Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 153 › Conversation 153-050

Nixon phone call with Haldeman on Second term reorganization

Friday, November 17, 1972 · 8:33 PM–8:35 PM ET · Camp David Study Table · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation153-050 on Tape 153StartFriday, November 17, 1972 at 8:33 PMEndFriday, November 17, 1972 at 8:35 PMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 153-050 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon directed H.R. Haldeman to initiate a direct, firm conversation with Secretary of State William P. Rogers regarding the administration's second-term reorganization. Nixon provided a specific briefing on the status of various cabinet members, including the departures of George Romney, John Volpe, and James Hodgson, as well as the retention of George Shultz and Richard Kleindienst. Furthermore, the two discussed concerns raised by the First Lady and family regarding potential negative press coverage of the transition, ultimately concluding that the public reaction to the President's recent interview with Jack Horner had been positive.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Bob?
Yes, sir.
I'm sorry to get this Rogers thing, just to make sure we understand.
I want you to be able to go down the list and say, the President has talked to Laird.
Laird wants to leave.
The President offered him a very important position, you know, and Laird said no.
He was happy and so forth.
Then go down and say, as far as Treasury is concerned, Schultz is staying.
As far as Clint East, Clint East is staying, you know, for a reasonable time.
And as far as the Richardson, we have something worked out for him that he's satisfied with.
Hutt, Romney wants to leave.
And I'd say transportation just buff a little.
Volpe has let it known be transit that he wants to leave and probably go to Italy.
As far as Hodgson, he's told Schultz he wants to leave.
And as far as commerce is concerned, Peterson's totally satisfied.
And so, Bill, let's understand, you are the only one that we have any problem with.
Now, let's talk about that.
See what I mean?
I'd be very cold turkey about it so he doesn't get away with this crap that I'm going to be cold and hard with people, right?
Because I told you Pat was concerned about the columns or the rest.
What do you think of that?
Have there been columns of that sort?
I haven't seen any.
She said that Julie and Trisha had raised it with her, too.
I don't know what it is.
Have there been columns of the effect that we've been hard-hearted and cold and drawing everybody out?
I think it's the goddamn Washington Post.
That's all I think.
It could be.
I think generally that what we've done has been rather, if anything, more than average approved.
Or has it been?
Or half-assed?
No.
Maybe 30, 50, 50 or what?
No.
What is the case?
I don't know.
Nobody knows what we've done yet.
But in terms of what I said in the Horner interview and where we're going to go, what is the reaction?
Is it negative?
Is it?
No.
But very positive.
Okay.
That's the point.
Okay.
Right.
You worked it out with Rogers.
Right.

NARA Description

On November 17, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David from 8:33 pm to 8:35 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 153-050 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 153-50

Date: November 17, 1972
Time: 8:33 pm - 8:35 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table

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

[See Conversation No. 226-17]

       Second term reorganization
            -William P. Rogers’s tenure as Secretary of State
                  -Haldeman’s forthcoming conversation with Rogers
                        -Reference to Melvin R. Laird
                              -Job offer
                        -Treasury Department
                              -George P. Shultz
                        -Richard G. Kleindienst
                              -Retention
                        -Elliot L. Richardson
                        -Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD]
                              -George W. Romney
                                     -Departure
                        -Transportation Department
                              -John A. Volpe
                                     -Departure
                                          -Possible ambassadorship to Italy
                        -James D. Hodgson
                              -Departure
                                               -57-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                              Conversation No. 153-50 (cont’d)

                                       -Hodgson’s conversation with Shultz
                          -Commerce Department
                                -Peter G. Peterson
                          -Rogers
                                -Future
             -Press relations
                   -Reaction to the President’s actions
                          -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon’s concern
                                -Julie Nixon Eisenhower, Tricia Nixon Cox
                          -Washington Post
                          -The President’s recent interview with Garnett D. (“Jack”) Horner
                          -Tone
             -Haldeman’s forthcoming conversation with Rogers

Also recorded on November 18, 1972

  • 226-017 8:33 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 8:33 pm to 8:35 pm.
  • 153-051 8:35 PM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 8:35 pm and 8:40 pm.
  • 226-018 8:35 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 8:35 pm and 8:40 pm.
  • 153-052 8:40 PM · 28 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Patricia B. McKee talked on the telephone at Camp David from 8:40 pm to 8:41 pm.
  • 226-019 8:40 PM · 25 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Patricia B. McKee met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 8:40 pm to 8:41 pm.
  • 153-053 8:47 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at 8:47 pm.
  • 153-054 8:47 PM · 26 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 8:47 pm and 8:53 pm.
  • 226-020 8:47 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at 8:47 pm.

All 50 conversations from November 18, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 153-050, November 18, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/153-050 (accessed October 9, 2026).