Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 42 › Conversation 042-056

Nixon phone call with Haldeman on Housing starts and Economic data

Friday, April 16, 1971 · 5:33 PM–5:34 PM ET · White House Telephone · 23 sec

ParticipantsHaldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Nixon, Richard M. (President)Conversation042-056 on Tape 42 (tape position 01:06:24–01:06:48)StartFriday, April 16, 1971 at 5:33 PMEndFriday, April 16, 1971 at 5:34 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 042-056 ↗

AI Summary

H. R. Haldeman briefed President Nixon on the latest housing start figures to ensure the President was accurately informed prior to any public remarks. They clarified that the figure of 1,918,000, while strong, did not constitute an all-time monthly record as it was surpassed in December and several months in 1950. With the data officially released, the President confirmed the specific statistics for his subsequent use.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Mr. Haldeman calling you.
Thank you.
The Housing Start figures are not a monthly record.
They're very near the records, but there was one or two.
December was higher, and there were a couple of months back in 1950 that were higher.
And it has been released, so you can use it.
What is it, $1,900,000?
$1,918,000.
Yeah, yeah.
Okay.

NARA Description

On April 16, 1971, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone from 5:33 pm to 5:34 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 042-056 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 42-56

Date: April 16, 1971
Time: 5:33 pm - 5:34 pm
Location: White House Telephone

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

     Housing starts
          -Figures
          -Release

Also recorded on April 16, 1971

  • 042-055 5:30 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 5:30 pm to 5:32 pm.
  • 250-024 5:32 PM · 11 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 5:32 pm and 5:33 pm.
  • 250-025 5:33 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:33 pm to 5:34 pm.
  • 250-026 5:34 PM · 3 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 5:34 pm and 7:04 pm.
  • 250-027 5:34 PM · 4 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 5:34 pm and 7:04 pm.
  • 250-028 5:34 PM · 7 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 5:34 pm and 7:04 pm.
  • 250-029 5:34 PM · 18 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 5:34 pm and 7:04 pm.
  • 250-030 5:34 PM · 2 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 5:34 pm and 7:04 pm.

All 51 conversations from April 16, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 042-056, April 16, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/042-056 (accessed October 3, 2026).