Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 46 › Conversation 046-011

Nixon phone call with Haldeman on Presidential Records and White House Tapes

Friday, May 11, 1973 · 2:56 PM–2:57 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation046-011 on Tape 46StartFriday, May 11, 1973 at 2:56 PMEndFriday, May 11, 1973 at 2:57 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 046-011 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon directs H. R. Haldeman to proceed with the establishment of the Nixon Foundation, emphasizing the project's critical role in securing the President's legacy and managing his archives. They discuss utilizing the foundation to facilitate the writing of the administration's history, potentially by Henry Kissinger, while providing the President access to his records, including the White House tapes, without direct personal involvement. The conversation concludes with Nixon instructing Haldeman to continue his scheduled engagement with the FBI.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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, sir.
Well, I just wanted to be sure you knew that I was very enthusiastic about it.
I'm very enthusiastic about that foundation thing.
Oh.
And I want you to follow through and come hell or high water, that's on.
Okay.
You know, because basically, let me say, whatever, well, basically, Bob, who the hell is going to write the history of the first four years, Christ?
Are we going to have Henry write it?
Well, this is the point.
That's right.
It's the way for you to have access to all your stuff.
That's right.
About having to waste your own time in it.
That's right.
That's right.
You've got everything from tapes and everything else, you know.
Okay.
But I guess so.
It makes a lot of sense, and I think it's a good thing to do, and it solves our problem for the short haul, and we'll work out the long haul.
That's right.
We'll work it out.
Okay.
Good.
Well, I appreciate that.
Bye.
All right.
Anything else?
No, don't believe so.
Just go over to the FBI now.
All right.
Well.
Give them hell, let me know.
Okay, thanks.

NARA Description

On May 11, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 2:56 pm to 2:57 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 046-011 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 46-11

Date: May 11, 1973
Time: 2:56 pm - 2:57 pm
Location: White House Telephone

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

[See also Conversation No. 434-23]

     Nixon Foundation
          -President’s enthusiasm
          -Authorship of history of first administration
                -Henry A. Kissinger
          -President’s access to records
                -White House Tapes

     Haldeman’s schedule
          -Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]

Also recorded on May 11, 1973

  • 046-010 2:53 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:53 pm and 2:56 pm.
  • 434-021 2:53 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:53 pm and 2:56 pm.
  • 434-022 2:53 PM · 26 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 2:53 pm and 2:56 pm.
  • 434-023 2:56 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 2:56 pm to 2:57 pm.
  • 046-012 2:57 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:57 pm and 3:00 pm.
  • 434-024 2:57 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:57 pm and 3:00 pm.
  • 046-013 3:00 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 3:00 pm to 3:01 pm.
  • 434-025 3:00 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:00 pm to 3:01 pm.

All 78 conversations from May 11, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 046-011, May 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/046-011 (accessed October 5, 2026).