Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 37 › Conversation 037-085

Nixon phone call with Haldeman on Thomas Vail and West Germany

Sunday, March 11, 1973 · 2:17 PM–2:18 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation037-085 on Tape 37StartSunday, March 11, 1973 at 2:17 PMEndSunday, March 11, 1973 at 2:18 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 037-085 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman discuss the potential appointment of publisher Thomas Vail as the U.S. Ambassador to West Germany. Nixon emphasizes his preference for Vail’s political loyalty and editorial support over other potential businessman candidates, despite anticipated resistance from Secretary of State William P. Rogers and Henry Kissinger. Haldeman is directed to contact Vail to gauge his interest in the position before formally proceeding with the nomination.

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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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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No, sir.
Bob, on the ambassador's thing, I know that apparently we struck out on the businessman we had in mind for Germany.
We haven't promised that to anybody else, have we?
No.
I think I'd like to send Tom Bale there.
I'll just think of him for a moment, you know.
That would be a good idea.
I wonder if he'd do it.
Well, I talked to him about it today.
I said, would you be an ambassador?
He said, well, maybe you ask me.
See, we told him before we didn't want him to leave, you know, because obviously he was...
very busy, you know, publishing.
But he, look, he's the kind of a guy who's, he's sophisticated and the rest.
Now, Rogers and the rest, but screw them, I'll go right up the wall.
Henry won't think he's smart enough.
But Dale is all with us.
He's attractive.
His wife is attractive.
And he is smart, you know.
God damn it.
Who writes better editorials than he does for us?
Nobody.
Nobody does.
Well,
He's damn good.
Well, I want to do it.
Okay.
And follow up the first thing in the morning.
You call him.
All right.
In the morning.
Or if you can reach him even this afternoon and ask him if you would take Ambassador to Bonn.
We don't want to put his name unless he'll take it.
And it's a terribly important assignment because I really feel strongly.
He came to me and all that struck me.
I said, why not?
Now, there's a businessman, publisher.
highly respected, totally loyal guy on our side.
Yeah.
Doesn't Jane is one of our contributors.
We had a contributor.
I don't want a contributor.
Lined up, but I, and who's apparently very good, but I think.
I think you need a very sophisticated person for Germany.
Germany's terribly difficult, and I wouldn't want a businessman to break his ass over there.
Yeah.
That sounds awfully good.
I don't think a businessman really ought to go there.
I really don't think so.
And Bale, while he didn't contribute, still, in his wake, contributed a hell of a lot.
Sure.
And we've got to measure that, too.
Sure.
Well, take a look at it.
Good.

NARA Description

On March 11, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 2:17 pm to 2:18 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 037-085 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 37-85

Date: March 11, 1973
Time: 2:17 pm-2:18 pm
Location: White House Telephone

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

       West German ambassadorship
             -Thomas Vail
                    -Conversation with President
                    -William P. Rogers’ reaction
                                            - 59 -

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY

                     -Henry A. Kissinger
                     -Qualities
                             -Intelligence
                             -Iris Vail
                     -Editorial writing
                             -Follow-up contact
                             -Bonn
                     -Qualities
                             -Businessman
                             -Publisher
                             -Respected
                             -Loyalty to President
                     -Other candidates
                             -Contributors

Also recorded on March 11, 1973

  • 037-083 1:49 PM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:49 pm and 1:58 pm.
  • 037-084 1:55 PM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:55 pm and 2:17 pm.
  • 037-086 2:27 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 2:27 pm.
  • 037-087 2:27 PM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 2:27 pm.
  • 037-088 2:27 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:27 pm and 2:33 pm.
  • 037-089 2:33 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Peter J. Brennan talked on the telephone from 2:33 pm to 2:39 pm.
  • 037-090 2:46 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:46 pm and 2:56 pm.
  • 037-091 2:46 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:46 pm and 2:56 pm.

All 18 conversations from March 11, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 037-085, March 11, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/037-085 (accessed October 12, 2026).