Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 155 › Conversation 155-026

Nixon, Woods & Haldeman on John Mitchell

Tuesday, November 21, 1972 · 9:43 AM–9:48 AM ET · Camp David Study Table · 4 min

ParticipantsWoods, Rose Mary; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation155-026 on Tape 155StartTuesday, November 21, 1972 at 9:43 AMEndTuesday, November 21, 1972 at 9:48 AMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 155-026 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon coordinated plans with Rose Mary Woods for a surprise visit to the Mudge, Rose, Guthrie and Alexander law firm in New York during the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Nixon decided to have John Mitchell arrange the visit to ensure he could briefly greet the staff and senior partners without disrupting firm operations. Additionally, the President requested that Woods schedule a 9:00 a.m. appointment with his barber.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I have Ms. Woods calling you, Mr. President.
Sure.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Hello.
Hi, 8 o'clock is fine Friday morning, and he said he'll be there even before that.
That amazing man, 70 years old, he's in that office.
He really is.
And he said, you know, the earlier you come, the less apt you are to see anybody.
Fine.
And I called Alice Kinsella and chatted with her a few minutes.
Is he still there?
Yes.
Oh, I'll be darned.
So I just said I was thinking about her and called to say Happy Thanksgiving.
Will they be there on Friday?
Yes.
The farm is open Friday.
Well, I'll tell you what, you know, I don't think I ought to surprise them because some of the ones that really would just have done work and everything would just hate it if they missed it, see?
Yeah, you think we ought to have Len sort of arrange it?
Well, that might be a nice thing.
That would be nice.
I was talking to Lynn about other things yesterday.
I don't know.
Of course, you've got John Mitchell there.
Yeah, maybe I should call John Mitchell.
I think John Mitchell is the one you should talk to.
See, that wouldn't be Lynn's bag.
Lynn should know that I'm doing it.
Yeah.
I'll tell you, you can call John and tell him that I tentatively would be there around 2 o'clock in the afternoon or 2.30.
Say 2.30, 2.30.
2.30, because you have appointments here in the morning time.
Their luncheons are—well, I know, but I'm going to finish by 11.
Let me see when I get there.
I'll be there about 3 o'clock.
Just a second.
Why don't we say, because I know they like to get out for their early weekends and so forth at that time probably.
Why don't we say, Rose, I'll be there about 2.30 to 3 o'clock.
2.30 to 3?
Right.
Okay.
Right.
And then I'll just tell them I'm just going to drop in and say hello to the people.
I've got about—just a brief visit.
Okay.
Yeah, and you're not going to stop in the stock exchange or anything like that?
I hadn't thought I would.
I don't know.
I don't know whether it's open on Friday anyway, is it?
I don't know.
I would imagine so, but I don't really know.
But I'll tell John Mitchell this, that you want him to say that already, or are you sure enough that you want him to say that?
Yes, yes, I'm sure enough that I'll be up there.
Just stop by and say hello.
I don't want to go office to office.
That takes too much time.
No, no.
Well, they could use that.
They could just have the people gathered.
I mean, the people, the secretaries and all the rest sort of gathered around in the reception room, and I can say, hello, thank you very much, and so forth, and then drop into the room with the senior partners to talk about it.
See?
Sure.
Have a few minutes.
But John will know how to set it up.
Oh, sure.
Fine.
Okay.
Thank you.
Rose?
Yes, sir?
Oh, would you also set up an appointment with the barber for, if we could,
Maybe could we set him up at 9 o'clock?
9 o'clock, please.
All right.
Bye.
Bye.
Thanks, Rose.
You're welcome.
Thank you.
Bye.

NARA Description

On November 21, 1972, Rose Mary Woods, President Richard M. Nixon, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David from 9:43 am to 9:48 am. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 155-026 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 155-26

Date: November 21, 1972
Time: 9:43 am - 9:48 am
Location: Camp David Study Table

Rose Mary Woods talked with the President.

[See Conversation No. 229-11C]

*****************************************************************
                                              -29-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                          Conversation No. 155-26 (cont’d)

[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

       The President’s schedule
            -Appointment with Dr. William O. Chase
                  -Age
                  -Work
                  -Time
            -Alice Kinsella [sp?]
                  -Mudge, Rose, Gutherie and Alexander Law Firm
            -Thanksgiving
            -Trip to New York
                  -Mudge, Rose, Gutherie and Alexander Law Firm
                         -The President’s visit
                         -Arrangements
                              -Leonard Garment
                              -John N. Mitchell
                                    -Telephone call from Rose Mary Woods
                              -Time of arrival
                                    -White House appointments

The President conferred with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman at an unknown time between 9:43 am and
9:48 am.

                                  -Arrangements
                -New York Stock Exchange
            -Mudge, Rose, Gutherie and Alexander Law Firm
                -Mitchell

                       -Arrangements
                 -Senior partners
            -Barber appointment
                 -Time

[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************
                                            -30-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Also recorded on November 21, 1972

  • 155-022 9:10 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:10 am and 9:24 am.
  • 229-008 9:10 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:10 am and 9:24 am.
  • 155-023 9:24 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon talked on the telephone at Camp David from 9:24 am to 9:25 am.
  • 229-010 9:24 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 9:24 am to 9:25 am.
  • 155-024 9:25 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:25 am and 9:28 am.
  • 229-011 9:25 AM · 1 hr 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Camp David operator, Rose Mary Woods, John V. Brennan, and unknown person(s) met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:25 am and 10:35 am.
  • 155-025 9:28 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods talked on the telephone at Camp David from 9:28 am to 9:32 am.
  • 183-003 9:33 AM · 1 min — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Camp David operator, and Lawrence M. Higby talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:33 am and 4:41 pm.

All 13 conversations from November 21, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 155-026, November 21, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/155-026 (accessed September 18, 2026).