Conversation 184-008

TapeTape 184StartMonday, December 18, 1972 at 11:14 AMEndMonday, December 18, 1972 at 11:24 AMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Recording deviceCamp David Study Desk

On December 18, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David from 11:14 am to 11:24 am. The Camp David Study Desk taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 184-008 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 184-8

Date: December 18, 1972
Time: 11:14 am - 11:24 am
Location: Camp David Study Desk

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

       The President’s schedule
            -Meeting with Richard G. Kleindienst, John D. Ehrlichman
                  -Schedule change
                  -Timing
            -Meetings
                  -William D. Ruckelshaus
                         -Photograph session
                         -Retention
                         -Environmental policy
                         -Maurice H. Stans
                                     -8-

           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                             Tape Subject Log
                               (rev. June-08)

                                                       Conversation No. 184-8 (cont’d)

         -Diplomatic credentials
         -Surrogates reception
         -Dr. W. Kenneth Riland
         -December 20, 1972
               -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon’s schedule
                     -Volunteers Tea
               -Departure for Florida
                     -Timing
     -Camp David
         -Christmas decorations
               -William Hersch
               -Tree, garland
         -Use by Cabinet and others
               -Robert H. Finch
               -John N. Mitchell
               -Robert H. Dole
               -Melvin R. Laird
               -Stans
               -Donald H. Rumsfeld
               -Stans
                     -Kathleen (Carmody) Stans
                     -Invitations
               -Mitchell and Martha (Beall) Mitchell
               -Stans
                     -Invitations
               -Robert J. Dole
               -Clark MacGregor

Second term reorganization
     -Dole
           -Anne L. Armstrong
                 -Announcement
                      -Associated Press [AP]
                      -Renunciation
                            -Leak
           -Leaks
                 -Rogers C. B. Morton
                 -George H. W. Bush
     -Women appointees
           -Armstrong
                                             -9-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. June-08)

                                                              Conversation No. 184-8 (cont’d)

                  -Patricia R. Hitt
                        -Californians
                               -Transportation Department

       Press relations
             -The President’s conversation with Ronald L. Ziegler
             -New York Times
                    -Contact with Henry A. Kissinger
                          -[National Security Council]
                          -Vietnam War
                                -Reseeding mines
                          -William P. Rogers
             -Washington Post
                    -Alleged discrimination
                    -Local compared to national coverage
                          -Washington Star
                          -New York Times
                          -Kansas City Star
                          -San Antonio Light
                          -Nashville Banner
                          -Pool reports
                          -Wire services
                                -United Press International [UPI]
                          -White House access policy
                                -Patrick J. Buchanan
                                -William L. Safire
             -Ziegler’s press conferences
                    -Performances
                    -Backgrounders

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

Hello.
Hello.
The only problem is that he could leave tomorrow morning and I wondered if he could do the climbing the same afternoon after you get back.
Yep.
He would have to do it either at 2 or after 4.30.
He would do that reception, I guess.
Yeah, he would do it at 2 o'clock.
At 2 o'clock, he would do it.
Right.
At 2 o'clock, he would do it.
He would really need to do that.
So, 2 o'clock.
And, um, any other inquiries?
I'm not, I'm not going to give a lot of time to look at that, but I think it's a good thing.
Absolutely.
I mean, it's a, it's a good thing.
Yeah.
Yeah.
You know, the thing is, doing what the president once done is he went down the environmental people and he just asked you to get a little more water up and then you're building up the environment down there again.
You know, that's the whole concept.
It's the wrong system.
No, it's a good idea.
I just want to get to the other person and tell him that he should play a solid line on top of the investment.
That's it.
That's good.
And we'll have, uh, you know, follow up on that.
Uh, well, Wednesday morning is the... Tuesday you have Sam's and Russell's house.
Yeah.
And I'm free the end of the day, too.
Yeah, uh, well, no, you have to come out and put that boat in the exit.
And then you're free, other than that, to defer this reception at 3F-630.
Sure, this is 6-6, right?
And you go right on this side.
They figured about 45 minutes.
Alright.
You know, the first thing that comes to mind is that I, uh, I don't need to talk too much to you, but I need you to talk to us.
You always want to talk to us.
You know, all the things that we've been doing.
I'll be back.
I'll be back.
I'll be back.
I'll be back.
all the time, it's just crazy.
Do you ever think you should have done that?
No, I don't think I've ever done that.
I think I have, but I don't think I've ever done that.
And I know you're in the middle of it, and you don't want to say anything about it.
Is there anybody that would really, would really, if you could, coming up here, would you really want to do that?
Because I'm sure you want to do it.
I don't know if you'd be able to do that.
I don't know if you'd be able to do that.
I don't know if you'd be able to do that.
I don't know if you'd be able to do that.
I don't know if you'd be able to do that.
I should acknowledge that.
I should acknowledge that.
I should acknowledge that.
I should acknowledge that.
I should acknowledge that.
I should acknowledge that.
I should acknowledge that.
I should acknowledge that.
I should acknowledge that.
I should acknowledge that.
Okay.
That dance might be marvelous.
I could do it.
I might take it.
If they're here, that might be where they'd like to do it, you know.
Because you can't be down on this at all.
He couldn't do the dinner, which is why we put him on the curb tonight.
But Sam should come up to his wife, say, I'm very involved with him, and invite people up for dinner.
You got to be a nice man.
Well, let me see about that.
That might be a marvelous thing to do.
What about John?
That's what would be another possibility.
They just moved in their apartment all night.
I don't think that's quite true.
Yeah, that'd be a big problem if they came downstairs to do it.
I don't know.
I mean, if they came to this place.
Oh, I mean, we definitely want to install it a few times a year.
I'm not sure.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I'm not sure.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Oh yeah, we had a little bit of trouble with that.
Sure, but he confirmed it to A.B.
that he was going to head out to church, right?
No, we had never announced it.
We put the leash on him for the first time, but hey, it's just a huge appointment.
We know, but you know what I'm just going to say, Bob.
Both Martin and Bill have been terrible leashes.
That's right.
We've known that.
Now, that was good, but I mean, beautiful leashes, too.
No, they aren't.
No, they aren't.
No, they aren't.
No, they aren't.
No, they aren't.
No, they aren't.
No, they aren't.
No, they aren't.
Yep.
Yep.
Other than that, I don't know what's going on.
I don't know what's going on.
I don't know what's going on.
I don't know what's going on.
I don't know what's going on.
I told you, you know what I mean?
That's what they're all going to do, you know?
So, you know what I mean?
Yep.
You see, you can't throw something on Rodgers that Rodgers doesn't know about.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
Yep.
Well, it's just a little bit of a drag, drag after drag.
It's just a little bit of a drag, drag after drag.
It's a little bit of a drag, drag after drag.
But these are cool reports.
Well, it's still reported that I'm not very fast about it, but that's what we're trying to do.
All these, uh, the UPI, uh, we always get the worst cases, but we're not having, we're not having any of the worst cases.
Well, I mean, I think it's a fair few times, but, I mean, I think it's true, but, it's just what it's going to be.
You know, it's, uh, you know, you have to change it.
Okay, well, that's, that's big news.
It's a great, uh, we, I don't know if you'd like to decide the background, if you can and want to do it all, but I don't know.
We would take you to 39th.
I know how many people are on the line every month, you know what I mean, right?
People that have been out there, staff out there, out in the middle of the crowd and stuff like that.
Just ask them, right?
And if they're not getting it, see if there's ever something about them that can't be replaced or is keeping the reporter out, you know what I'm saying?
They're not getting it, right?
I mean, the thing is, I don't know if they're going to arrive at 2 o'clock in the evening.
Absolutely.
And you know what I'm saying, right?
Why don't you do it this way?
Oh, yeah.
Okay.
Welcome back, Tom.
I'll get you on.
Okay.
Yeah, I'll be up to you later.
Bye.