Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 219 › Conversation 219-026

Nixon phone call with Haldeman on Public Relations and Henry Kissinger

Wednesday, October 11, 1972 · 7:01 PM–7:02 PM ET · Camp David Hard Wire · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation219-026 on Tape 219StartWednesday, October 11, 1972 at 7:01 PMEndWednesday, October 11, 1972 at 7:02 PMRecording deviceCamp David Hard WireSourceNixon Library record for 219-026 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H.R. Haldeman coordinated the logistics for an upcoming meeting with a high-level official, likely Henry Kissinger, to ensure his arrival did not coincide with the President's public appearance in Atlanta. Nixon emphasized the political importance of avoiding a conflicting schedule and decided to host a private, unannounced dinner with the official and Alexander Haig. The conversation focused on managing optics and securing a quiet opportunity for a substantive debriefing.

Audio

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NARA Description

On October 11, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 7:01 pm to 7:02 pm. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 219-026 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 219-26

Date: October 11, 1972

Time: 7:01 pm - 7:02 pm
Location: Camp David Hard Wire

The President talked with H.R. ("Bob") Haldeman.

[See Conversation No. 148-18]

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).

I kind of thought, I think it is not good for me to be in Atlanta before cheering thousands at a time that he arrives back.
And it's telling us to delay his flight, his return.
So he arrives about 5 o'clock, you know what I mean?
Sleep in.
And he will see Rogers immediately.
I think what we have to do is see him together and give him a little slap on the back.
And then he and I will have dinner with him and Haig.
And just the three of us together.
We won't announce that, but he and Haig and I will have dinner together.
And we'll have a talk.
Okay.
But he should not arrive when I'm dead on Atlanta.
It would be a hell of a mistake.
Talk to the lay there.
No, no, no.
The lay has had him arrive around five o'clock.

Also recorded on October 11, 1972

  • 148-017 7:00 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 7:00 pm and 7:01 pm.
  • 219-025 7:00 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 7:00 pm to 7:01 pm.
  • 148-018 7:01 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David from 7:01 pm to 7:02 pm.
  • 148-019 7:03 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at 7:03 pm.
  • 148-020 7:03 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 7:03 pm and 7:23 pm.
  • 219-027 7:03 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at 7:03 pm.
  • 219-028 7:03 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 7:03 pm and 7:23 pm.
  • 219-029 7:03 PM · 14 sec — Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 7:03 pm and 7:23 pm.

All 20 conversations from October 11, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 219-026, October 11, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/219-026 (accessed October 28, 2026).