521–4

Conversation No. 521-4

Date: June 15, 1971
Time: 2:19 pm - 2:38 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Charles W. Colson.

Greetings

President's letter to networks
-Wedding coverage
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



-Copy to Colson
H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman entered at an unknown time after 2:19 pm.

President's desk
-Damage
-Causes

Possible wedding rerun
-Colson talk with National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC] executive
-Gulf Oil Corporation
-Interest
-NBC
-Summer reruns
-Follow-up

President's schedule
-Colson’s request
-Set up of meeting with John M. O’Neill
-Anti-war demonstration
-Action of O’Neill
-Reaction
-\"Dick Cavett Show\"
-John F. Kerry, O'Neill
-American Broadcasting Company [ABC]

Pentagon Papers
-Administration response
-National security
-Damage done
-Emphasis on \"family quarrel\" aspects
-Nixon administration involvement
-Principle of disclosure
-Escalation of attack
-Benefits
-Paul N. (“Pete”) McCloskey, Jr.
-President's role in Vietnam
-Lyndon B. Johnson attack
-Barry M. Goldwater
-Attack on Johnson
-Disclosure of information
-Security of information passed to State Department and Department of Defense
[DOD]
 3

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



-Handling of security material
-New York Times
-Freedom of press issue
-Calls for congressional investigation
-Benefits
-Suspects
-Leslie H. Gelb
-Walter [?] Gellhorn Conv. No. 521-4 (cont.)
-Morton Halperin
-Use of oath
-Newsweek editor’s conversation with John A. Scali
-Knowledge of source and method of leak
-Use in next week's magazine

Mailing operation
-Colson supervision
-Haldeman

Attack on Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy
-Hugh Scott
-Response to Kennedy's attack on President
-President's use of religion
-Reason for Kennedy's attack
-Presidential credibility
-Separation from other candidates
-Donald H. Rumsfeld role
-Kennedy speech
-Jaycees convention in Oregon
-Mailing of Kennedy statement and Hubert H. Humphrey answer
-Robert J. Dole role
-Effect
-Editorials
-Jaycees convention
-Rumsfeld attack
-Familiarity with Vietnam war issue
-Protest of Kennedy statement
-Benefits
-Kennedy statement
-Editorials
 4

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 6m 47s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2 Conv. No. 521-4 (cont.)

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President's desk
-Damage

Haldeman and Colson left at 2:38 pm.