Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 232 › Conversation 232-011

Nixon phone call with Haldeman on George H.W. Bush

Wednesday, November 29, 1972 · 10:10 AM–1:47 PM ET · Camp David Hard Wire · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation232-011 on Tape 232StartWednesday, November 29, 1972 at 10:10 AMEndWednesday, November 29, 1972 at 1:47 PMRecording deviceCamp David Hard WireSourceNixon Library record for 232-011 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman coordinate the transition of George H.W. Bush from his role at the United Nations to a new position as National Chairman of the Republican National Committee. The discussion focuses on the strategic timing of this announcement to ensure a seamless transition that avoids any operational gap in party leadership. Nixon instructs Haldeman to manage the process carefully, ensuring that the official appointment coincides with the committee's actions while managing public perception.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 1 minute of this recording (about 45% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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And I told him that he should just stay, do nothing until the year she goes, and he should take an absolutely hard line.

But the committee acts that we cannot have any gap in his being named National Chairman.

It's all right for him to be speculated about it, but he can't be named.

an investor must be brought up and documented and so forth.

It has to be on the 20th.

The goal should be that, great, this is great, we got it.

Now, Bob, you've got to play this with great skill.

And, you know, getting up here, you know, even Wednesday,

He said, should I talk to him too?

I understand now the president, based on his conversation, asked George if he could take the George study with him.

The president said, fine, you're my choice.

But it had to be that because committees, negotiations, okay, we have to get to do it.

So that the quicker that we can get out the fact that those are being considered, that I can name a U.N. president to go out and work with Bush

so that he can complete his writing in a period of transition and get it done, because he cannot be in the U.N. a day after the National Committee acts.

So therefore, it's good to get it out this week.

Okay, next week.

NARA Description

On November 29, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:10 am and 1:47 pm. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 232-011 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 232-11

Date: November 29, 1972
Time: Unknown between 10:10 am and 1:47 pm
Location: Camp David Hard Wire

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

[See Conversation No. 156-20]

Also recorded on November 29, 1972

156-012 10:10 AM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:10 am and 1:47 pm.
156-013 10:10 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:10 am and 1:47 pm.
156-014 10:10 AM · 10 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:10 am and 1:47 pm.
156-015 10:10 AM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:10 am and 1:47 pm.
156-016 10:10 AM · 10 min — President Richard M. Nixon and George H. W. Bush talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:10 am and 1:47 pm.
156-017 10:10 AM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:10 am and 1:47 pm.
156-018 10:10 AM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:10 am and 1:47 pm.
156-020 10:10 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:10 am and 1:47 pm.

All 33 conversations from November 29, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 232-011, November 29, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/232-011 (accessed October 10, 2026).