Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 140 › Conversation 140-040

Nixon phone call with Haldeman on Education Reform and Acceptance Speech

Saturday, August 19, 1972 · 12:02 PM–12:05 PM ET · Camp David Study Table · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation140-040 on Tape 140StartSaturday, August 19, 1972 at 12:02 PMEndSaturday, August 19, 1972 at 12:05 PMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 140-040 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with H. R. Haldeman regarding the incorporation of his personal views on education reform into his forthcoming acceptance speech. Expressing frustration with standard platform rhetoric and the influence of the National Education Association, Nixon instructed Haldeman to bypass the Domestic Council if necessary to ensure his specific ideas and critiques were integrated. He emphasized a need to re-examine the education system while including supportive remarks about individual teachers.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Because I can't get at it myself on that education thing, and I don't want it too long.
I want a little flip on the blessing thing, but I don't want it all.
I want to be sure that somebody gets at it and puts in some of my strong ideas about reform of education, you know what I mean?
I know that the usual crap will be in the platform, you know, but kissing the ass of the NEA and all that.
But I mean, I want to
I want to say that what we need is not just this mine building.
What we need is a whole re-examination of education.
I'll just kick them a little.
And I'll put in some personal things about teachers and so forth.
I just wanted to be sure that thought was that somebody would get that in and put in a couple of pages.
You probably can't get it out of the domestic council.
You might try to help you can and just throw something in as well as the domestic council.
Okay.
Yep.
All right.
Fine.
All right.

NARA Description

On August 19, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David from 12:02 pm to 12:05 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 140-040 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 140-40

Date: August 19, 1972
Time: 12:02 pm - 12:05 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table

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

[See Conversation No. 205-8]

     The President’s forthcoming acceptance speech
          -Education
               -Busing
               -The President's ideas
                     -Reform
                     -Platform ideas
                          -National Education Association [NEA]
               -Domestic Council
               -Patrick J. Buchanan

Also recorded on August 19, 1972

  • 140-039 11:49 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 11:49 am and 12:02 pm.
  • 205-008 12:02 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 12:02 pm to 12:03 pm.
  • 140-041 12:03 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 12:03 pm and 12:11 pm.
  • 205-009 12:03 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 12:03 pm and 12:11 pm.
  • 140-042 12:11 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David from 12:11 pm to 12:14 pm.
  • 205-010 12:11 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 12:11 pm to 12:14 pm.
  • 176-007 12:14 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 12:14 pm and 12:33 pm.
  • 205-011 12:14 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 12:14 pm and 12:33 pm.

All 35 conversations from August 19, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 140-040, August 19, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/140-040 (accessed October 8, 2026).