Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 42 › Conversation 042-069

Nixon phone call with Haldeman on Minimum wage and Labor policy

Wednesday, April 28, 1971 · 4:49 PM–4:50 PM ET · White House Telephone · 3 min

ParticipantsHaldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Nixon, Richard M. (President)Conversation042-069 on Tape 42 (tape position 01:45:38–01:46:58)StartWednesday, April 28, 1971 at 4:49 PMEndWednesday, April 28, 1971 at 4:50 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 042-069 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman coordinate upcoming scheduling and policy preparations, including a discussion on whether to formulate an official administration position regarding a proposed $2 minimum wage. Nixon expresses clear opposition to the increase, suggesting he would prefer to avoid a definitive stance if possible. Additionally, the pair discusses recent confrontational testimony by Republican senators Hugh Scott and George Aiken against anti-war protest organizers, noting the favorable media coverage this generated.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yes, sir.
Hi, Bob.
I'm going to see Henry for a few minutes.
He's going to be leaving very shortly.
I was thinking maybe if you had come over on 515, I'd go over a few things before I bed down for the rest of the cram course.
Oh, one thing.
Get from Buchanan's people what the position should be on the $2 minimum wage.
It's not in the book.
I guess Buchanan may be working it up now, and it's a new subject.
It comes up, I intend to duck it, but unless they have a position.
I'd like to just come out again.
They were still debating it this morning because Hodgson's for it.
Oh, yes.
On the grounds that you have to keep the minimum wage at approximately half the...
I see.
Well, then maybe it's a moot question.
Maybe I just say, well, that's a matter that's under consideration in the administration.
Maybe I don't want to announce that we're for it.
I don't think they do because there are a lot of people that aren't.
Well, I'm not for it.
I think we've resolved it.
Maybe they have.
They were discussing it this morning.
They may have had to testify, so we may have ended up with it.
Okay.
Hi Bob.
I'm going to see Henry for a few minutes.
He's going to be leaving very shortly.
I was thinking maybe if you hadn't come over on 515, I'd go over a few things before I bed down for the rest of the cram course.
Oh, one thing.
But he testified that he thought that they'd gone off the track and that the President was ending the war correctly, and Fulbright tried to gavel him down.
The committee hearing, some of our fellows finally got a little spunk.
Who?
Which one?
Well, Hugh Scott and George Aitken.
George Aitken said to a few fellows, if you kids don't like it in this country, why don't you go to another country?
Scott accused them of taking direction from Madam Ben.
Who were these people?
These were the organizers of the present group.
Oh, the Rennie Davis group?
The Rennie Davis group.
But our fellows got a little bit angry over it, and I understand we've already found out ABC is going to cover both Scott and Aiken, and I suspect the other networks will.

NARA Description

On April 28, 1971, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone from 4:49 pm to 4:50 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 042-069 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 42-69

Date: April 28, 1971
Time: 4:49 pm - 4:50 pm
Location: White House Telephone

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

[See Conversation No. 252-19]

     President's schedule
           -Henry A. Kissinger

     Position on minimum wage
           -Patrick J. Buchanan
           -James D. Hodgson
           -Administration's possible options

Also recorded on April 28, 1971

  • 042-066 3:57 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:57 pm and 4:33 pm.
  • 042-067 3:57 PM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:57 pm and 4:33 pm.
  • 252-015 3:57 PM · 16 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 3:57 pm and 4:33 pm.
  • 042-068 4:33 PM · 14 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 4:33 pm to 4:37 pm.
  • 252-017 4:33 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:33 pm to 4:47 pm.
  • 252-018 4:47 PM · 23 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 4:47 pm and 4:49 pm.
  • 252-019 4:49 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:49 pm to 4:50 pm.
  • 252-020 4:51 PM · 59 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:51 pm to 6:08 pm.

All 31 conversations from April 28, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 042-069, April 28, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/042-069 (accessed October 3, 2026).