Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 34 › Conversation 034-100
Haldeman & Ziegler on Anne L. Armstrong and Media Leaks
Saturday, December 16, 1972 · 3:45 PM–4:27 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min
AI Summary
H. R. Haldeman and Ronald Ziegler coordinate the strategic release of information regarding the appointment of Anne L. Armstrong as Counselor to the President. Rather than utilizing the Washington Star, they decide to leak the announcement to friendly newspapers in Texas to maximize the impact of the news. Haldeman tasks Ziegler with finalizing the details and identifying the appropriate media outlets before they meet in person to formalize the plan.
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Transcript (AI-generated)
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NARA Description
On December 16, 1972, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:45 pm and 4:27 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 034-100 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 34-100
Date: December 16, 1972
Time: Unknown between 3:45 pm and 4:27 pm
Location: White House Telephone
H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman talked with the White House operator.
[The President can be heard in the background]
[See Conversation No. 382-13A]
Request for a call to Ronald L. Ziegler
Haldeman talked with Ronald L. Ziegler at an unknown time between 3:45 pm and 4:27 pm.
Anne L. Armstrong
-Counselor to the President
-Leaks
-Washington Star
-Cabinet rank
-Timing
-Texas
-Dallas newspapers
-Haldeman’s forthcoming meeting with ZieglerAlso recorded on December 16, 1972
- 034-099 3:25 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 3:25 pm to 3:28 pm.
- 382-009 3:25 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:25 pm to 3:28 pm.
- 382-010 3:28 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:28 pm and 3:45 pm.
- 382-011 3:28 PM · 39 sec — 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 3:28 pm and 3:45 pm.
- 382-012 3:28 PM · 29 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:28 pm and 3:45 pm.
- 034-101 3:45 PM · 14 sec — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:45 pm and 4:27 pm.
- 034-102 3:45 PM · 25 sec — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:45 pm and 4:27 pm.
- 382-013 3:45 PM · 1 hr 35 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, Ronald L. Ziegler, Manolo Sanchez, unknown person(s), Anne L. Armstrong, and Lawrence M. Higby met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:45 pm to 5:25 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 034-100, December 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/034-100 (accessed October 20, 2026).