Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 031-047
Date: Sunday, October 15, 1972 at 8:48 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/031-047

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] Hello.
[0:01] Mr. Haldeman.
[0:02] Yes, sir.
[0:15] Combox not available, which he's going to stay unavailable.
[0:18] We can reach him, but he's... Is his name in it?
[0:21] His name is in the time story.
[0:23] And it's identified as personal attorney for the president or something like that.
[0:29] It's not played up at all for some reason.
[0:36] They're playing up and I think they're after trying to get the White House tie rather than the other thing.
[0:40] Sure.
[0:41] I think they know that Kambach, you know, you're going to have trouble hanging it on a guy that's been a political bag man all along anyway.
[0:50] Okay.
[0:56] I think that's right.
[1:07] I think anything we do is only going to add to the story and we're better off to follow the other route.
[1:15] And then I think, let Conley go on the offensive on it.
[1:20] Not on the attacks so much as just what the hell's happened in this election.
[1:25] And he can slam the dirty campaign as clearly an attempt to cover the other stuff up.
[1:39] Well, the time's through to get a ride, but he'll only ride for a couple days, Bob.
[1:44] That's right.
[1:45] In my view, I don't think he can ride any longer than that.
[1:47] The Post will play the hell out of it.
[1:50] The whole hell let him play it.
[1:55] That's right.
[1:57] If they don't have that, they'll have something else, because they aren't going to quit on anything.
[2:00] No, no.
[2:02] I'd rather have them talk in a sense.
[2:05] It's a small comfort, but you'd rather have them be on this than on some other thing that's more, that gets the votes.
[2:13] Yeah.
[2:16] Does John have any other view on it?
[2:19] He thinks that's the way we should do it.
[2:20] Yep.
[2:21] He said they went full circle on it, trying out all the various things.
[2:26] Right.
[2:27] Just to see whether we were overlooked or something.
[2:30] And there were varying views as to— Because, of course, Ziegler's going to be hit on it.
[2:36] That was the thing they were working on, what Ziegler should handle tomorrow.
[2:40] And they've worked that out.
[2:41] We're going to run through that quickly in the morning.
[2:44] Right.
[2:45] And basically, we're going to have him hardline us.
[2:51] Right.
[2:51] That's the best thing to do.
[2:54] Okay.
[2:55] I wouldn't worry about it.
[2:56] I just figured that that's part of the game.
[3:01] Too bad that it has to be.
[3:03] Yeah, well, they're throwing their big punch now, frankly, though.
[3:06] They're in a position they're in.
[3:08] And they're throwing it now.
[3:11] They haven't got any.
[3:15] They're just going to keep scrambling around.
[3:20] Warneke, I guess, announced today that there was no possibility of a Vietnam settlement.
[3:25] That's good.
[3:29] They did?
[3:35] Yeah.
[3:35] It was this thing on the radio.
[3:38] I couldn't figure out whether he gave a speech or put out a statement or what.
[3:42] Well, let them—what they do there is—I mean, we have our own game.
[3:47] We'll just play it and let them— Absolutely.
[3:50] If it comes out fine, if it doesn't, we'll just— Or I'll completely apply it however it comes.
[3:54] Sure, sure.
[3:56] That's the way to do it.
[3:57] Okay, very good.