On August 17, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 9:01 am to 9:47 am. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 203-005 of the White House Tapes.
Transcript (AI-Generated)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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.
Yeah, I think I'm going to try to avoid going down there today.
I've got, you got some, any further information or anything that would change my mind on it?
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, I'm, I just have so much work to do here on this stuff.
I started, I started one, one thing, and then it didn't turn, turn out, and then it started again last night.
I don't know.
Well, that's the way it works, you know.
I don't need to go this way for three or four days.
Well, it may or may not, you know.
I mean, it does, it does, but I can't.
I mean, I've got several things done, but it's just one hell of a lot of work, and I just have to do it by myself.
I don't necessarily have to bring in a price or any of the others to do it this way.
And Rose can delay.
Come on.
All right.
I won't be here today.
Do what you want.
Yeah, no problem.
I met with the boss and everything.
She's going to drive me.
Oh, fine.
I met with the boss.
She can delay that.
I don't think that should be my period as well.
Thank you.
Do you have anything else this morning?
Yeah, yeah.
Five votes.
That's good.
That's good.
I saw that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's the way he does it.
I mean, what I meant is, I think we don't want any of his people to be, I think Conway's band is the one who's going to Johnson's time.
Embarrassed, I'm telling you.
What I meant is that we don't need to
That's what I meant.
That's what I meant.
Right?
No.
Who would?
Thank you.
Yeah.
that saw him proceed in our business.
What do you have to report?
The best business of a presidential candidate would occur to me, Bob, of 12th and 14th.
I mean on this one I don't mean Ramsey but this is a hell of a thing yeah sure I didn't see it in the paper this morning posted by lunch
Yeah.
All right.
Um, I don't know.
I, uh, I just want to get somebody else to check.
That's right.
My dad's a grader.
That's a good one to ask.
I don't think that, uh, I'm actually quite convinced, because if we are, if people were to be operating in a territory close to us, I am myself, I'm just sure Connelly would be pretty good.
I think he'd be out for an overkill or whatever it is, greater than the rest, but, uh, yeah.
Uh, the point is that, uh, it's one thing that you could, uh,
Yeah, basically a rocker speech.
That would be the best one by all.
uh... uh...
My general reaction is not to really delay something until, I mean, unless it's a pretty big deal, it's usually better later or something like that.
I mean, I would, I mean, if something comes along, the legitimate target is to hit it.
But not with this more sorrow and anger and so forth.
The only way it can work is if they are very seriously jeopardizing these negotiations.
Seriously jeopardizing these negotiations.
Yes.
Another thought that occurred to me is that this is what they're saying, that it might be well if everyone had the best possible relationship, and then we're into the conventions.
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
My intuition basically is to get it from the ground, which is pretty true.
They just damn well shouldn't do this.
I think for the wrong reason may indicate that they feel semi-fine.
And the Colson judgment card is probably based on the Colson policy, but it is really not the best on this kind of thing.
And he ought to get his judgment, and he ought to throw it in there, because he gets the up-to-date stuff, but he doesn't come off great terms.
My inclination is to... See, the whole thing is... By overkill, what does he mean?
That you make people sorry for it?
Or that we're making... We don't want people to think about Vietnam, in other words.
Well, I guess that's...
I know that.
Well, my piece is just a little bit different.
It is that whether it's in the news or not, there's not.
I mean, unless Americans are getting their asses shot off, it's what counts.
It's just the longer the war goes on, the less popular it is.
I think whether we raise it or not, it's in their minds.
In other words, so what else?
Well, in a sense, it might be well to
I'd like to do this.
Why don't we let it be as positive as possible for a while.
Get the speech all ready.
Get the speech all ready.
Let Henry come back.
Let's get the feel of everything there.
intervention to have the one area that we haven't solved be up front and center.
Is that what we're talking about?
Because I think McGovern and his people are probably being gunned in anyway on this thing, is what you've been reporting.
and that's all that's all my government said
What would you rather do than Henry Acton or Ramsey Clark or Pierre Salinger?
Why didn't I show how they sound so much different?
We're in a pretty good position on that, aren't we?
We're in a pretty good position on that, aren't we?
We're in a pretty good position on that, aren't we?
We're in a pretty good position on that, aren't we?
We're in a pretty good position on that, aren't we?
We're in a pretty good position on that, aren't we?
We're in a pretty good position on that, aren't we?
We're in a pretty good position on that, aren't we?
Are they?
What do the media say?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Partisanship with foreign policy.
Yeah.
Partisanship with foreign policy.
All right What'd you say
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I just don't know, but let's look it over.
You see, it's a very important thing we're doing here right now.
I just don't know.
They always say don't take on somebody because you built him up.
All right.
you remember the Muskie thing?
I've mostly forgotten it.
But everybody thought we were wrong.
You remember the Muskie thing?
You took them on.
Well, the hell of him.
You lost the campaign.
You elected Muskie.
You nominated him and probably elected him.
It was all destroyed, didn't it?
Because people began to look at him as a special person.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Now, the other side of this, of course, it does, it sure as hell does remind me of the goddamn war.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And also, with them, and with them, with them talking about it all the time, talking about it, talking about it, they're not, we've got to say they're being,
Frankly, I'm patriotic.
I guess we're just stuck with the war.
We've got to save the other side.
I'm patriotic.
We're trying to end it.
That's my gut reaction.
But I'm inclined to think that maybe it's a better time to do that.
Except for the possibility of a Rogers or a Reagan.
Reagan is good.
He'll probably take my advice.
I will be active in the convention.
Except for the possibility of a Reagan.
After Henry gets back.
All right.
You talk to him.
Okay.
Good.
Okay.
Bye.