Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 155 › Conversation 155-009

Nixon phone call with Woods on Gordon H. Scherer and State Department

Monday, November 20, 1972 · 8:46 AM–8:50 AM ET · Camp David Study Table · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Woods, Rose MaryConversation155-009 on Tape 155StartMonday, November 20, 1972 at 8:46 AMEndMonday, November 20, 1972 at 8:50 AMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 155-009 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon directs Rose Mary Woods to notify his associates that his upcoming Florida trip will be delayed by one week to accommodate Henry Kissinger’s return from Paris and to coordinate with his Cabinet’s return from abroad. The two also discuss the impending resignation of U.S. representative Gordon H. Scherer, which stemmed from a disagreement with State Department instructions regarding a treaty for the protection of journalists. Nixon agrees to consult with George H.W. Bush on the matter and mandates that a congratulatory telegram be sent to West German Chancellor Willy Brandt regarding his electoral victory.

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Transcript (AI-generated)

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Oh, yeah.

All right.

Hello?

Uh, Rose?

Yes, sir.

Hi.

I wondered if you would call, not at this point, because it's too early, but so they could make their plans, Bob and Bebe and Paul Keyes, and tell them we're going to slip, I'm slipping the Florida trip for one week.

I have to slip it a week.

I have to do it for a variety of reasons, but not the least of which is that

Henry gets back Thursday or Friday from Paris and I've got to be here in a business atmosphere when he gets back.

So I didn't realize that his thing was going to go that long, but it's going to go three to four days.

So we just tell them we're going to slip it so they can make Thanksgiving plans as they see fit for other purposes.

Okay, and it'll be one week later.

Yeah, I'll tell them I'm slipping it for one week and we'll be back in touch with them

what I can do.

By that time I hope to have seen all the people in the cabinet, too.

Some of them are off in Europe and Jamaica and every place else on vacations while I'm working.

So I've got to wait until they get back, so before I can talk to them.

Good.

This morning, you're going to see Bush today, aren't you?

Yeah, he's on the list today or tomorrow, I want to know.

I think it's today.

And he called me last week there about Scherer.

was sending in a resignation.

I'll send a memo up on it of Gordon Scherer, you know, that you appointed to the U.S. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

And Scherer had sent in a letter of resignation over—he's resigning, it isn't the regular one—he was resigning over some, you know, instruction he'd gotten from State.

Yeah.

And George just felt that

Maybe you'd rather have him at least stay on at this point, because he would have had a press conference and all this.

Oh, yeah.

Good.

He'll raise it with me, I'm sure.

Yeah, it was a treaty that I think maybe he had drafted for supporting or the protection of journalists.

Yeah.

And then the little boys over at Henry's shop have probably prepared something, but just send a wire to Willie Braun.

Congratulations on your decisive victory.

the elections in the Federal Republic.

I look forward to working with you over the next four years.

I look forward to continuing our work together—no, strike that.

I look forward to working with you over the next four years in the cause of—to further the cause of peace and justice, not only in Europe, but in all the world since Richard Nixon.

Okay?

Okay.

No, and I'll send the Sharer stuff up.

Yeah, well, I'll tell you.

That's right.

But it wouldn't be important.

George doesn't want to save you.

George will know what it is.

Well, Gordon, you know, I love the fellow, but he is— He's very difficult.

He's difficult, hard-line, and all the rest.

He doesn't understand any nuances.

But State's probably wrong on this.

Well, George says we are wrong on this.

We're shaking the hell of State up, the U.S., in any way, so don't worry about it.

Yeah, okay.

Well, George says we are wrong on this.

I probably totally agree with Sharer.

unless the state shouldn't have sent the instruction.

If they do, I'll raise all the state, and the chair will like that.

Yeah.

Okay, bye.

Thanks.

Bye.

NARA Description

On November 20, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods talked on the telephone at Camp David from 8:46 am to 8:50 am. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 155-009 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 155-9

Date: November 20, 1972
Time: 8:46 am - 8:50 am
Location: Camp David Study Table

The President talked with Rose Mary Woods.

       The President's schedule
            -Florida trip
                  -Change in plans
                  -Woods forthcoming telephone calls to Robert H. Abplanalp, Charles G.
                    (“Bebe”) Rebozo, and Paul W. Keyes
                         -Henry A. Kissinger's return from Paris
                  -      -Thanksgiving plans
            -Meetings with Cabinet officers
                  Cabinet officers’ schedules
                         Europe
                         Jamaica
            -Forthcoming meeting with George H.W. Bush
                  -Bush’s recent call to Woods
                  -Gordon H. Scherer
                         -Resignation
                         -Memorandum
                         -United Nations [UN] post
                         -Reason
                               -State Department instruction
                         -Retention
                               -Avoiding press conference
                         -Treaty on journalists

       West Germany
            -Telegram to Willy Brandt
                  -[National Security Council] Staff
                                             -11-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                            Conversation No. 155-9 (cont’d)

                       -Kissinger
                  -Congratulations on electoral victory
                  -The President’s second term
                       -Peace, justice
                             -Europe, world

       Scherer
            Resignation
                  -Memorandum
                  -The President’s forthcoming meeting with Bush
            -The President’s view
            -Resignation
                  -State Department
                        -Bush’s view
                        -Instructions
                              -The President’s possible action

Also recorded on November 20, 1972

155-005 8:00 AM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 8:00 am and 8:36 am.
155-006 8:00 AM · 24 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 8:00 am and 8:36 am.
155-007 8:36 AM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Claudia Val talked on the telephone at Camp David from 8:36 am to 8:41 am.
155-008 8:41 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 8:41 am and 8:46 am.
155-010 9:05 AM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Julie Nixon Eisenhower talked on the telephone at Camp David from 9:05 am to 9:09 am.
155-011 9:09 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:09 am and 10:53 am.
228-001 9:09 AM · 1 hr 30 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Manolo Sanchez, Ronald L. Ziegler, Camp David operator, and John D. Ehrlichman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:09 am and 11:16 am.
155-012 10:53 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:53 am and 11:10 am.

All 33 conversations from November 20, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 155-009, November 20, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/155-009 (accessed October 9, 2026).