Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 625 › Conversation 625-010

Nixon & Haldeman on Earl L. Butz and 1973 Federal Budget

Monday, November 29, 1971 · 8:25 AM–8:38 AM ET · Oval Office · 4 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation625-010 on Tape 625 (tape position 00:53:12–00:58:09)StartMonday, November 29, 1971 at 8:25 AMEndMonday, November 29, 1971 at 8:38 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 625-010 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman met to discuss administrative priorities, including the confirmation of Earl L. Butz and upcoming decisions regarding the 1973 federal budget and pay increases. They also strategized on the production of an NBC documentary, "A Day in the Life of the President," with Nixon emphasizing that the footage should avoid overly formal policy meetings to prevent the content from becoming too dull for viewers. The President directed Haldeman to ensure the program featured more dynamic, interrupted sequences rather than prolonged, serious discussions involving his senior advisors.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 3 minutes of this recording (about 69% 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.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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of the, uh, of the, uh, of the, uh, of the, uh, of the, uh, of the, uh, of the, uh, of the, uh, of the, uh,
5.5, federal pay increase.
I don't know.
I don't know.
Because I don't understand.
Then we'll keep these two days open and see what happens.
All right.
Let's just see if we can see something here.
Well, there's nothing here.
Going forward, we can't be seen at half six, right?
Got it.
OK.
I have a draft of one.
I want to redo it now with the idea of the two-door thing and I'll have that over this morning.
That would be a good thing to get settled today and get it set up so we'll have a good lot of schedule.
You're not going to do something like that?
No.
No, that's the main thing I'm going to do.
There's got to be some sort of some appearance of, I don't know, they will overcompensate on it anyway.
And I don't want it to just be another thing.
Don't just sort of sign it and force it around.
Too much on time.
Got to get a broad scope of the audience.
Very good.
And don't, and don't just get as serious as things.
Like Sandy, when Schultz comes in, and Hurley comes in, and Kissinger comes in, that will, that will overdo that.
It's too dull for people.
They should come in, and what they come in on should be done in interruptions.
Yeah, interrupting each other, or being interrupted by something that happens rather than just long drawn out.
Good.
Well, one thing, if you want to take some time, try to take a little time to get us to say no, because there's going to be a lot of help coming in.
And he's ready to talk to you, so that's something to keep in mind.

NARA Description

On November 29, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:25 am and 8:38 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 625-010 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 625-10

Date: November 29, 1971
Time: 8:25 am - unknown before 8:38 am
Location: Oval Office

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

     Earl L. Butz
           -Confirmation
                -Clark MacGregor

     1973 budget
          -Federal pay
          -George P. Shultz

     The President's schedule
          -National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC] program
               -“A Day in the Life of the President”
                      -The President’s view
                           -Ronald L. Ziegler
                           -Shultz, John D. Ehrlichman and Henry A. Kissinger
          -Unknown man
Haldeman left at an unknown time before 8:38 am.

                                                                   Conv. No. 625-26
                                                                   Conversation     (cont.)
                                                                                No. 625-11

Date: November 29, 1971
Time: Unknown between 8:25 am and 8:38 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Stephen B. Bull.

     The President's schedule
          -John N. Mitchell

Bull left at an unknown time before 8:38 am.

Also recorded on November 29, 1971

  • 625-011 8:25 AM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:25 am and 8:38 am.
  • 625-012 8:38 AM · 2 hr 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John N. Mitchell, John D. Ehrlichman, Clark MacGregor, and William E. Timmons met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:38 am to 10:42 am.
  • 015-140 10:45 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 10:45 am.
  • 015-141 10:45 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Clark MacGregor talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:45 am and 10:58 am.
  • 625-013 10:45 AM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at 10:45 am.
  • 625-014 10:45 AM · 17 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, Clark MacGregor, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:45 am to 11:02 am.
  • 015-142 11:02 AM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:02 am and 11:11 am.
  • 625-015 11:02 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:02 am and 11:11 am.

All 72 conversations from November 29, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 625-010, November 29, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/625-010 (accessed September 29, 2026).