Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 201 › Conversation 201-004

Nixon phone call with Haldeman on media strategy and FBI investigation

Friday, August 11, 1972 · 7:33 PM–7:42 PM ET · Camp David Hard Wire · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation201-004 on Tape 201StartFriday, August 11, 1972 at 7:33 PMEndFriday, August 11, 1972 at 7:42 PMRecording deviceCamp David Hard WireSourceNixon Library record for 201-004 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H.R. Haldeman discuss the media reception of recent political messaging and the strategic necessity of repetitive public attacks regarding the FBI investigation. They specifically evaluate the political optics of Roger [likely William P. Rogers] and the potential involvement of Clark MacGregor in managing these narratives. The conversation emphasizes the importance of controlling the public discourse by consistently reinforcing key talking points to ensure they gain sufficient traction.

Audio

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NARA Description

On August 11, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 7:33 pm to 7:42 pm. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 201-004 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 201-4

Date: August 11, 1972
Time: 7:33 pm - 7:42 pm
Location: Camp David Hard Wire

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

[See Conversation No. 137-5; two items have been withdrawn]

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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

So, you were dinner, huh?
Oh, really?
A little late.
Uh-huh.
Right.
Uh, did you have anything, uh, I, I understand Roger's got a very good play.
He has everything, huh?
Except the, uh, the FBI thing, which of course, uh, he cannot let McGregor do it.
That's if he wants to.
Sorry.
Far the best, but you know, if he wants.
He is the one that ought to hit it.
Oh.
They've got to hit it over and over again before they can hit it.
That's good, but the Rodgers thing, it was good that it got such a good play.
Cutting the pieces.
Right.
Right.
Right.
Yeah.
All right.
All right.
Yeah.
Yeah.

Also recorded on August 11, 1972

  • 201-002 7:24 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Tricia Nixon Cox met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 7:24 pm and 7:31 pm.
  • 201-003 7:31 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 7:31 pm and 7:33 pm.
  • 137-005 7:33 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David from 7:33 pm to 7:42 pm.
  • 201-005 7:42 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Tricia Nixon Cox met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 7:42 pm and 8:30 pm.
  • 201-006 7:42 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Donald McI. Kendall, Mrs. Donald McI. Kendall, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 7:42 pm and 8:30 pm.
  • 201-007 7:42 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 7:42 pm and 8:30 pm.
  • 137-006 8:30 PM · 17 sec — Edward R. F. Cox, Clarence D. Palmby, and unknown person(s) talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 8:30 pm and 10:20 pm.
  • 201-008 8:30 PM · 13 sec — Edward R. F. Cox, unknown person(s), and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 8:30 pm and 10:20 pm.

All 43 conversations from August 11, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 201-004, August 11, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/201-004 (accessed November 4, 2026).