Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 14 › Conversation 014-031

Nixon phone call with Haldeman on Earl L. Butz and Clifford M. Hardin

Wednesday, November 10, 1971 · 8:27 PM–8:30 PM ET · White House Telephone ·3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation014-031 onTape 14 (tape position 00:51:35–00:54:59)StartWednesday, November 10, 1971 at 8:27 PMEndWednesday, November 10, 1971 at 8:30 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 014-031 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman coordinate the final arrangements for the appointment of Earl L. Butz to replace Clifford M. Hardin as Secretary of Agriculture. They discuss scheduling a meeting between John Mitchell and Butz, as well as the timing for the public announcement and the President's personal involvement in the rollout. Additionally, the pair briefly reviews positive reactions to the President's recent fundraising speeches and outlines the protocol for his upcoming Veterans Day ceremony.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yeah.
In view of the way that's hardened and breaking, I was wondering if you did get butts together with Mitchell today.
No.
I'm meeting with him tomorrow morning at 8 o'clock.
And then the plan that you're going to have for tomorrow.
Good.
We cannot keep that right to harden.
Right.
But everybody agrees he's a man now.
I'm pleased with John.
They went through a full check on him and worked him over.
But John has not seen him yet.
John has not seen him.
And I don't know whether he was back today or what, but they're going to have breakfast.
Anyway, they had to set a tape, start setting a crate across the farm, do it the first time.
Then what they want to do is bring you in to meet you just before you go to the bus.
Right.
How do we announce it?
Do I go out?
I think you probably should, but we could do it this morning.
What they want to do is do the announcement in the afternoon at 4 o'clock.
That's right.
And you should.
You should go out with Hardin.
Hardin back?
Yeah.
It's worked out perfectly.
He got back last night.
He approved us?
Yeah.
He's with us.
You know, it wasn't his prime candidate, but it was on his list.
Okay.
We'll go.
All set except for John, and I'm sure he's going to get there.
Okay.
Okay.
Well, Henry says that Rockefeller was pleased with the New York beach, so that's good.
It's been a reaction in general.
Very good, yeah.
Very good.
California.
It went very well, and all of them had good reception, very enthusiastic.
The shows went well.
Good.
There, too, we were on an earlier hour.
That's right.
It was really ideal there.
8 o'clock.
Any other problems I have to think about for tomorrow?
No.
Oh, at the monument, do I say?
Nothing.
We're releasing a statement, so it would be tough for the print, but that's the thing.
You go through, it's a very standard ceremony.
You stand there, they play the National Anthem.
You go up, place the reed, and step back.
Right.
I think that's good.
Good.
Good.
All right.

NARA Description

On November 10, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 8:27 pm to 8:30 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 014-031 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 14-31

Date: November 10, 1971
Time: 8:27 pm - 8:30 pm
Location: White House Telephone

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

     Earl L. Butz
           -Clifford M. Hardin's resignation
           -Schedule
                 -John N. Mitchell
                 -Announcement of appointment as Secretary of Agriculture
                      -Hardin
           -Selection process
                 -Charles W. Colson
           -Schedule
                 -Mitchell
                 -The President
                 -Announcement
                      -Timing
           -Hardin's view

     The President's fund-raising speeches, November 9
          -Nelson A. Rockefeller's view
                -The President's conversation with Henry A. Kissinger
          -Californians' reaction
                -Air time

     The President's participation in Veterans Day ceremony
          -Released statement
          -Ceremony

Also recorded on November 11, 1971

  • 014-025 7:54 PM · 10 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, Charles W. Colson, and Julie Nixon Eisenhower talked on the telephone from 7:54 pm to 8:03 pm.
  • 014-026 8:04 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and William E. Timmons talked on the telephone from 8:04 pm to 8:06 pm.
  • 014-027 8:07 PM · 13 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 8:07 pm to 8:20 pm.
  • 014-028 8:20 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:20 pm and 8:25 pm.
  • 014-029 8:25 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 8:25 pm.
  • 014-030 8:25 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:25 pm and 8:27 pm.
  • 014-032 8:30 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:30 pm and 8:44 pm.
  • 014-033 8:44 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Tricia Nixon Cox talked on the telephone from 8:44 pm to 8:48 pm.

All 91 conversations from November 11, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 014-031, November 11, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/014-031 (accessed September 18, 2026).