Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 212 › Conversation 212-001

Nixon phone call with Haldeman on Watergate scandal and Public opinion polling

Tuesday, September 19, 1972 · 6:23 PM–6:55 PM ET · Camp David Hard Wire ·40 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation212-001 onTape 212StartTuesday, September 19, 1972 at 6:23 PMEndTuesday, September 19, 1972 at 6:55 PMRecording deviceCamp David Hard WireSourceNixon Library record for 212-001 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H.R. Haldeman evaluated the political fallout of the Watergate scandal, specifically assessing its impact on public opinion polling. Haldeman suggested that the issue had largely faded from public consciousness, asserting that the indictments failed to generate significant traction. The pair compared the declining relevance of Watergate to the contemporary political damage caused by the administration's controversial grain deal.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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But Senator Wright, Senator Watergate didn't have that much of a bounce.
The indictments weren't that much of an event.
Watergate's pretty much gone away.
Actually, Green Deal is worse than Watergate at the moment, probably.

NARA Description

On September 19, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 6:23 pm to 6:55 pm. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 212-001 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 212-1

Date: September 19, 1972
Time: 6:23 pm - 6:55 pm
Location: Camp David Hard Wire

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

*****************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 11m 59s    ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

*****************************************************************

            Issues
                -Watergate
                   -Effect on polls
                        -Albert E. Sindlinger
                        -Indictments
                        -Comparison to grain deal issue

*****************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 22m 4s     ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

*****************************************************************

                                       (rev. Oct-06)

Haldeman left at 6:55 pm.

Also recorded on September 19, 1972

  • 783-025 3:27 PM · 17 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, Stephen B. Bull, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:27 pm to 3:42 pm.
  • 783-026 3:42 PM · 57 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, William E. Timmons, Henry A. Kissinger, John B. Connally, Clark MacGregor, George E. Christian, Stephen B. Bull, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:42 pm to 5:41 pm.
  • 783-027 5:41 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:41 pm and 11:59 pm.
  • 212-002 6:55 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 6:55 pm and 7:46 pm.
  • 144-001 7:45 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, unknown person(s), and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 7:45 pm and 7:46 pm.
  • 212-003 7:45 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at 7:45 pm.
  • 144-002 7:46 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at Camp David from 7:46 pm to 8:10 pm.
  • 212-004 7:46 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 7:46 pm to 8:10 pm.

All 46 conversations from September 19, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 212-001, September 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/212-001 (accessed September 18, 2026).