Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 139 › Conversation 139-006

Nixon phone call with Haldeman on Neighborhood schools and Forced busing

Thursday, August 10, 1972 · 1:12 PM–1:16 PM ET · Camp David Study Table · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation139-006 on Tape 139StartThursday, August 10, 1972 at 1:12 PMEndThursday, August 10, 1972 at 1:16 PMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 139-006 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H.R. Haldeman discuss the drafting and tone of a forthcoming speech in Detroit, focusing on the importance of neighborhood schools. Nixon intends to frame his opposition to forced busing through personal anecdotes about his own schooling, emphasizing the school's role as a community center rather than delivering a purely aggressive attack. He requests that speechwriter Raymond K. Price, Jr. draft the address with a subtle but clear stance on the issue to ensure the administration's position is understood without further exacerbating public divisions.

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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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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.
Yes, sir.
I think I've thought of a way we can do that Detroit thing and make a not-too-long speech, maybe 1,500 words.
It's about basically, and it can be subtle, but they'll all get the point, about the neighborhood school.
Now, I don't know whether this is elementary or high school.
High school.
High school.
Well, we can point out, I mean, let's do it in quite a personal way, that I made my friends in school.
I went to public schools.
and I went to East Whittier Grammar School, a little of that, and that I was able to walk to school.
Well, a lot of it, I was able to walk to Grammar School.
Of course, we had buses and the rest.
We may not get into that, but my point is that many of us attended the same church.
Many of us, you know, the school was the center of the community.
And then you take on how I realize that there's a very, very different opinion.
People favor the breaking down of neighborhoods, the forced busing, and so forth.
But I believe that.
And then they just put in, and I just be quite frank, that it breaks the neighborhood schools.
And then you, of course, get an idea of the quality education.
Quality education is served by going to the neighborhood schools.
We've got to improve the schools in every neighborhood so that they're the best.
I think we could do it in a rather subtle way with talking about quality education generally, how much the school means to an individual.
We should all be proud of our schools, of our neighborhood schools.
Neighbors should work together.
Neighbors and the PTA, you know, that sort of thing.
I think, actually, that Price could probably do that.
You know, he's very, he's really quite, you know, he could do it in a subtle way that you should be because of his true dedication.
It shouldn't be just a raucous attack on busing, you know.
But as I just say, I want to talk about it in a very
in a very considerate way.
There's a difference of opinion here.
We don't want to exacerbate it, but I want to give you the sum of expressed their views.
I know they're very sincere, but there's a very great difference of opinion in this election year about it.
I have a totally different view, and here is the reason I have it.
I'm for education, and I'm for the neighborhood schools.
I believe in buses and a little of that stuff.
Good.
I think that's better than trying to do something separate from it, if we can work it that way.
Just say it, and I'll, as soon as price gets it, I'll put in a line that will leave no doubt.
I'm just totally against fussing.
Right.
Okay, fine.
Good.
And I got the other one, and I worked on it some.
Okay.
Your meeting's at 5 o'clock.
Right.
Sure.
It's fine.
Okay.
Thank you.
Okay.

NARA Description

On August 10, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David from 1:12 pm to 1:16 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 139-006 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 139-6

Date: August 10, 1972
Time: 1:12 pm - 1:16 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table

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

[See Conversation No. 200-24]

     The President's schedule
          -Forthcoming speech in Detroit
                -Length
                -Subjects
                      -Neighborhood schools
                          -Audience
                                 -High school
                          -The President's experience
                                 -Acquaintances
                                 -Whittier High School
                                 -East Whittier Grammar School
                          -School as center of community
                          -Forced busing
                          -Quality of education
                          -Speech tone
                          -Parent-Teachers Association [PTA]
                      -Raymond K. Price, Jr.
                          -Speech tone
                      -Busing
                          -The President’s view

     Departure from Camp David
         -Manolo Sanchez
         -Time
         -Haldeman's meeting

Also recorded on August 10, 1972

  • 139-005 12:00 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 12:00 pm and 1:12 pm.
  • 200-020 12:00 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 12:00 pm and 1:10 pm.
  • 200-021 12:00 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 12:00 pm and 1:12 pm.
  • 200-022 12:00 PM · 29 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 12:00 pm and 1:12 pm.
  • 200-023 12:00 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 12:00 pm and 1:12 pm.
  • 200-024 1:12 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 1:12 pm to 1:16 pm.
  • 139-007 4:10 PM · 23 sec — Unknown person(s) and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 4:10 pm on August 10, 1972 and 2:03 pm on August 11, 1972.
  • 766-001 4:44 PM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:44 pm and 4:46 pm.

All 14 conversations from August 10, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 139-006, August 10, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/139-006 (accessed October 12, 2026).