Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 278 › Conversation 278-001

Nixon & Haldeman on Economic policy and Speechwriting

Thursday, September 9, 1971 · 1:20 PM–1:33 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building ·2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation278-001 onTape 278 (tape position 00:00:39–00:02:53)StartThursday, September 9, 1971 at 1:20 PMEndThursday, September 9, 1971 at 1:33 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 278-001 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman review the draft of a forthcoming speech on economic policy, focusing on how to effectively integrate themes of the American spirit, work ethic, and global responsibility. They analyze the impact of specific “cheer lines” that resonated with isolationists and discuss the difficulty of navigating a Congress under Democratic control. The two men conclude by finalizing language intended to frame welfare reform as a transition toward a more positive, work-oriented system.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Well, it's a damn dull subject, but that's about as interesting, as Tricia was saying, as you can make economics.
Have you noticed how you work the chair lines?
Have you noticed the difference in those drafts?
I think it's the best I can do.
And I think, too, what I had in about the work and the American spirit was just essential to top it off with the truth.
It surprised about all of us.
The only thing people would remember is that they cheered for a couple of minutes when I started taking care of America.
The isolationists were cheering, see?
And I couldn't leave it that way.
I could have, I did go on, but you should have put it out and said, but we still got to play a role in the world, not build a wall around the world.
That's a terribly important line, because that's what the ladies want.
They want the law.
And a lot of them are just stupid.
They just need to say, the hell with me, number one.
I think that part was pretty good, number one.
It's never as warm as it probably ought to be, partly because we just don't have it.
You understand, it's an election year, and we've got more Democrats than Republicans, and it's just goddamn hard.
Our Republicans did pretty well.
I watched them cheer, and I was like, I never did let them cheer on the place.
They wanted to be honest with me.
The lines that I wrote last night, that I think were the average of office, let's get rid of the system.
It makes it more positive.
to go on welfare and to go to work.
I sure think so.
That's it.
That's it.
And to go to work.
Yeah.
That's it.
Bye.

NARA Description

On September 9, 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 1:20 pm and 1:33 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 278-001 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 278-1

Date: September 9, 1971
Time: Unknown between 1:20 pm and 1:33 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

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

     Economics
         -The President's speech
         -Subject
               -Tricia Nixon Cox’s comment
         -Speech
               -Use of cheer lines
               -Drafts
               -References to American spirit and work ethic
                     -Reaction
                          -Isolationists
               -US role in the world
                     -Labor unions
                          -Protectionism
               -Congress
                     -Democratic control
                     -Response by Republicans
         -US welfare system
               -Changes

Also recorded on September 9, 1971

  • 568-001 1:18 PM · 1 min — United States Secret Service agents met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:18 pm and 1:22 pm.
  • 008-066 1:20 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:20 pm and 1:33 pm.
  • 278-002 1:20 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:20 pm and 1:33 pm.
  • 278-003 1:20 PM · 41 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 1:20 pm and 1:33 pm.
  • 278-004 1:20 PM · 2 min — 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 1:20 pm and 1:33 pm.
  • 008-067 1:33 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, and Manolo Sanchez talked on the telephone from 1:33 pm to 1:39 pm.
  • 278-005 1:33 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 1:33 pm.
  • 278-006 1:33 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:33 pm to 1:39 pm.

All 58 conversations from September 9, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 278-001, September 9, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/278-001 (accessed September 18, 2026).