Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 22 › Conversation 022-046

Nixon, Haldeman & Kleindienst on Media relations and Political strategy

Wednesday, March 29, 1972 · 4:00 PM–4:48 PM ET · White House Telephone · 3 min

ParticipantsHaldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); White House operator; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kleindienst, Richard G.Conversation022-046 on Tape 22 (tape position 02:01:54–02:04:31)StartWednesday, March 29, 1972 at 4:00 PMEndWednesday, March 29, 1972 at 4:48 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 022-046 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 417193057 ↗

AI Summary

H. R. Haldeman coordinated a discreet meeting between President Nixon and Attorney General Richard G. Kleindienst to review the current political landscape. Following a brief exchange regarding a recent concert Kleindienst attended, the two men arranged for the Attorney General to enter the White House via the South Grounds and Diplomatic Entrance to avoid press attention. Haldeman emphasized the need for total discretion regarding the meeting, a protocol Kleindienst agreed to follow to avoid public speculation.

Audio

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NARA Description

On March 29, 1972, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, President Richard M. Nixon, and Richard G. Kleindienst talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:00 pm and 4:48 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 022-046 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 22-46

Date: March 29, 1972
Time: Unknown between 4:00 pm and 4:48 pm
Location: White House Telephone

H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman talked with the White House operator.

     Request for call to Richard G. Kleindienst

The operator placed the call on hold at an unknown time between 4:00 pm and 4:48 pm; the
President and Haldeman conferred in the background.

[See Conversation No. 328-23A]

Haldeman talked with Kleindienst.

[See Conversation No. 328-23B]

     A concert
          -Kleindienst’s views
          -Mexico City
          -Transfiguration of Jesus Christ
          -Length of performance

     Kleindienst’s forthcoming meeting with the President
          -Entrance to the White House
                -South Grounds
                      -Diplomatic Entrance
                -Discretion
          -Library
          -Discretion

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).

Mrs. Haldeman, can I have Kleindienst, please?

Thank you, sir.

Mrs. Haldeman, can I have Kleindienst, please?

Thank you, sir.

There has to be something clear cut somewhere, that's right.

Cleandace is on the line.

Cleandace?

Yes, sir.

How was your fiddle players last night?

God almighty, that was terrible.

I went to Mexico City where I'd been.

You don't like the transfiguration of Jesus Christ, huh?

I do, but I don't like it so damn long.

It started at 8.30 and then you're over at 11 o'clock.

They transfigured him too far, huh?

No wonder they crucified him, you know.

That isn't a very nice thing to say.

He always spoke well of you.

I don't know if he has or not.

I'm waiting for that great day.

A...

The President thought it might be a good idea to get together for a little chat and review where things stand and how they look, and I wondered if you'd be free to come over now.

Sure.

In order to avoid creating any stir, why don't you come in the south grounds and in the diplomatic entrance?

All right, sir.

You know where I mean?

Yes, sir.

And then we'll catch you there and meet in the library or someplace.

Exactly.

Five or ten minutes.

Okay.

And just don't say anything.

So we don't get people stirred up.

You don't want me to call a press conference, huh?

Well, you might, yeah.

You want to set up the television cameras would be okay.

I follow a practice, unless I'm instructed the contrary, that I never say anything to anybody when I meet with the president.

Oh, is that right?

Yeah.

Oh.

You're so unlike the other folk around here that you never say I do.

It creates a problem.

Yeah.

Okay.

Is that a practice you'd want me to pursue?

That would be a wise move, yeah.

Thank you.

See you in a few minutes.

Bye.

Also recorded on March 29, 1972

328-012 12:57 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:57 pm and 3:07 pm.
022-044 3:07 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Clark MacGregor, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 3:07 pm to 3:15 pm.
328-019 3:07 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Clark MacGregor, and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:07 pm to 3:15 pm.
328-020 3:15 PM · 23 sec — 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 3:15 pm and 3:50 pm.
328-021 3:15 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:15 pm and 3:50 pm.
022-045 3:50 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Julie Nixon Eisenhower talked on the telephone from 3:50 pm to 3:51 pm.
328-022 3:50 PM · 46 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Julie Nixon Eisenhower met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:50 pm to 3:51 pm.
328-023 4:00 PM · 32 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, and Richard G. Kleindienst met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:00 pm to 4:48 pm.

All 21 conversations from March 29, 1972 →

Nixon & Haldeman on Media relations and Press strategy September 15, 1971 · 52 min
Nixon phone call with Haldeman on Richard G. Kleindienst and John N. Mitchell April 16, 1972 · 5 min
Nixon phone call with Mitchell on 1972 Presidential Campaign June 9, 1972 · 13 min
Nixon, Connally & Haldeman on National Economy and ITT Case March 28, 1972 · 2 hr
Nixon, Mitchell & Haldeman on ITT Case and Richard Kleindienst April 12, 1972
Nixon & Reagan on Vietnam War and Peace negotiations January 26, 1972 · 5 min

Cite this conversation

Conversation 022-046, March 29, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417193057). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/022-046 (accessed November 15, 2026).