Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 231 › Conversation 231-017

Haldeman, Ehrlichman & Camp David Operator on White House administration

Tuesday, November 28, 1972 · 4:26 PM–4:40 PM ET · Camp David Hard Wire · 59 sec

ParticipantsHaldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Camp David Operator; Ehrlichman, John D.Conversation231-017 on Tape 231StartTuesday, November 28, 1972 at 4:26 PMEndTuesday, November 28, 1972 at 4:40 PMRecording deviceCamp David Hard WireSourceNixon Library record for 231-017 ↗

AI Summary

H. R. Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman confer regarding the management of an individual’s schedule and the handling of sensitive findings. The discussion centers on the unpredictable behavior of the subject, who has reportedly engaged in erratic actions that complicate administrative control. Ultimately, they decide to withhold information until the subject completes his current tasks to ensure better oversight of the final report.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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It's Bob.
He talks to me so much.
Uh, well, we just got dough out, and he's just put four in.
He will be glad to see the dean if you want to hold him until he finishes with four.
Does he think we can hold four?
I tried to recommend that you do.
But he ran 40 into 40, man.
That's a little wild.
I don't know.
I was so surprised.
Okay, but not, you're not going to keep the beam.
So let's give him the whole findings and run him up afterwards.
Okay.
Not really.
Perfect.

NARA Description

On November 28, 1972, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Camp David operator, and John D. Ehrlichman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:26 pm and 4:40 pm. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 231-017 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 231-17

Date: November 28, 1972
Time: Unknown between 4:26 pm and 4:40 pm
Location: Camp David Hard Wire

H. R. (“Bob) Haldeman talked with the Camp David operator.

[See Conversation No. 183-7]

Haldeman talked with John D. Ehrlichman at an unknown time between 4:26 pm and 4:40 pm.

[Conversation No. 231-17A]

[See Conversation No. 183-7]

Haldeman left at an unknown time before 4:40 pm.

Also recorded on November 28, 1972

  • 156-011 12:14 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 12:14 pm and 1:50 pm.
  • 156-023 12:14 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Camp David operator, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 12:14 pm on November 28, 1972 and 10:10 am on November 29, 1972.
  • 183-006 12:14 PM · 17 sec — Camp David operator and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 12:14 pm and 1:50 pm.
  • 183-007 4:26 PM · 2 min — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Camp David operator, and John D. Ehrlichman talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:26 pm and 4:40 pm.
  • 232-001 6:50 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 6:50 pm on November 28, 1972 and 8:40 am on November 29, 1972.
  • 232-002 6:50 PM · 45 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 6:50 pm on November 28, 1972 and 8:40 am on November 29, 1972.
  • 232-003 6:50 PM · 24 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 6:50 pm on November 28, 1972 and 8:40 am on November 29, 1972.
  • 232-015 6:50 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 6:50 pm on November 28, 1972 and 8:40 am on November 29, 1972.

All 20 conversations from November 28, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 231-017, November 28, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/231-017 (accessed October 23, 2026).