Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 172 › Conversation 172-010

Nixon phone call with Haldeman on Department of Justice and John N. Mitchell

Friday, June 9, 1972 · 5:38 PM–5:39 PM ET · Camp David Study Desk · 57 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation172-010 on Tape 172 (tape position 01:04:54–01:05:51)StartFriday, June 9, 1972 at 5:38 PMEndFriday, June 9, 1972 at 5:39 PMRecording deviceCamp David Study DeskSourceNixon Library record for 172-010 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman briefly discussed personnel concerns regarding the Department of Justice, specifically John Mitchell's opposition to appointing William Ruckelshaus as Deputy Attorney General. Mitchell prefers a professional with convention experience for the role, while Nixon expresses skepticism about the necessity of that qualification. The conversation concludes with a dismissal of Robert Mardian as a candidate and a focus on utilizing John Dean for related departmental tasks.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Hello.
Yes, sir.
Oh, are you down at Laurel?
No, I'm over at the tennis court now.
Oh, yeah, yeah, fine.
Do you want me to come over?
No, no, no, no.
Go ahead.
I hope you're playing a game.
Oh, yeah.
But that's, I could put any time, right?
No, no, but we're, not a thing, not a thing.
Let it go.
Let it go.
Finish the game.
Finish the game.
Be glad to come over.
No, no, I just, I was just on the phone with the client.
He said I worked today.
Well, it turns out now that Mitchell does not want Ruckelshaus deputy AG either.
Is that right?
Well, I didn't know about that.
He wants me to keep my mind open.
I said I would.
Okay, but his argument is this.
He wants a pro in there to handle the conventions and that sort of thing.
Yeah, but that's not as important as some of the other stuff.
He can find a pro to do that.
Well, we've got John Dean over at our place to command a load.
It can't be Marty in there.
No, God, no.
No.
Okay, bye.
All right.

NARA Description

On June 9, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David from 5:38 pm to 5:39 pm. The Camp David Study Desk taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 172-010 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 172-10
Date: June 9, 1972
Time: 5:38-5:39 pm
Location: Camp David Study Desk (telephone)

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

[See Conversation No. 192-17]

       Haldeman’s location

       President's conversation with Richard G. Kleindienst

       John N. Mitchell's opinion of William D. Ruckelshaus appointment
            -Kleindienst
                -Staff
                     -John W. Dean III
                     -Robert C. Mardian

Also recorded on June 9, 1972

  • 172-007 5:15 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Robert H. Finch talked on the telephone at Camp David from 5:15 pm to 5:23 pm.
  • 172-008 5:26 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at 5:26 pm.
  • 192-015 5:26 PM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at 5:26 pm.
  • 172-009 5:27 PM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Richard G. Kleindienst talked on the telephone at Camp David from 5:27 pm to 5:36 pm.
  • 192-016 5:27 PM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Richard G. Kleindienst met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 5:27 pm to 5:36 pm.
  • 192-017 5:38 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 5:38 pm to 5:39 pm.
  • 172-011 5:39 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 5:39 pm and 5:47 pm.
  • 192-018 5:39 PM · 28 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 5:39 pm and 5:47 pm.

All 37 conversations from June 9, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 172-010, June 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/172-010 (accessed October 12, 2026).