Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 42 › Conversation 042-043

Nixon phone call with Haldeman on Media relations and Public relations

Thursday, April 15, 1971 · 3:15 PM–3:16 PM ET · White House Telephone · 59 sec

ParticipantsHaldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Nixon, Richard M. (President)Conversation042-043 on Tape 42 (tape position 00:51:18–00:52:21)StartThursday, April 15, 1971 at 3:15 PMEndThursday, April 15, 1971 at 3:16 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 042-043 ↗

AI Summary

H. R. Haldeman advises President Nixon on the importance of managing a scheduled meeting with editors by employing a strategic outreach program similar to political party outreach. Haldeman suggests that beyond Herbert Klein, staffers like Leonard Garment and Richard Moore should actively cultivate relationships with these editors to better advance the administration's interests. The President agrees to follow up with staff to ensure a more comprehensive, systematic engagement plan is implemented.

Audio

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yeah.
Mr. President, Mr. Haldeman.
Yeah.
You are, sir.
Yes, sir.
I didn't want to interrupt you except to say that I feel I wanted to be sure that you had in mind that these editors ought to be worked just like you work a Republican governor's conference or something, you know?
Right.
I mean, now you've got Klein, but what I meant is you ought to have Garment and I don't know.
There must be several people that others that it could...
go down and talk to these people.
They have some, I know, but let me check.
It should be just a straight-out deal, picking out our friends, talking to them, etc., etc.
I don't mean just when I go, but it ought to be worked that way.
Right.
Today and tomorrow.
They have been during the week.
That's what I meant all week long, that he should have set up a program whereby more would be very good at this, you know, and pick up certain people.
Okay, fine.

NARA Description

On April 15, 1971, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone from 3:15 pm to 3:16 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 042-043 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 42-43

Date: April 15, 1971
Time: 3:15 pm - 3:16 pm
Location: White House Telephone

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

[See Conversation No. 249-10]

     Meeting with editors
          -Herbert G. Klein
          -Leonard Garment
          -Richard A. Moore

Also recorded on April 15, 1971

  • 249-010 3:15 PM · 56 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:15 pm to 3:16 pm.
  • 042-044 3:16 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:16 pm and 3:44 pm.
  • 249-011 3:16 PM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:16 pm and 3:44 pm.
  • 042-045 3:44 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 3:44 pm.
  • 249-012 3:44 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 3:44 pm.
  • 042-046 3:45 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Donald H. Rumsfeld talked on the telephone from 3:45 pm to 3:48 pm.
  • 249-013 3:45 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Donald H. Rumsfeld met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:45 pm to 3:48 pm.
  • 042-047 3:48 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:48 pm and 4:31 pm.

All 71 conversations from April 15, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 042-043, April 15, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/042-043 (accessed October 3, 2026).