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Conversation 012-131

TapeTape 12StartTuesday, October 26, 1971 at 8:55 PMEndTuesday, October 26, 1971 at 8:59 PMTape start time05:35:37Tape end time05:37:38ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  White House operator;  Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob");  Rogers, William P.Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

President Nixon directed H. R. Haldeman to arrange a breakfast meeting with Secretary of State William P. Rogers and Henry Kissinger to debrief on Kissinger’s recent travels. Haldeman subsequently coordinated the logistics with Rogers while also addressing the urgent need to finalize a nomination for the U.S. representative to NATO. The discussion highlighted the administration’s internal debate between selecting Walter J. Stoessel, Jr. or Charles D. Thornton for the vacancy ahead of an upcoming summit.

Henry KissingerNATOForeign Policy AppointmentsWalter J. Stoessel Jr.Charles D. ThorntonDiplomatic Relations
AudioNARA Description

On October 26, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and William P. Rogers talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:55 pm and 8:59 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 012-131 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 012-131

Date: October 26, 1971
Time: Unknown between 8:55 pm and 8:59 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with the White House operator.

     Request for call to William P. Rogers

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

[See Conversation No. 601-36/602-1]

Haldeman talked with Rogers between 8:59 am and 9:01 am.

[See Conversation No. 601-36/602-1B]

     The President's schedule
          -Henry A. Kissinger, Rogers

     Nomination for North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] position
         -Walter J. Stoessel, Jr.
         -Charles D. ("Tex") Thornton
               -Kissinger
                     -Stoessel
               -Manlio Brosio
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

rogers please thank you sir then you can put it out to june rogers in case you're not yeah first thing yeah that you will for
It shows you the power.
I'll show you the paper.
It's really incredible.
Secretary Bob Haldeman.
Yeah, Bob.
The President suggested that you and Henry and he have breakfast tomorrow morning at 8.30, which would be the basis for getting Henry's report on the thing.
Is that okay for you?
That's fine with me.
All right.
I think it'd be nice if...
We'll put it out right now.
Kissinger will be reporting to you and the president tomorrow morning at breakfast on his return.
That's fine.
One other thing I didn't want to bother him with, but we have a nomination over there for NATO, a fellow named Wallace.
I understand you've been thinking about offering it to Texas, and I doubt if he'll take it, but...
In any event, the important thing is to get it done, because we're going to have a NATO meeting pretty soon, and we've got to have our man there.
Okay.
Okay.
Either, as I understand it, between Stessel and...
Thanks, Thornton.
I think Henry favors Tessel, too.
I think the only reason the president has some hesitation is, one, he won't do something for Thornton, and two, I think Brozio told him he ought to get a public figure, but it's awfully late in the game to work a public figure into that.
It's a goddamn complex thing at the moment.
Okay.
I'll check it.
Thank you, Bill.
Right, Bill.
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