Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 205 › Conversation 205-017

Nixon phone call with Haldeman on Lawrence O'Brien

Saturday, August 19, 1972 · 3:23 PM–3:26 PM ET · Camp David Hard Wire · 35 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation205-017 on Tape 205StartSaturday, August 19, 1972 at 3:23 PMEndSaturday, August 19, 1972 at 3:26 PMRecording deviceCamp David Hard WireSourceNixon Library record for 205-017 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman met briefly at Camp David to coordinate the status of an ongoing follow-up regarding Lawrence O'Brien. Nixon expressed a clear desire to ensure the matter was being handled diligently and cautioned against any lapse in progress. Haldeman confirmed the task was being tracked to ensure the administration maintained control over the situation.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yeah.
Wanted to be sure.
We'll give you a check on that O'Brien thing.
We're going to.
So it's followed up.
It's probably not going to be this weekend, but I don't want to show us the drop ball there.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
All right.

NARA Description

On August 19, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 3:23 pm to 3:26 pm. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 205-017 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 205-17

Date: August 19, 1972
Time: 3:23 pm - 3:26 pm
Location: Camp David Hard Wire

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

[See Conversation No. 140-45; one item has been withdrawn]

Also recorded on August 19, 1972

  • 140-043 3:03 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at 3:03 pm.
  • 140-044 3:03 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 3:03 pm and 3:23 pm.
  • 205-015 3:03 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at 3:03 pm.
  • 205-016 3:03 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 3:03 pm and 3:23 pm.
  • 140-045 3:23 PM · 31 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David from 3:23 pm to 3:36 pm.
  • 176-009 3:26 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 3:26 pm and 4:22 pm.
  • 205-018 3:26 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 3:26 pm and 4:22 pm.
  • 205-019 3:26 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 3:26 pm and 4:22 pm.

All 35 conversations from August 19, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 205-017, August 19, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/205-017 (accessed October 8, 2026).