{"conversationCode":"261-001","tapeNumber":261,"conversationNumber":1,"identifier":"37-wht-conversation-261-001","startDateTime":"1971-06-15T22:03:00.000Z","endDateTime":"1971-06-15T22:21:00.000Z","startDate":"15-Jun-1971","startTime":"6:03 PM","endDate":"15-Jun-1971","endTime":"6:21 PM","dateCertainty":"certain","timeCertainty":"estimated","participants":"Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. (\"Bob\");","description":"On June 15, 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 6:03 pm and 6:21 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 261-001 of the White House Tapes.","locationCode":"EOB","recordingDevice":"Old Executive Office Building","latitudeEstimated":38.897567,"longitudeEstimated":-77.039147,"chronCode":1,"chronRelease":"First Chronological Release","chronReleaseDate":"5-Oct-1999","aogpRelease":null,"aogpSegment":null,"lastModified":"2015-07-27T17:04:10.235Z","findingAid":"Conversation No. 261-1\n\nDate: June 15, 1971\nTime: Unknown between 6:03 pm and 6:21 pm\nLocation: Executive Office Building\n\nThe President talked with an unknown person [H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman?]\n\n     Unfavorable New York Times article\n\n     Pentagon Papers\n          -Need for support from newspaper editors\n          -John N. Mitchell\n          -Henry A. Kissinger\n          -Media actions\n          -William P. Rogers\n          -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew\n\n     Upcoming Congressional vote, June 16\n         -Ted Stevens\n\n     Vietnam negotiations\n          -Prisoners of War [POWs] release\n          -Kissinger\n          -Clark MacGregor","filename":["261-001-splice.mp3"],"tapeStart":"00:00:50","tapeEnd":"00:03:15","participantsList":["Nixon, Richard M. (President)","Haldeman, H. R. (\"Bob\")"],"prevCode":"260-034","nextCode":"261-002","tapeTranscriptFile":"261a.mp3,261b.mp3,261c.mp3,261d.mp3","transcript":[{"start":55.69,"end":64.85,"text":"I think that one thing in terms of that project is to get some thoughtful editorial comment against the Times on this."},{"start":64.91,"end":71.69,"text":"I mean, then some editors ought to have the responsibility and the courage to speak up on this thing."},{"start":71.85,"end":76.63,"text":"They weren't aware of the nature of it, but it was easy."},{"start":76.65,"end":80.33,"text":"To get out on it, that's the way that you get out."},{"start":80.63,"end":84.01,"text":"I don't know how many, for example, would do, but it would be a very good story to read."},{"start":89.62,"end":101.25,"text":"I'm thinking that we could, the thing like this, I mean, this kind of event, like trying to do your own news, have millions of concern, because you said they were kind of on our decision."},{"start":101.27,"end":106.24,"text":"There's no right to know, there's no goddamn right to know secret documents."},{"start":107.48,"end":108.22,"text":"I don't know."},{"start":108.25,"end":116.89,"text":"And the point is that they're, you know how the press always says, that's why we've got to really put on the business that they're violating, you know, they're violating the law and the breakfast."},{"start":117.05,"end":121.21,"text":"We'll need to get Roger to listen to this."},{"start":121.25,"end":126.11,"text":"He'd be the best one to fight this battle if he will."},{"start":126.15,"end":127.27,"text":"Decide if he's responsible and so forth."},{"start":127.29,"end":128.59,"text":"If you get all that, you'll get him."},{"start":128.61,"end":128.95,"text":"Yeah, yeah."},{"start":128.97,"end":129.59,"text":"Anything for this very study."},{"start":129.69,"end":135.93,"text":"It's not on the ground, but it's being a legal case."},{"start":138.02,"end":139.12,"text":"That boat is tomorrow."},{"start":139.34,"end":144.19,"text":"I got a lot of crazy revelations."},{"start":144.29,"end":146.25,"text":"They released all prisoners."},{"start":146.29,"end":148.69,"text":"Nine months after that, they broke it down."},{"start":149.21,"end":150.43,"text":"That's all."},{"start":152.03,"end":153.22,"text":"Henry said it was gone off."},{"start":154.84,"end":156.82,"text":"It never happens."},{"start":156.92,"end":158.4,"text":"It doesn't like going long or great."},{"start":160.56,"end":170.74,"text":"I just don't think it's going to have a lot of effect."},{"start":170.92,"end":172.28,"text":"I don't know."},{"start":172.46,"end":176.82,"text":"I can't follow all these things."},{"start":178.12,"end":179.21,"text":"Who's in charge?"},{"start":179.31,"end":182.23,"text":"Well, you've got to say that."},{"start":183.55,"end":185.85,"text":"Who's in charge?"}],"transcriptBoundary":{"start":55,"end":185,"startMethod":"llm-alignment","endMethod":"llm-alignment"},"transcriptConfidence":"high","transcriptSource":"bigtape","originalFilename":["261a.mp3","261b.mp3","261c.mp3","261d.mp3"],"spliceSource":{"spliceType":"bigtape","sourceFiles":["261a.mp3"],"cutStart":53.5,"cutEnd":186.5,"adjustedStart":53.5,"adjustedEnd":186.5,"boundaryMethod":"llm-alignment","confidence":"high","splicedAt":"2026-09-18T14:10:26.334Z"},"aiSummary":{"text":"President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman discuss the administration's strategic response to the publication of the Pentagon Papers, focusing on mobilizing editorial support to counter the New York Times. Nixon emphasizes the need to frame the unauthorized disclosure of secret documents as a violation of law and suggests leveraging William P. Rogers to spearhead this public messaging campaign. The pair also touches on an upcoming congressional vote and the status of Vietnam peace negotiations regarding the release of prisoners of war.","topics":["Pentagon Papers","Freedom of the Press","Media Relations","Vietnam War","Prisoners of War","Public Relations Strategy"],"generatedAt":"2026-04-06T12:17:15.321Z"},"topicSlugs":["pentagon-papers","freedom-of-the-press","media-relations","vietnam-war","prisoners-of-war","public-relations-strategy"],"audioDurationSec":133,"audioFiles":[{"file":"261-001-splice.mp3","bytes":2128293,"durationSec":132.99,"bitrate":128027,"missing":false}],"audioIsShared":false,"audioProbedAt":"2026-09-18T14:10:26.334Z","transcriptPrev":{"segments":30,"replacedAt":"2026-09-18T14:11:45.730Z"},"audio":["https://nixon.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/audio/261-001-splice.mp3"],"url":"https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/261-001","nixonLibraryUrl":"https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/white-house-tapes/261/conversation-261-001","license":"Public domain (U.S. Government work). AI-generated fields (transcript, aiSummary) are provided as-is without warranty."}