Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 245 › Conversation 245-002
Nixon, Haldeman & Kissinger on Vietnam War and Congressional relations
Tuesday, April 6, 1971 · 9:20 AM–9:59 AM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 29 min
AI Summary
President Nixon met with H. R. Haldeman and Henry Kissinger to discuss White House strategy regarding the ongoing Vietnam War, Congressional relations, and the national economic recovery. Amidst frustration over a lack of support from mainstream establishment figures, the President directed his staff to replace moderate names with stronger, conservative allies on official lists and committees. The participants also reviewed positive indicators in the economy, specifically retail and automotive sector data, to assess the Administration's standing.
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 18 minutes of this recording (about 60% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.
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NARA Description
On April 6, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, Michael J. ("Mike") Mansfield, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 9:20 am to 9:59 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 245-002 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 245-002
Date: April 6, 1971
Time: 9:20 am - 9:59 am
Location: Executive Office Building
Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
William P. Rogers and Melvin R. Laird
Meeting with Congressional leaders
-Gerald R. Ford
-Hugh Scott and Ford
[The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 9:20 am and
9:22 am]
[Conversation No. 245-2A]
[See Conversation No. 42-5]
[End of telephone conversation]
General Alexander M. Haig, Jr. and Vice President Spiro T. Agnew as speakers
Carl B. Albert
[The President talked with Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield between 9:22 am and 9:27 am]
[Conversation No. 245-2B]
[See Conversation No. 42-6]
[End of telephone conversation]
President’s meeting with National Security Council, Congressmen, April 7, 1971
-Mansfield
-Albert
-[Thomas] Hale Boggs
Meeting with Congressional leaders
-Albert
-Ford
-Scott
Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542
Haig
Haldeman’s schedule
Press
-Unknown story
-Coverage
Staff
-Donald H. Rumsfeld
-Clark MacGregor
-Charles W. Colson
-John A. Scali
-John D. Ehrlichman
-George P. Shultz
-Defense spending
Mood of nation
Vietnam War
******************************************************************************
[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number
LPRN-T-MDR-2014-015. Segment declassified on 01/10/2018. Archivist: DR]
[National Security]
[245-002-w002]
[Duration: 6s]
Thailand
******************************************************************************
White House staff and Cabinet
-Accomplishments
“Ted Gates”
Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542
-Vietnam War
Harrison A. Williams, Jr.
Henry A. Kissinger
Cambodia
-Bombing
-Kent State University
-Public attitudes
Congressional attitudes
-Rumsfeld
-Problems with Congress
-Robert H. Finch
-Republicans
-MacGregor
-Supporters of Administration
-Labor leaders
-Southerners
-Support or non-support
-Consequences
-President’s options
Scali
-MacGregor
-Staff situation
Economy
-Stock market
-Retail sales
-Apparel
-New York
-Chrysler Corporation
-First quarter
-Home furnishings
-Apparel
-Stock market
-Buying power
Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542
White House staff
-Haldeman’s assessment
[The President talked with Kissinger at an unknown time between 9:20 am and 9:59 am]
[Conversation No. 245-2C]
Meeting with the President
Kissinger
-Rogers
-Laird
-Conflicts
Chicago Tribune
Sidney R. Yates and John S. Nolan
Staffing for unknown agency
-Right-wingers
Haldeman left at 9:59 amAlso recorded on April 6, 1971
- 042-002 8:54 AM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Julie Nixon Eisenhower talked on the telephone from 8:54 am to 8:58 pm.
- 042-003 8:54 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:54 am and 9:10 am.
- 042-004 9:10 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 9:10 am.
- 042-005 9:20 AM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:20 am and 9:22 am.
- 042-006 9:22 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Michael J. ("Mike") Mansfield, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 9:22 am to 9:27 am.
- 042-007 9:27 AM · 2 min — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:27 am and 9:59 am.
- 042-008 9:59 AM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 9:59 am.
- 042-009 9:59 AM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Gerald R. Ford talked on the telephone from 9:59 am to 10:06 am.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 245-002, April 6, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/245-002 (accessed September 29, 2026).