Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 9 › Conversation 009-050

Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on H. R. Haldeman and Sequoia

Thursday, September 16, 1971 · 9:13 PM ET · White House Telephone · 11 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation009-050 on Tape 9 (tape position 01:40:30–01:40:40)StartThursday, September 16, 1971 at 9:13 PMEndThursday, September 16, 1971 at 9:13 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 009-050 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to facilitate a telephone connection with H. R. Haldeman. The operator informed the President that Haldeman was currently aboard the presidential yacht, the Sequoia, and was expected to return the call shortly. This brief communication served to coordinate Nixon's urgent administrative access to his Chief of Staff.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Hello?
Mr. President, Mr. Haldeman is on the Sequoia also and I have left word for him to return the call as soon as they die or they should be in a few minutes.

NARA Description

On September 16, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 9:13 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 009-050 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 9-50

Date: September 16, 1971
Time: 9:13 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The White House operator talked with the President.

     H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman's location
          -Sequoia
          -Return call

Also recorded on September 17, 1971

  • 009-047 9:03 PM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 9:03 pm.
  • 009-048 9:06 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Patrick J. Buchanan talked on the telephone from 9:06 pm to 9:12 pm.
  • 009-049 9:12 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 9:12 pm.
  • 009-051 9:13 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:13 pm and 9:17 pm.
  • 009-052 9:17 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone from 9:17 pm to 9:19 pm.
  • 278-039 9:17 PM · 50 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 9:17 pm to 9:20 pm.
  • 009-053 9:19 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:19 pm and 9:22 pm.
  • 009-054 9:22 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Maj. Maj. George K. Robinson talked on the telephone from 9:22 pm to 9:23 pm.

All 48 conversations from September 17, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 009-050, September 17, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/009-050 (accessed October 9, 2026).