Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 156 › Conversation 156-002

Nixon phone call with Haldeman on Second-term reorganization

Monday, November 27, 1972 · 9:30 AM–11:14 AM ET · Camp David Study Table · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation156-002 on Tape 156StartMonday, November 27, 1972 at 9:30 AMEndMonday, November 27, 1972 at 11:14 AMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 156-002 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman discussed personnel planning for the second-term administration reorganization, specifically focusing on diplomatic appointments and the retirement of senior officials. Haldeman reported on his recent phone consultations with Secretary of State William P. Rogers regarding potential changes and the anticipated resistance from individuals like U. Alexis Johnson. To expedite these staffing decisions, Nixon requested that Haldeman and John Ehrlichman meet with him immediately at Camp David before his scheduled meeting with Richard Kleindienst.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Mr. Haldeman.
Thank you.
Hello.
Beware.
Hello.
Yes, sir.
Are you at Camp David?
Oh, yeah.
Oh, I thought you were seeing Rogers.
No, I've talked to Rogers.
Oh, I see.
And, uh...
So, where'd you see him?
In Washington?
No, I talked to him by phone in Bermuda.
Oh.
And got the whole thing covered with him on Saturday.
That's all right.
And, uh... What do you think about Skelly?
I did not raise that one because I hadn't raised it with Henry yet, and you said to hit it there first.
I think you're right.
I think you're right, yeah.
How about the other ones?
But I covered the others, and he understands, and he thought that was going way beyond what was required, but that it was a good thing to do.
And he said, I just have no feeling as to whether he'll take it or not.
I kind of don't think he will, but I think it's a very nice thing to offer it.
Yeah.
On Alex, he'll just make the point that this is the time to go.
He says that's going to be very sticky, that Alex probably won't go, and that we'll have to give him an ambassadorial post.
But if we do that, we won't give him Japan.
We'll just give him something else.
Well, he's 64 years old, isn't he?
And I said, well, why in the world wouldn't he retire?
This is his chance to get out on the top of the wave.
He's not well and all that.
And Bill said, well, maybe he will.
He said, I'm not sure on that.
Fine.
Good.
So I'll follow up with him on the phone today on that.
And we're in good shape.
Now, I was here because John wanted me to meet with him and Kleindienst before
Yeah.
Cline Deets came over to see you, which Dick's just landing now.
Yeah.
Suppose you and John pop over here quickly before he gets there so that I can talk to you.
See, I've got to talk to this Frenchman.
That'll take 20 minutes, I'm sure.
We better come right now.
You come right now.
All right.

NARA Description

On November 27, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:14 am. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 156-002 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 156-2

Date: November 27, 1972
Time: Unknown between 9:30 am and 11:14 am
Location: Camp David Study Table

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

[See Conversation No. 231-1]

       Haldeman's location
            -Camp David

       Second term reorganization
            Haldeman’s conversation with William P. Rogers
                  -Bermuda
                  -John A. Scali appointment
                        -Henry A. Kissinger
                  -Appointments
                        -John N. (“Jack”) Irwin, II
                              -Roger’s reaction
                        -U. Alexis Johnson
                              -Ambassador
                                              -2-

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                               Conversation No. 156-2 (cont’d)

                                    -Japan
                              -Age
                              -Retirement
                              -Health
             -Haldeman’s meeting with John D. Ehrlichman and Richard G. Kleindienst
             -Meeting with the President
                  -Haldeman, Kliendienst

       The President’s schedule
            -Conversation with Félix Houphouet-Boigny

Also recorded on November 27, 1972

  • 156-001 9:30 AM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:14 am.
  • 156-003 9:30 AM · 18 min — Camp David operator, John V. Brennan, President Richard M. Nixon, and Felix Houphouet-Boigny talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:20 am.
  • 183-004 9:30 AM · 1 min — John V. Brennan, Camp David operator, and Alex G. Toumayan talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:14 am.
  • 183-005 9:30 AM · 17 min — Camp David operator, John V. Brennan, Alex G. Toumayan, President Richard M. Nixon, and Felix Houphouet-Boigny talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:20 am.
  • 231-001 9:30 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:14 am.
  • 231-002 9:30 AM · 44 sec — John V. Brennan and Alex G. Toumayan met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:14 am.
  • 231-003 9:30 AM · 17 min — John V. Brennan, Alex G. Toumayan, Camp David operator, President Richard M. Nixon, and Felix Houphouet-Boigny met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:14 am.
  • 231-019 9:30 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:14 am.

All 19 conversations from November 27, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 156-002, November 27, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/156-002 (accessed October 10, 2026).