Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 226 › Conversation 226-017

Nixon phone call with Haldeman on Personnel management and Public perception

Friday, November 17, 1972 · 8:33 PM–8:35 PM ET · Camp David Hard Wire · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation226-017 on Tape 226StartFriday, November 17, 1972 at 8:33 PMEndFriday, November 17, 1972 at 8:35 PMRecording deviceCamp David Hard WireSourceNixon Library record for 226-017 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H.R. Haldeman discuss personnel management and the perception of the administration's internal culture. Nixon directs Haldeman to address sensitive staffing matters with Larry and expresses concern over reports from family members, including Julie and Tricia, that his administration is perceived as being overly cold and hard-hearted. The President seeks to evaluate the administration's public standing and communications strategies in response to these criticisms.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Uh, I'm sorry to get this, this rubbish thing to be sure.

I want you to be able to go down with us.

Say, talk to Larry.

Like, once we, the president offered him a very important position, you know, and, and, and Larry said, no, he's happy, and so forth.

Then go down and say, as far as pressure is concerned, he'll stay.

As far as planning, he might sustain, you know, for a reason in time.

Yeah.

You are the only one that we have any problem with.

Let's talk about that.

I'd be very cold turkey about it, so he doesn't get with this crap that I'm gonna be cold and hard with people.

Because I told you that Beth was concerned about the comms.

What do you think of that?

Have there been comms?

And then, sir, she said that, she said that Julie and Tricia Brayson put it too, that there have been comms.

They've been hard-hearted and cold.

I think that what we've done has been rather, if anything, more than average approval.

Or has it been?

Or has it?

Or have asked?

Maybe we're a 50-50 or what?

What does it mean?

I don't know.

But in terms of what I said in the Horner interview and where we're going to go, what is the reaction?

Is it negative?

Is it?

Okay.

Let me work it out for us.

NARA Description

On November 17, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 8:33 pm to 8:35 pm. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 226-017 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 226-17

Date: November 17, 1972
Time: 8:33 pm - 8:35 pm
Location: Camp David Hard Wire

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

[See Conversation No. 153-50]

Also recorded on November 18, 1972

153-050 8:33 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David from 8:33 pm to 8:35 pm.
153-051 8:35 PM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 8:35 pm and 8:40 pm.
226-018 8:35 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 8:35 pm and 8:40 pm.
153-052 8:40 PM · 28 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Patricia B. McKee talked on the telephone at Camp David from 8:40 pm to 8:41 pm.
226-019 8:40 PM · 25 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Patricia B. McKee met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 8:40 pm to 8:41 pm.
153-053 8:47 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at 8:47 pm.
153-054 8:47 PM · 26 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 8:47 pm and 8:53 pm.
226-020 8:47 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at 8:47 pm.

All 50 conversations from November 18, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 226-017, November 18, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/226-017 (accessed October 9, 2026).