Conversation No. 693-1

Date:  March 24, 1972
Time:  3:02 pm 	-3:39 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with Ralph Harris, John F. Osborne, Peter Lisagor, Charles W. (“Chuck”) Bailey, II, Robert B. Semple, Jr., Don[ald] Bacon, Jack Germond, R.H. Shackford, Jim Cary, Sarah McLendon, Lucian C. (“Lou”) Warren, John Cauley, Frank van der Linden, Jim Deakin, Jesse Lewis, Gaylord Shaw, Bob Toth, David Kraslow, Courtney Sheldon, Jerrold F. terHorst, Dave Barnett, Martin Schram, Martin Nolan, Jack Leacocas, Clark R. Mollenhoff, Edgar Allen Poe, Fred Bonavita, George Embrey, Frank Kane, Ed O'Brien, Phil Potter, Ross Mark, Hans Hoefer, Toru Takeuchi, Helen A. Thomas, Norman Kempster, Bob Trautman, Marc Hutten, Thomas E. Jarriel, Robert Pierpoint, Alan Lidow, Gary Axelson, Forrest Boyd, Herbert E. Kaplow, Alvin Rosenfeld, Fay G. Wells, Donald Fulsom, Gil Butler, James McManus, Skip Isaacs, Tom Littlewood, Aldo B. Beckman, Paul Healy, Garnett D. (“Jack”) Horner, J. Gannon, Dick Wightman, Hugh S. Sidey, Henry Hubbard, Jerrold L. Schecter, Howard Norton, Al Sullivan, William Sprague, Cliff Evans, H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman, Ronald L. Ziegler and Gerald L. Warren.  See the Public Papers of the Presidents, Richard Nixon, 1972, pages 488-498.  The press conference was in progress when the recording began.

[General conversation]

Conversation No. 693-2

Date:  March 24, 1972
Time:  3:39 pm	-5:10 pm
Location:  Oval Office

The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.

	The President's press conference
		-Format
			-Topics
		-Television

		-Questions
		-International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT] case
			-Richard G. Kleindienst confirmation
			-Peter M. Flanigan’s testimony
				-Ronald L. Ziegler
			-Justice Department investigation
			-San Diego
				-Ziegler’s response
				-Kleindienst
			-Television
		-George Meany
		-Schools
		-Food prices
			-Farmers
			-Eggs
		-Arthur K. Watson
		-Television
		-ITT case
			-San Diego question
			-Kleindienst confirmation
				-Investigation
					-Justice Department
		-Fidel Castro question
			-Sarah McLendon
		-Marijuana question
			-The President's answer
				-Opposition to legalization
		-Busing question
			-Desegregation progress
			-National Broadcasting Company [NBC] broadcast
			-California
			-Compensatory education
		-Making points
			-Memorandum
				-Patrick J. Buchanan
				-Ziegler
			-Economy
				-Food prices
			-Paris conference
				-Filibuster
			-Busing question
				-Racism
				-Moratorium
			-Robert B. Semple, Jr.
				-Foreign policy
					-Leonid I. Brezhnev
			-ITT question
				-John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson administrations
		-Pace
		-Watson
			-The President's comments
		-Meany
			-The President's comments
				-National security
				-Real wages
		-Television compared to office
		-Type of questions
			-Busing
			-Inflation
			-Canada
			-The People's Republic of China [PRC]
			-Soviet Union
			-Vietnam
			-ITT
			-Marijuana
			-Watson
			-Meany
			-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
			-Kleindienst
			-Negative compared to positive
			-Number
			-Paris
			-Moscow
			-Cuba
			-PRC
			-Canada
			-Busing
			-Marijuana
			-Political contributions
			-Justice Department actions
			-Wage Board
			-Inflation
		-Credit to the administration
			-Herbert G. Klein

	[ITT] case
		-Press conference
			-San Diego question
				-Ziegler’s response
			-Kleindienst confirmation
				-Justice Department response

Ziegler entered at 3:53 pm.

	Press conference
		-Press reactions
			-Paris talks
				-Negotiations
			-Inflation
				-Food prices
			-Busing
				-Desegregation
				-Racism
				-Moratorium
					-Significance
				-Compensatory education
					-United Press International [UPI]
					-Associated Press [AP]
			-Food prices
				-Middleman
				-Farmers
				-Egg story
					-John B. Connally
		-ITT case
			-Press reactions
				-Kleindienst confirmation
				-Campaign contributions
				-Maurice H. Stans
					-Flanigan
				-Richard W. McLaren
				-Time magazine story
					-Erwin N. Griswold
				-Divestiture
				-Kennedy and Johnson administrations
		-Glass house analogy
		-Watson
		-San Diego question
		-Kleindienst confirmation
			-Refusal to comment
			-Justice Department
		-Possible televising
		-“No comment” philosophy
		-Questions and answers [Q&A]
			-Kennedy
			-Dwight D. Eisenhower press conferences
				-Absence of live television
			-Johnson press conferences
				-Length
			-Number of questions
		-Television
		-Extended answers
			-Busing issue
			-Wage and price issue
			-Television
		-NBC
			-Compensatory education
		-Television
			-Answers 
			-Length
		-Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT] question
			-Semple
			-Moscow trip
		-World powers
		-Office compared to television
			-Preparation
				-Time
				-Relaxation
				-Grammar
		-Busing
			-"Lost generation"
			-Desegregation
		-Agnew question
		-Gerald L. Warren
		-Lucian C. (“Lou”) Warren
		-Television
		-Campaign questions
			-Speeches
			-Partisan political groups
			-Before compared with after the Republican Convention

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration:  22s  ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

**********************************************************************

	Press conference
		-Evening news coverage
			-Paris peace talks
			-Meany
			-Marijuana question
				-Answer 
					-Opposition to legalization of marijuana
				-Raymond P. Shafer
		-Paris peace talks
			-Filibuster
			-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
		-Frequency of conferences
		-Office compared to television
			-Subjects
			-Length
			-Press selection of questions and topics
		-Radio compared to television
			-Dan Rather
				-Coverage of press conference
				-Haldeman’s view
		-Egg quote
			-Connally
		-Meany answer
			-Press coverage
		-Office conference compared to television
		-Shafer
			-Marijuana
		-Watson answer
			-Sobriety
				-Members of the House of Representatives and Senate
			-Airplane incident
				-Carl B. Albert
				-[Thomas] Hale Boggs

**************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Privacy]
[Duration:  42s  ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

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		-Number of conferences
		-Frequency
			-Television
		-Pattern of appearances
			-Ziegler
		-Television
		-The President’s preparation
		-Lou Warren
			-Treatment by the President
		-Castro question
			-McLendon

Ziegler left at 4:20 pm.

	Press conference
		-Office
		-Preparation
		-Television
			-Prior press conference
				-California
		-Connally's view of leadership
			-Cabinet
			-Republic Congressional leaders
			-Press conference
		-Compared to speeches
			-Busing
			-Narcotics
				-New York

	PRC
		-"New China hands”
			-Significance
			-Pictures

[No conversation]

	Press conference
		-Busing
			-Answer
			-Ziegler's comments
		-Watson answer
			-Ziegler’s comments compared to the President's comments
		-Busing
			-Racism
		-David Kraslow
		-Reuters [?]
		-Hedley Donovan
			-Bureau Chief
			-Special commentator
		-The President’s forthcoming trip to Canada
		-Preparation

	ITT case
		-Press conference
			-Kleindienst answer
		-Ziegler
			-Flanigan
		-Answers

	The President's schedule
		-Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo's schedule

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

	The President's schedule
		-Rebozo's schedule
		-Charles W. Colson
			-Meeting with the President

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

	Colson
		-Lawyer
			-Advice
			-ITT
				-Dita D. Beard
					-Committee

	Economy
		-Wage and price controls
		-Meany
		-Food prices
			-Decrease
				-Economists
			-Chain stores
				-International Brotherhood of Teamsters
					-Trucks
						-Delivery costs
			-Meat
				-Processing
			-Eggs
				-Hotel Pierre

Haldeman left and Colson entered at 4:32 pm.

	Press conference
		-The President's performance
		-Executive Office Building [EOB]
			-Basement
				-Colson's listening
		-Television
		-ITT case
			-Kennedy and Johnson administrations
				-Adlai E. Stevenson, III
					-Withdrawal Kleindienst nomination
				-Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
					-Statement
				-President’s answer
					-Democrats
		-"Glass houses" comment
			-Sobriety
				-American Broadcasting Company [ABC] news request
					-State Department files
						-Congressmen
						-Incidents abroad
		-Tone
		-Television
		-Meany
		-Economy
			-Wages
			-Food prices
				-Middleman compared to retailer
				-Eggs
				-Farmers
				-Consumer
					-Giant Foods
					-Safeway
				-Food chains
					-Lawsuit
						-Herbert Stein
						-Connally
							-Today show
		-ITT
			-Democrats
			-Settlement
			-McLaren
				-Possible lawsuit
			-Griswold
		-Wire stories
			-Ziegler
		-Paris peace talks
		-ITT
			-Antitrust record
			-Hearings
			-Administration
			-Drop case
		-"Glass houses" comment
			-Sobriety
		-President’s Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse
			-Criminal justice
			-Private compared to public use
				-Homosexuality comparison
					-Peter I. Tchaikovsky
		-Topics
			-Meany
			-Food prices
			-Busing
				-Compensatory education
			-ITT
				-Contributions
					-John N. Mitchell
				-Hearings
				-"No comment"
					-Antitrust record of the administration
				-San Diego case
				-Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] experts
				-Outside experts
				-Assistant Director
				-John W. Dean, III
					-Comments

Bull entered at an unknown time after 4:32 pm.

	The President's schedule
		-Helicopter
			-Departure time
		-Alexander P. Butterfield
			-Documents
				-The President's signature

	Pen or pencil

Bull left at an unknown time before 4:50 pm.

	ITT case
		-Beard memorandum
		-Walter McCrone
			-Paper analysis
			-FBI
				-Dating
				-Pearl L. Tytell
			-McCrone and Tytell testimony
			-FBI
			-John A. Scali
				-ABC
					-Evidence of fraud
		-Jackson
			-Antitrust issue
			-Submission to Congress
				-Kennedy and Johnson administrations

	Colson's schedule
		-Louis P. Harris
			-Meeting

	Press conference
		-Press coverage
		-Paris peace talks
		-SALT agreement
			-Semple
		-Marijuana question
		-"Glass houses" comment
			-Watson
				-Possible resignation
					-William P. Rogers
				-Airplane incident
					-Rogers
				-State Department

	Colson's schedule
		-Harris
			-ITT issue
				-Democrats
					-Campaign issue
					-Committee
					-Report
						-Democratic Committee
							-James O. Eastland
					-Foreign Relations Committee
					-Begin investigation
						-ITT and Chile

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[National Security]
[Duration:  52s  ]

	CHILE

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4

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	Press conference
		-Food prices
			-Egg comment
				-Connally’s story
				-Farmer, middleman and consumer

	Congress
		-Foreign policy
			-Democrats
		-Passage of bills
			-Republican leadership
			-Easter
			-Democratic National Convention
			-Clark MacGregor
				-Administration proposals
					-Lack of Congressional action
						-Michael J. Mansfield
						-Albert
						-Wilbur Mills
							-Revenue sharing
						-Russell B. Long
							-Welfare reform
								-Elliot L. Richardson
									-Pilot program

	Press conference
		-Television
			-The President's conversation with Haldeman and Ziegler
				-Preparation
				-Answers
		-Topics
		-Answers 
		-ITT
			-Kennedy and Johnson administrations
				-President’s comments
		-Public impressions
		-Tone
		-Television
		-Kennedy's press conferences

Butterfield entered at 5:00 pm.

	Documents
		-Signatures

	The President's schedule

Butterfield left at 5:02 pm.

	Frank E. Fitzsimmons's call to Colson

	Meany
		-Harris's opinion
			-ITT

**********************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration:  45s  ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5

**********************************************************************

	Strategy
		-Publicity
		-Leaks
			-Pentagon Papers
			-Robert J. Dole

Bull entered at an unknown time after 5:02 pm.

	The President's schedule
		-Helicopter
			-Departure
		-Haig

Bull left at an unknown time before 5:04 pm.

	Fitzsimmons
		-Call to Colson
			-Support
			-Meany
			-Calls to Fitzsimmons
				-Callers' support
					-Building trades
		-Meany
			-The President’s comments at press conference
				-Jay Lovestone

Bull entered at an unknown time after 5:02 pm.

	The President's schedule
		-Haig
			-New York
			-Possible message

Bull left at an unknown time before 5:10 pm.

	Press conference
		-Questions
			-Paris negotiations
				-Charge of filibuster
			-Domestic issues
				-Consumer Price Index [CPI]
				-Food prices
					-Price Commission
					-Middlemen
					-Farmers
					-Egg comment
					-Earl L. Butz
					-Donald H. Rumsfeld
						-Forthcoming press conference
					-Stein
					-Farmers
						-Butz
					 	-Middlemen

	ITT case
		-White House strategy
			-George W. Romney
			-John A. Volpe
			-Agnew
			-Kennedy and Johnson administrations
		-Contributions
		-Cabinet officers
		-Richardson

	Press conference
		-Domestic issues
			-Busing
			-ITT
			-Food prices
			-Busing
				-Racism
				-Moratorium
				-Compensatory education
				-Education system

The President left and Butterfield entered at an unknown time after 5:04 pm.

	The President's schedule
		-Camp David

	Xerox
		-Unknown woman

	Handshaking

[No conversation]

The President returned at an unknown time after 5:04 pm.

	States
		-Report on George C. Wallace

	ITT case
		-Beard memorandum
			-FBI

Colson left at 5:09 pm.

	The President's schedule
		-Reception for Congress
			-Number of guests
		-Hussein ibn Talal [Hussein, King of Jordan]
			-Stag dinner
			-Honors
			-Time
			-Congressmen
			-Army Chorus
				-Sea Chanters
		-Organization of American States [OAS] dinner
			-Entertainment
				-Dorothy Kirsten

The President and Butterfield left at 5:10 pm.