Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 201 › Conversation 201-006

Nixon, Kendall & Haldeman on Dwight D. Eisenhower

Friday, August 11, 1972 · 7:42 PM–8:30 PM ET · Camp David Hard Wire · 5 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kendall, Donald McI.; Kendall, Donald McI. (Mrs.); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation201-006 on Tape 201StartFriday, August 11, 1972 at 7:42 PMEndFriday, August 11, 1972 at 8:30 PMRecording deviceCamp David Hard WireSourceNixon Library record for 201-006 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with Donald and Mrs. Donald McI. Kendall to dictate a personal letter reflecting on his relationship with their family. Following this, he dictated a memorandum to H. R. Haldeman regarding a collection of eulogies. The discussion focused on drafting an introduction for the collection concerning Dwight D. Eisenhower, specifically highlighting the formal shift in their professional relationship after Nixon's inauguration. Nixon directed Haldeman to incorporate these anecdotes into the text and decided against further inquiry into Eisenhower's final conversations.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 2 minutes of this recording (about 44% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.

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Don Kettle.

Dear Ben, it's D-I-M and Don.

Imagine over the past three years, over the past three and a half years, literally hundreds have come through the local office as the President of the United States of America.

paragraph.

I think he'll be proud of the fact that never have I captured a word in him.

And, uh, he's pressing himself that you're gonna find, uh, signs.

uh i only hope that uh have done and hope to do in the future in this office

the last two pieces.

The world may be able to enjoy warm regards and put a sign, R.N.

As you spoke of the preface to the four eulogies, it occurred to me that action should be made in the Eisenhower introduction period.

When you said that, when you told me that the Eisenhower introduction, he said, quote, high deck, end quote, when I came into the room.

I got that he never called me Dick after the day of the inauguration.

The telephone call I had with him.

The day before the inauguration.

And, uh, quote.

Last time I will ever call you Dick.

Now I'm your Mr. President.

Close quote.

It was interesting also to note that the

And all the time I had known him.

He never called me Mike.

I always called him Ethan Chownel or Mr. President.

Perhaps he worked weaving these thoughts into his introduction.

When I came in the room, the general said, Mr. President,

and then put in the facts that I have just dictated.

The formality of which otherwise would not be understood.

I don't believe that getting further information from Rose on the last conversation is probably worth doing at this point.

I'm not going to be enough already.

better ever substance the conversation we had at that time and write after I leave office at the end of the memorandum.

You can count on us.

You can break with me and I will issue it.

NARA Description

On August 11, 1972, 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. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 201-006 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 201-6

Date: August 11, 1972
Time: Unknown between 7:42 pm and 8:30 pm
Location: Camp David Hard Wire

The President dictated a letter to Mr. and Mrs. Donald McI. Kendall

     The President's previous meeting with the Kendall family
          -Kendall children
               -The President’s view
                     -Donald McI. Kendall, Jr.

The President dictated a memorandum to H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.

     Collection of eulogies
          -Dwight D. Eisenhower introduction
                -Manner of address between the President and Eisenhower
                      -Lee W. Huebner
                      -Rose Mary Woods
                          -Eisenhower's last conversation with the President

The President dictated instructions regarding both the letter and the memorandum.

     Memorandum to Haldeman

     Letter to the Kendalls

Also recorded on August 11, 1972

137-003 6:14 PM · 56 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at Camp David from 6:14 pm to 6:35 pm.
137-004 6:35 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 6:35 pm and 7:33 pm.
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.
201-004 7:33 PM · 2 min — 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.
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.
201-007 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.

All 41 conversations from August 11, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 201-006, 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/201-006 (accessed October 13, 2026).