Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 157 › Conversation 157-030

Nixon phone call with Haldeman on Second-term transition

Saturday, December 9, 1972 · 4:00 PM–6:50 PM ET · Camp David Study Table · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation157-030 on Tape 157StartSaturday, December 9, 1972 at 4:00 PMEndSaturday, December 9, 1972 at 6:50 PMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 157-030 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman discussed logistics regarding Alexander Haig’s upcoming arrival and the President’s return to Washington. They reviewed the uncertain status of Democratic National Committee leadership following John Connally's assessment of potential internal voting shifts. Additionally, the pair strategized on integrating Julie Nixon Eisenhower into the administration's second-term public relations operations by creating a formal role that avoids direct press responsibilities.

Audio

Download MP3 · 3.5 MB

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Mr. Haldeman.
Yes, sir.
Hi.
Did you get a chance up to Bill yet?
No, sir.
I'll get him this evening, I think.
Fine.
Good.
Incidentally, Hague is coming back, as you know.
Right.
And I'll see him tomorrow.
He gets in, I don't know when, midnight tonight?
No, about 2 or 3 in the morning, apparently.
Well, then I'll either stay over and see him here or in there and go back to Washington.
I don't know.
We'll see the...
supposed to be just as well to have him to come here to see me and then I'll go back with him.
I've got to be back for Monday anyway.
Yeah, either way.
Good, good.
Anything later from the Democrats?
No, apparently that's the way it is.
I mean, they're going to...
Didn't throw her out, but have they elected her again?
No, they don't have to.
Oh, I see.
You remember Connolly, but Connolly had the view that they had to have another vote.
Well, yeah, he had the view that they might
when they got the new committee take another vote or something but the new they have to add members to the committee and then he thought there might be some move then to put her out again or something he seemed to be a little vague as to what what they would do but didn't seem to want to take anything for granted until it was all over yeah when does the new committee come in uh right now i think they do that today oh i may be wrong that's i don't know i've been trying to find out and nobody seems to really know including conley
Right.
Right.
But couldn't get a report.
I talked to Ziegler a little about Julie, and he has a good point.
He said rather than making her the sort of Connie's replacement, which might have just, you know, put her in as an assistant, you know what I mean, just with a sort of a, without portfolio, but with the clear understanding she's running things and have somebody like the Smith girl do the press so that she doesn't have to do it.
And I agree I should pay her.
but uh she'll just be a knockout she'll be a knockout she'll help us on pr and everything and just just you know she'll be good all the way around if she feels she has a job in the place there that'll she'll have more of a feeling we'll make it a job but we got to describe it something other than that we've given her the job connie's job i think i just i just wouldn't i don't know how you do that but anyway i think you both figure something out
Okay.
Fine.
Good.
Good.

NARA Description

On December 9, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:00 pm and 6:50 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 157-030 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 157-30

Date: December 9, 1972
Time: Unknown between 4:00 pm and 6:50 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table

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

[See Conversation No. 235-11]

       William P. Rogers
                                            -47-

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                            Conversation No. 157-30 (cont’d)

           -Conversation with Haldeman

      Alexander M Haig, Jr.’s schedule
           -Meeting with the President
                -The President’s schedule
                      -Return to Washington, DC

*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

      Democratic National Committee [DNC]
          -Vote
          -Election
          -Jean Westwood
          -John B. Connally
          -New committee

[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************

      Second term reorganization
           -Julie Nixon Eisenhower
                  -The President’s conversation with Ronald L. Ziegler
                         -Constance M. (Cornell) (“Connie”) Stuart
                               -Helen Smith
                                     -Press relations
                               -Salary
                  -Public relations [PR]
                  -Title
                         -Stuart

Also recorded on December 9, 1972

  • 157-028 4:00 PM · 11 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:00 pm and 6:50 pm.
  • 157-029 4:00 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:00 pm and 6:50 pm.
  • 157-031 4:00 PM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:00 pm and 6:50 pm.
  • 157-032 4:00 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:00 pm and 6:50 pm.
  • 157-033 4:00 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Julie Nixon Eisenhower talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:00 pm and 6:50 pm.
  • 157-034 4:00 PM · 37 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:00 pm and 6:50 pm.
  • 157-035 4:00 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Julie Nixon Eisenhower talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:00 pm and 6:50 pm.
  • 235-010 4:00 PM · 11 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:00 pm and 6:50 pm.

All 41 conversations from December 9, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 157-030, December 9, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/157-030 (accessed October 10, 2026).