Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 25 › Conversation 025-002

Nixon phone call with Haldeman on Soviet Union and Public Relations

Thursday, June 1, 1972 · 11:17 PM–11:30 PM ET · White House Telephone · 13 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation025-002 on Tape 25 (tape position 00:00:39–00:13:35)StartThursday, June 1, 1972 at 11:17 PMEndThursday, June 1, 1972 at 11:30 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 025-002 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman discussed the political reception of the President's recent address to Congress following his historic trip to the Soviet Union. While both men expressed private reservations regarding the quality of the speechwriting, they reviewed positive feedback from various congressional members, newspaper editors, and public segments. The conversation concluded with discussions regarding the upcoming ratification process for the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT) and the President's need for rest in Florida.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 7 minutes of this recording (about 58% 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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
No?
Well, I don't know whether it was worth it or not.
I just talked to the family and, of course, they're all right.
But the thing I was thinking about is that, you know, it was obvious that we were coming back at such a high note.
I really don't think that, you know, we could do much to, except it would be anticlimactic, basically.
See, we didn't have a hell of a lot to say.
That was the point.
Well, I think you had to somehow end the thing, and I think it was the right way to do it.
Maybe that's right.
And I think, did you get 5734?
Yeah, he liked it.
Yeah, of course.
He just called me up.
I'm giving you because he was excited.
And, uh, speaking of any of the congressional... Oh, no.
A lot of these are, they're...
It's like John Buchanan says, I deeply appreciate the presence of the media to share with Congress the people and expression of the report I'm on.
For a second, I thought he did a wonderful job with the report.
Third, I've been on your team for many years.
And for a moment, I'm even more proud to be on your team after such an historic trip to serve the people of... Uh-huh.
Bill Conover, the new congressman, called... That is the newest member of Congress.
I wanted to call the president...
You know, the one thing that was good, which of course the television naturally had to play, was the reception we came in.
But there wasn't much.
Oh, I know, she got a terrific reception.
But as far as the speech itself is concerned, the content really wasn't up to what it ought to have been, you know, for that kind of a thing.
But what the hell.
We just don't have the speechwriters, you know.
Well, he was moved by the moment.
I'm moved by the fact, perhaps.
But anyway.
We don't worry about it.
We've done it.
We've done it.
Sam Devine, which is also a good one.
I think the President's remarks were outstanding.
Well-received.
Assured the American people that our defenses would remain strong.
Any communication has been open.
And we intend towards reducing our facility around the world.
So, you know, we've done it.
The balance, yeah.
Right.
And the newspaper stuff, the editor-type stuff, is the same kind of thing.
Ha.
Yeah.
Floyd Barger, the New York Daily News editor, came through very well.
We have to believe him that we didn't lose our strength position.
It was a good, calm delivery, but we didn't care about numbers.
Extremely well done.
Should have the people behind us.
Thought it was a great speech, and we're going to praise him.
Dallas Morning News editor, Jack Kruger, thought the speech was new watershed to the world.
Ranked high.
Thought the president had a great response when entering.
Thought it was tremendous.
Thought he deserves all the credit for letting him get down in the brush for time as well.
Thought it was great.
A lot of them made the point that you look tired
Yeah.
Remember, I told you that that's the problem that we're going to have.
I can't walk over that plane after a 10-hour flight without looking dead dog tired.
No.
I wonder if the physical appearance, though, is perhaps more important than these other things.
Yeah, but I think the physical appearance was good.
You mean because the average guy, they don't like to check by blood pressure?
No, no, no.
I don't think that's right.
I think Ray Toth meant the VFW in Illinois.
I don't know.
The President looked tired, but he came across very well.
He deserves a well-earned rest.
This will have a hell of an impact on the country's joint space mission.
Hmm I don't like the Russians Very impressed with the
That was nice.
That line of all was the one he made in reference to Vietnam without a stain on America.
That was great.
That was.
You noticed how they took the house down on that.
They sure did.
The campaign guy in Ohio, Chuck Ross, says, I think Humphrey and the governor are running for governor.
He's got to be impressed by the speech.
He was very strong, even though he must have been tired.
That effect for us would be about a 100% gain.
Part 3, Mississippi City has total trust in President Nixon.
Any other president who would do this would secure the right to do that.
However, he was the president of the city in the right direction to expect total cooperation.
Well, we were right probably to do it.
I think so, I think so.
I was not, of course, you know, satisfied with the damn speech.
You know, we worked on it all day.
Because, you know, we could have done better, but what the hell?
It wasn't bad.
A lot of these people thought it was very good.
More than very good.
That's good.
I think it put the whole thing where it ought to be.
The entire thing doesn't bother me at all.
I don't think you want to look like you're going to hop on a holiday.
And the press reports how hard it's working.
Rugged trips and all that sort of thing.
so that some people would take respect to the Jews.
And uh, the choir says, and uh, he says, bringing the blood of the brothers and sisters of the house of Jesus Christ in the name of God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
So,
Most of the wire stuff is what you call itemized content.
Right.
And then it's returning.
See, this is just like the video that you put in.
And then it's returning, and then it's on top, and then it's on top, and then it's on top, and then it's on top, and then it's on top.
Well, the boys did well, they were.
I already got a coach in one of our people we were in search for.
Yeah.
It's all right.
A lot of things.
We just don't have one, do we?
It looks at it that way.
How the hell do you ride a three-wheel?
How do you go from spoken word rather than written word?
How do you break that down?
Well, you or someone did a good job on this one.
I edited the hell out of it.
Yeah.
But I mean, one of our guys did a good job.
There's a lot better ideas.
There's a lot of tricks here.
Not the sapphire type of thing, is what I mean.
Right.
It's a different kind of thing.
Right.
It's a real...
It's just an art.
It's an art.
Well, anyway, we're done now.
Now we're going to get the main trees.
Well, it's actually good to have that main thing around, too.
That's one way we can keep the main story going.
We can't miss the tree for another 10 days.
Oh, my God.
I don't know.
I think it's good.
There's a bait going on that one as well.
I thought that was going right on past it and then starting to sink.
You know, that Jackson piss on him.
That's what the man's doing.
He's trying to say it's good to go far enough.
That's a big guy on the other side.
One thing for sure, in terms of the coming into the place, we took the PETA, the reception coming home, and perhaps these things would mean more to the average person.
That's reception.
Those were urgent matters.
They, you know, went on and on and on.
Okay, that's...
That's good.
That tells people whether this is good or bad.
Well, they, uh, I think we've decided, I talked to them, and they're, they've decided to go down to Florida tomorrow.
Good.
So, I think what I mean is, if I go, I mean, I will go.
Yes.
That's okay, I think our weight should come down on the matter.
Oh hell, I wouldn't know.
I want to get things kind of wrapped up up here.
I really haven't got the energy to do much up here, so I'll talk to John in a little while.
Yeah, clear up and test and sign, but I really don't get it.
You should.
You know, it just, he knows what the hell it is.
That should be a lot of time.
John's prepared for that.
Yeah, John knows.
He really should try to get in there.
It's been true.
Very, very hard.
Now I'm starting to cramp around.
He can't.
My judgment won't be as good as his.
All right.
Okay.
Very good.

NARA Description

On June 1, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 11:17 pm to 11:30 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 025-002 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 25-2

Date: June 1, 1972
Time: 11:17 pm - 11:30 pm
Location: White House Telephone

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

     President's trip to Soviet Union
          -Reaction to President's previous speech to Congress
                 -Benefits
                        -The President’s view
                        -Haldeman’s view
                 -Frank E. Fitzsimmon's report
                 -Charles W. Colson
                 -Congressional responses
                        -John H. Buchanan, Jr.
                        -William S. Conover, II
          -Reception for President on Capitol Hill
                 -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
          -President's previous speech to Congress
                 -Content
                 -Congressional reaction
                        -Frederick D. Schwengel
                        -Samuel L. Devine
                 -Newspaper reaction
                        -Frank H. Crane
                              -Indianapolis Star
                        -Everett D. Collier
                              -Houston Chronicle
                        -Lloyd Barger
                              -New York Daily News
                        -Jack B. Krueger
                              -Dallas Morning News
                        -Clayton Kirkpatrick
                        -President's appearance
                              -Commentary
                        -Donald C. Shoemaker
                              -Miami Herald
                     -President's appearance
                           -Public reaction
         -Reaction to President's speech
               -Ray Snowden
                     -Veterans of Foreign Wars [VFW] in Illinois
                     -Attitude toward Soviet Union
         -Fred Thompson
               -American Association of Retired Persons [AARP]
         -Tommy Thomas
               -Mrs. Nixon's speech
         -John A. Volpe
               -Vietnam
         -Chuck Ross
               -Hubert H. Humphrey
               -George S. McGovern
         -Clark Reed
    -Timing of speech
    -Haldeman's evaluation
         -President's appearance
         -Press reaction
    -Reactions to President's speech
         -Wire services reports
               -Associated Press [AP]
    -Need for speechwriters
         -William L. Safire

    Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty [SALT]
          -Senate ratification
          -Submission date
               -Gen. Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
          -Democratic Convention
               -Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
               -Michael J. Mansfield

    President's trip to Soviet Union
         -Reception on Capitol Hill
                -The President’s view
    President's schedule
         -Florida
                -Haldeman's trip
         -Forthcoming meeting with John D. Ehrlichman
         -Workload

Also recorded on June 2, 1972

  • 025-001 10:23 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:23 pm and 11:17 pm.
  • 025-006 11:49 PM · 10 sec — Edward R. F. Cox and the White House operator talked on the telephone on an unknown date, sometime between 11:49 pm on June 1, 1972 and 8:30 am on June 6, 1972.
  • 025-007 11:49 PM · 14 min — Edward R. F. Cox and John Colby talked on the telephone on an unknown date, sometime between 11:49 pm on June 1, 1972 and 8:30 am on June 6, 1972.
  • 727-001 8:25 AM · 34 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:25 am to 9:11 am.
  • 727-002 9:11 AM · 27 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:11 am and 9:45 am.
  • 727-003 9:11 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:11 am and 9:45 am.
  • 727-004 9:11 AM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:11 am and 9:45 am.
  • 727-005 9:45 AM · 18 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Henry A. Kissinger, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:45 am to 10:03 am.

All 12 conversations from June 2, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 025-002, June 2, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/025-002 (accessed September 22, 2026).