Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 22 › Conversation 022-155

Nixon phone call with Haldeman on Richard G. Kleindienst and John N. Mitchell

Sunday, April 16, 1972 · 3:19 PM–3:27 PM ET · White House Telephone · 7 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation022-155 on Tape 22 (tape position 05:55:05–06:02:34)StartSunday, April 16, 1972 at 3:19 PMEndSunday, April 16, 1972 at 3:27 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 022-155 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H.R. Haldeman discuss the status of Richard G. Kleindienst's Attorney General nomination and the political risks associated with potential testimony from Jack Gleason. The conversation focuses on concerns regarding campaign contributions, specifically the ITT controversy, and the administration's strategy for managing the confirmation process. Nixon directs Haldeman to ensure that contingency speeches and planning are prepared in case the situation necessitates a sudden change in strategy.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 4 minutes of this recording (about 60% 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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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No.
Is there no further report, Chad?
I talked to John, uh, he's got, uh, a fan and a track he's got on the golf course.
He's pretty busy.
And, uh, he's with his partner.
They're going to do a, you know, they get in and have, you know, they're going to call in the planning.
He's going to go through the final time of the trip.
He's going to be in the car with us.
Oh, I see.
The one thing I'm a little concerned about is whether Mitchell is leaning, I mean, too much in terms of going the extra distance to get Pindy confirmed or not.
just frankly looking for an excuse to not take the recent risk.
That's the one thing I just want to say.
It's a little uneasy about it.
Well, there's no question that Mitchell's motivation, you know, his first effort is to try to get him to confirm it.
But as Colson says, if we follow this way, we really can't lose either way.
Did we get it?
That's still better off than having to start over.
True.
But on the other hand, if what Colson said,
You'll never get him confirmed if the Gleason thing comes out.
Gleason blows.
If he blows, he probably won't.
Well, no, I don't know.
Gleason's blow won't hurt the country.
And there's, again, there's only a one chance intent that Gleason will blow.
It's a good chance to avoid.
What is this?
I bet you lied.
What, incidentally, what is the situation in this area?
that he would blow about.
For example, you mean, was this a corporate contribution?
It is a violation of law.
If it was individual contributions in cash, I don't know how much it would be interesting to .
That's just one of the areas that they're concerned about.
We've been involved in .
Yeah, that's really
Well, that is not relevant, however.
It's only about the IT&T.
That's right.
Whether they contributed and so forth.
Whether or not it was a legal contribution.
If that's the case, then I'm not sure.
I'd be concerned about it.
I guess if you wouldn't do that, then I think it's probably a different case.
Even there, it doesn't have anything to do with the administration.
Okay, so...
Were we able to do anything on that little suggestion I had with regard to questioning all members?
Yeah, we got a reporter doing it.
I'm not sure, I haven't heard what he got back.
He sent the stuff out.
Launched out.
Okay.
I believe that's it.
Sure.
Well, I guess we're ready.
The only other thing is to be sure that he's having a mind factor and anything to do with the work he's doing.
We've got to be sure that if we do that, that's somebody who's got his speech pretty well drafted.
That's been done, I think, on the one hand or the other.
john says that they had worked he had worked on that last week but i i'm not sure if they really have well i would say that if you would just urge them all to have in mind that if you do have to go on an earlier time we haven't told anybody else about the contingency in specific terms you know i know we haven't but they do they have been thinking
i'm sure they've been thinking i've not made any assignments anybody but not yet remember he said he was going to wait
Well, could you do this?
Would you just say that on the lawn?
No, I guess it's just that you put on it.
You're on it.
But I do think that you have to have some work done, Bob.
I don't know what claim you should say, but I think that should be done just as it
you would have somebody just, who do you think is the best candidate?
Well, if he could just have something done, let's say.
We'll have to move pretty fast, as you know.
Now, it could be that
Uh-huh.
At least some things will go over until Wednesday.
That's what Mitchell said.
Maybe.
Won't be before Tuesday.
Mitchell might be able to get it.
That way.
That way.
Well, I think it's in good shape as we can get it at the present time.
I know that Mitchell was going ahead to talk to Weinberger, but he's young.
He has not...

NARA Description

On April 16, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 3:19 pm to 3:27 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 022-155 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 22-155

Date: April 16, 1972
Time: 3:19 pm - 3:27 pm
Location: White House Telephone

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

     Richard G. Kleindienst nomination
          -Report from Haldeman
               -Haldeman’s talk with John N. Mitchell
                     -Paul J. Fannin
                           -Location
               -Call to Peter M. Flanigan
               -California
          -Confirmation
               -Mitchell’s efforts
                     -Jack Gleason testimony
               -Charles W. Colson’s views
               -Gleason testimony

                      -Campaign contributions
                           -Corporate compared with private
                                  -International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT]
                           -Republican Party
          -Campaign contributions
                -Questionnaires for Congressmen
                      -Journalist
                           -Report
                      -Kenneth W. Clawson
          -Flanigan strategy
          -Speech
                -Mitchell
                      -Talk with Kleindienst
          -Republican Convention issue
                -Confidentiality
          -Speech
                -Colson
                      -Timing
          -Gleason testimony
                -Schedule
                -Mitchell
                      -Talk with James O. Eastland
                           -Delay in hearing
                      -Talk with Casper W. Weinberger
                           -Possible appointment
          -Report to the President

Also recorded on April 16, 1972

  • 022-152 2:25 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 2:25 pm to 2:29 pm.
  • 022-153 2:35 PM · 44 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 2:35 pm to 2:36 pm.
  • 022-154 2:36 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:36 pm and 3:19 pm.
  • 022-156 3:27 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:27 pm and 3:39 pm.
  • 022-157 3:29 PM · 27 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and John V. Brennan talked on the telephone from 3:29 pm to 3:30 pm.
  • 022-158 3:33 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 3:33 pm.
  • 022-159 3:35 PM · 19 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 3:35 pm to 3:54 pm.
  • 022-160 3:57 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William F. ("Billy") Graham talked on the telephone from 3:57 pm to 4:09 pm.

All 45 conversations from April 16, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 022-155, April 16, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/022-155 (accessed October 12, 2026).