Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 251 › Conversation 251-008

Nixon & Haldeman on Cabinet appointments and Office of Emergency Preparedness

Tuesday, April 20, 1971 · 2:46 PM–2:55 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation251-008 on Tape 251 (tape position 00:05:38–00:07:04)StartTuesday, April 20, 1971 at 2:46 PMEndTuesday, April 20, 1971 at 2:55 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 251-008 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H.R. Haldeman discuss administrative logistics, including the scheduling of upcoming appointments and a photo session with Attorney General John Mitchell. They deliberate on potential candidates for Cabinet positions and the necessity of utilizing the Office of Emergency Preparedness to promote the administration’s economic and foreign policy agendas. The conversation centers on staff coordination and strategic messaging to improve the public perception of the administration's goals.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Or.
For that matter, the port calls would be a little strong, because you see how the city of Manhattan is dealing with the piles and things like that.
They can just waste that job on the money as well.
It's not like they've got any candidates for that thing after the referendum goes on.
You're right.
Yeah.
That's right.
That's right.
Oh, sure, these are all good people.
That's a good man.
You know, three, with regard to the letters, you know, you have to do something.
You know, that's a good relation with you, very, very good.
You've got a perfect spirit.
You've got a perfect mind.

NARA Description

On April 20, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:46 pm and 2:55 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 251-008 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 251-8

Date: April 20, 1971
Time: Unknown between 2:46 pm and 2:55 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with an unknown person [H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman?]

     President’s schedule
          -Request for unknown person’s [Haldeman?] presence at Oval Office for
                 appointments
           -Picture session with John N. Mitchell
                 -Timing

     Appointment
         -Need [for Office of Emergency Preparedness] to “sell” economy, foreign policy
         -Possible candidates for Cabinet positions
              -Unknown man
              -[Forename unknown] Delaney

Also recorded on April 20, 1971

  • 042-058 2:38 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 2:38 pm.
  • 042-059 2:38 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:38 pm and 2:39 pm.
  • 251-003 2:38 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 2:38 pm.
  • 251-004 2:38 PM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:38 pm and 2:39 pm.
  • 042-060 2:39 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Tricia Nixon Cox talked on the telephone from 2:39 pm to 2:44 pm.
  • 251-006 2:39 PM · 59 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Tricia Nixon Cox met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:39 pm to 2:44 pm.
  • 042-061 2:45 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Leslie C. Arends talked on the telephone from 2:45 pm to 2:46 pm.
  • 251-007 2:45 PM · 54 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Leslie C. Arends met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:45 pm to 2:46 pm.

All 51 conversations from April 20, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 251-008, April 20, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/251-008 (accessed October 3, 2026).