On November 17, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 6:20 pm to 6:24 pm. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 226-015 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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.
I think the important thing to get across to Bill in the morning, and I, what I'm really trying to do is to encourage him to exercise the faith.
I mean, this is the right thing, and I'm sure he can do the same.
I think you should tell him that, Bill, I can't put you in the hole.
We have to think about it.
I was very relaxed about it and happy about it.
It's all worth having.
I think Bill's got to know what it is.
He must not get away with the idea that he's standing up and defending his colleagues.
Yeah.
He's got to act and put on that face.
Don't you agree?
That's how we do it.
say that, well, the available presence is now directly and directly connected to all of them.
We have everything worked out.
They're all very happy about it.
They're very happy.
We have other positions.
Some of them want to leave, or some of them are going to stay.
The only problem is we're going to kill a few.
So we've got to remember that this is what it's going to be.
And we have to run it.
I think there will be a cold turkey today.
He doesn't think he's putting himself in the position of defending his colleagues in the camp.
That's bullshit.
Bill never cares about his colleagues in the camp.
Never has.
He never cares about anybody but himself.
It might be nothing.
Okay.
What time is it?
Eleven o'clock tomorrow.
Now, don't tell him that we worked the Richardson thing out.
Don't tell him a goddamn thing.
I can't tell you about it because the president's giving us all the votes.
Do you have any other votes?
No, I'm calling.
What did he really say?
Because I was with other people.
About Colson.
What do you think?
Because he likes Colson.
Well, he realized it doesn't have to be close.
Yeah.
All right.
Well, of course we are.
All right.
All right.
All right.
Good, good, good, good.
All right.
All right.
All right.
All right.
All right.
In the morning, you're going to talk to Colson.
Even though Chuck thinks there's no chance.
I think there's a one in five chance, see?
What did you say?
You think there's one in five chance?
To me, I want his best man to be recommended.
I want him as early as possible in the next couple of weeks.
Small dinner here, can't wait for the White House where he gets some of the top labor people in.
So that I can sit with him.
about his future.
I will make the transition myself.
See?
Okay.
Anything else?
You're back.
You're back.
I'd like you to call Mr. Henry's hole and yell at him.
Perfect yell at him.
You know the name of the guy.
Why don't you just yell at him?
That's it.
Henry does these things a lot.
You know that.
Right, right, right, right.
All right.
Get out of Henry right away and tell him I hold him personally responsible for this because it's his man.
Get it in the first thing in the morning.
But he's not going to call me.
It's always when you call Henry, tell him the contact is clean and he'll get on with me.
Good.
Good.
You going back now?
Good.
Okay.
Well, I think everything's in good shape, don't you think so?
You talk to Rogers at 11 o'clock, lay it right on the line.
And you think it's possible that you might say the hell with it.
If he does, we accept it.
If he doesn't, fine, we accept him.
But we're going to accept the cold turkey turn.
That's the main thing.
We're going to name everybody in the department.
Everybody up and down the line.
There's not going to be Secretary of State to collate these men.
Okay?
Okay, bud.