Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 19 › Conversation 019-181

Nixon phone call with Rogers on Spiro T. Agnew and Executive branch relations

Wednesday, January 26, 1972 · 10:17 AM–10:18 AM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Rogers, William P.Conversation019-181 on Tape 19StartWednesday, January 26, 1972 at 10:17 AMEndWednesday, January 26, 1972 at 10:18 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 019-181 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon initiated this brief call to commend Secretary of State William P. Rogers for his recent performance and to vent frustrations regarding Vice President Spiro Agnew’s negativity during administration meetings. Nixon compared Agnew’s critical behavior unfavorably to his own loyal conduct while serving under President Eisenhower, noting that Agnew’s demeanor seemed to undermine the administration’s public messaging. The two also briefly touched upon Senator Barry Goldwater’s recent comments regarding North Vietnam.

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Transcript (AI-generated)

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Yeah.

Secretary Rogers.

Hello, Mr. President.

Oh, before I get to the Dutchman, I just wanted to know, you did a hell of a good job there, and I was just sitting here, Bob Alderman.

Doesn't it really piss you off that Agnew always is so goddamn negative at these meetings?

Yeah, I didn't mean to be.

I think he was a little hurt, but Christy, he didn't listen to your speech.

You said it in your speech.

My God, but he hadn't heard the speech or listened or anything.

The other point is, though, that, you know, you were there at the budget meeting, weren't you?

Remember the same thing?

And Jesus, he's a nice guy, but he just, I remember when I used to sit in that chair for eight years, you remember I'd sit in there and swallow and

But I was always trying to buck up for Eisenhower or Dulles and defending him and all that.

I mean, you did and the rest, but God damn it, why does Agnew always have to raise the negatives?

It sounds as if he's on the other side.

But it wasn't Goldwater good.

Don, he's refreshing.

Isn't he, though?

No, that's tough about sticking something up down there.

Throw it down their throats and put it up the other way until it meets.

Okay.

Well, anyway, many thanks.

Well, I thought it went very well.

I seem to be pleased.

Thank you very much.

NARA Description

On January 26, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and William P. Rogers talked on the telephone from 10:17 am to 10:18 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 019-181 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 19-181

Date: January 26, 1972
Time: 10:17 am - 10:18 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with William P. Rogers.

[See Conversation No. 656-10C]

     The President's schedule
          -Prime Minister of the Netherlands
          -Rogers’s performance
          -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman

     Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
          -Attitude
                -The President’s recent Vietnam speech
                -Budget meeting
                -Compared to the President's conduct as Vice President
                     -Dwight D. Eisenhower, John Foster Dulles

     Barry M. Goldwater
          -Comment about the North Vietnamese

Also recorded on January 26, 1972

019-092 10:02 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:02 am and 10:11 am.
656-008 10:02 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:02 am and 10:08 am.
656-009 10:02 AM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Paul J. Fannin met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:02 am and 10:08 am.
656-010 10:08 AM · 1 hr 54 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Henry A. Kissinger, Paul J. Fannin, White House operator, William P. Rogers, Stephen B. Bull, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Barend W. Biesheuvel, J. William Middendorf, II, White House photographer, unknown person(s), and Baron Rijnard B. Van Lynden met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:08 am to 12:02 pm.
019-093 10:11 AM · 43 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Paul J. Fannin talked on the telephone from 10:11 am to 10:12 am.
019-094 10:12 AM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:12 am and 10:17 am.
019-095 10:18 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:18 am and 10:42 am.
019-096 10:42 AM · 45 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone from 10:42 am to 10:43 am.

All 102 conversations from January 26, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 019-181, January 26, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/019-181 (accessed October 12, 2026).