-Previous election results
-Communists
-Poll
-Lt. Gen. Duong Van Minh
-Ky
-Thieu
-Bunker’s conversation with Thieu
-South Vietnam government
-Minh
-US Congress
-Analogy to Greece
-Minh
-Lower house elections
-Timing
-Thieu’s position
-Minh
-Observers
-Congress
-Committee for Peace and Freedom
-Richard M. Scammon
-Military situation
-Level of activity
-Casualties
-US
-Weekly numbers
-Type of fighting
-Defensive compared to offensive
-South Vietnamese
-South Vietnamese
-North Vietnamese
-North Vietnam
-Possible offensive
-Demilitarized zone [DMZ]
-Possible political action
-US action
-Cambodia
-Laos
-North Vietnamese infiltration of supplies
-[Ho Chi Minh Trail]
-1970 compared to 1971
-Cambodia
-Army of the Republic of Vietnam [ARVN]
-US aid
-Thieu
-I, II Corps
-Reorganization
-Tank battalion
-Reserves
-II Corps
-Troop ceiling
-Thieu
-Forthcoming election
-Prospects for political survival
-1972
-Cambodia
-Thieu
-Possible military action
-Timing
-Forces
-Size
-Divisions
-Prospects for 1972
-US withdrawal
-Possible impact on South Vietnam
-Bunker’s conversation with Thieu
-I Corps
-South Korea forces
-Withdrawal
-Impact on southern provinces
-I Corps
-Unknown person
-Delta
-Quang Nam
-Quang Hi [?]
-Negotiations
-Kissinger
-David K.E. Bruce
-William P. Rogers
-Bunker's Assessment
-North Vietnam
-PRC
-Election
-Casualties
-Economy
-Cambodia
-Laos
-Thieu
-Le Duc Tho
-Possible arrival in Paris
-Timing
-Meaning
-President’s instructions to Kissinger
-Publication of record
-Xuan Thuy
-Le Duc Tho
-PRC
-Statement
-Thieu
-US withdrawal
-US military assistance
-US Congress
-Stockpile
-Military services
-Congress
-Helicopters
-Tanks
-M-48's
-USSR
-North Vietnam
-Laos
-Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.	
-World War II comparison
-Germany
-M-48's
-Negotiations
-Seven points
-Possible settlement
-Publication of record
-Nine points
-PRC
-Forthcoming trip
-Vietnam
-Kissinger
-Friends
-New York
-Invitations
-Lectures
-Vietnam
-Bunker
-Graduating class of 1916
-Support
-Kingman Brewster, Jr.
-Kissinger
-Trip to Peking
-Clark M. Clifford
-Article
-PRC trip
-Seven points
-Negotiations
Publication of record

Bunker’s wife [Carol C. (“Laise”) Bunker]
-Health
-Lunch
-Bunker

President's appreciation for Bunker's and Bruce's work
-Kissinger
-Memoirs

Bunker and Kissinger left at 6:18 pm.

Conversation No. 558-11

Date:  August 9, 1971
Time:  Unknown between 6:18 pm and 6:21 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Manolo Sanchez.

The President's schedule

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 6:21 pm.

Conversation No. 558-12

Date:  August 9, 1971
Time:  Unknown between 6:18 pm and 6:21 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Stephen B. Bull.

President's schedule

Bill signing

Chair

Bull left at an unknown time before 6:21 pm.

Conversation No. 558-13

Date:  August 9, 1971
Time:  6:21 pm - 6:28 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Rose Mary Woods and Stephen B. Bull.

President's schedule
-Alexander P. Butterfield
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Charles W. Colson

Bull left at an unknown time before 6:28 pm.

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration:  3m 17s  ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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The President and Woods left at 6:28 pm.

Conversation No. 558-14

Date:  August 9, 1971
Time:  Unknown after 6:28 pm
Location:  Oval Office

Unknown people [Secret Service agents] met.

President’s location
-Residence