Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 17 › Conversation 017-129

Nixon phone call with Haldeman on Vietnam War and Media Relations

Saturday, January 1, 1972 · 11:54 AM–2:42 PM ET · White House Telephone · 4 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation017-129 on Tape 17 (tape position 04:34:18–04:38:31)StartSaturday, January 1, 1972 at 11:54 AMEndSaturday, January 1, 1972 at 2:42 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 017-129 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 417192021 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman discuss political strategy regarding an upcoming Vietnam policy announcement, focusing on which cabinet members should be consulted for input on publicity and media tactics. They also coordinate details for an upcoming televised interview with CBS correspondent Dan Rather, specifically rejecting proposed 'teaser' questions and staging elements to maintain presidential decorum. Haldeman confirms he has successfully negotiated the format with Rather to avoid these gimmicks and ensure the interview proceeds directly from the Oval Office.

Audio

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NARA Description

On January 1, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:54 am and 2:42 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 017-129 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 17-129

Date: January 1, 1972
Time: Unknown between 11:54 am and 2:42 am
Location: White House Telephone

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

[See Conversation No. 311-18]

     President's Vietnam announcement
           -Haldeman to talk to William P. Rogers
                 -Publicity
                 -Television
           -Haldeman to talk to Melvin R. Laird
                 -Rogers and Lairds judgment
           -Judgement of other Cabinet members
                 -George W. Romney
                 -John A. Volpe
          -Haldeman to call Elliot L. Richardson
                 -Richardson's political abilities
          -John B. Connally
          -Donald H. Rumsfeld
          -Robert H. Finch

     President's interview with Dan Rather
           -Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
           -Format of show
                 -Format types discussed
           -Refreshments
           -Location of interview
                 -Oval Office
           -Format of show
           -Haldeman's conversation with Rather
                 -Howard K. Smith

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

Mr. Haldeman, sir.
Bob.
I forgot to mention that I'd like for you to, in terms of the political thing, get Roger's judgment about the thing.
Ask, you know, have a talk with him about what we ought to do and so forth.
He likes to be asked about this, and he also has very good judgment.
Okay.
PR-wise, how much television, how much, you know, this and that and the other thing.
Okay, good.
I'll talk with him about California.
The other thing, I would do it with Laird.
Okay, good.
I don't think any of the other cabinet people's judgment would be too good.
Romney's would not be very good.
Volpe would not.
We know what they both think.
Richardson's very intelligent.
You might try him.
He's been a good politician.
See what kind of things you think we ought to be doing.
All right.
Obviously Conley.
Conley for other reasons, and of course Rumsfeld and Finch.
Okay.
One thing, on this TV, CBS people raised the question of doing an opening, what they call a tease question, but a generic, non-substantive question.
In other words, the camera would come on, rather ask you a question, you complete the answer, then they cut for the titles and the opening thing and all, and then come back for the interview.
uh it seems today what they want to do is pre-record that and i said no no uh then one another option was to do it live i don't think you should i think we should have them open and we take you to the white house i don't think they should get cute with the president no and uh right so i've i've turned it down but i thought i ought to check with you to see if you
How do we do the other one?
No, the hell with that.
No, the other one we did with a straight announcer saying, you know, they have to explain what it is.
We take you to the White House.
And then they start right with the questions, or did I say something?
I would be glad to open it, just to say that, you know.
I think probably they turn to you and you say, Mr. Rather, or...
Glad to have you here.
Let's go to your questions kind of a thing.
Mm-hmm.
But I'm not going to do a teaser.
Right.
None of that sort of thing.
Okay.
Do you agree?
They had also raised the question whether you'd like to have coffee or water.
No.
On the table there or something.
Again, I don't think you want to get that informed.
No, I never do.
Don't drink either during a broadcast.
Right.
He can have it if he wants it, but I'm not going to have it.
Okay.
Where are they going to have it?
Oval Office.
Oh, not the library this time.
No.
I think it's better to do a different place, and from a production standpoint, they can do a better job in the Oval Office and get better set up there.
Yeah.
I'll be glad to open it if they want to use me for that, if it's proper the way I say it.
Okay.
Welcome to rather the Oval Office than to...
questions any questions he wants okay but if they want whatever they want either way but but no none of no teasers yeah okay okay and uh i talked to rather and he completely he said the more he thought about it the more he thought that that you shouldn't also he said as a matter of fact he was checking that howard smith stuff and found that that question had arisen in the smith thing and that for that reason if if only for that reason it would be better not to right
And so he was, there was no problem at all.
So that is done.
Okay.
Very good.

Also recorded on January 1, 1972

  • 017-126 11:54 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:54 am and 2:42 pm.
  • 017-127 11:54 AM · 12 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:54 am and 2:42 pm.
  • 017-128 11:54 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:54 am and 2:42 pm.
  • 311-015 11:54 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 11:54 am and 2:42 pm.
  • 311-016 11:54 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 11:54 am and 2:42 pm.
  • 311-017 11:54 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 11:54 am and 2:42 pm.
  • 311-018 11:54 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 11:54 am and 2:42 pm.
  • 311-019 11:54 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 11:54 am and 2:42 pm.

All 35 conversations from January 1, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 017-129, January 1, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417192021). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/017-129 (accessed October 30, 2026).