Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 278 › Conversation 278-072

Nixon & Haldeman on Draft extension and Congressional relations

Thursday, September 16, 1971 · 3:41 PM–3:43 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation278-072 on Tape 278 (tape position 03:55:36–03:57:03)StartThursday, September 16, 1971 at 3:41 PMEndThursday, September 16, 1971 at 3:43 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 278-072 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman discussed the political strategy surrounding the upcoming draft extension bill in Congress. They focused on securing necessary Republican votes and managing the legislative maneuverings of Senator Richard S. Schweiker. Haldeman was tasked with coordinating with George P. Shultz to follow up with key committee leaders, including F. Edward Hébert, Margaret Chase Smith, and John C. Stennis, to ensure the bill's success.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

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Yeah.

I don't want to lose up my kids and take care of them unless this is lost.

Then I have to go against it.

Well, that's it for today.

He went there against us, didn't he?

I said, he's going to vote.

His father, he didn't give a shit about making the motion.

What he didn't want to do was to make the motion.

I mean, who would lose?

He's going to vote against it, so he'll be on the record.

So he's going to vote the table.

I said, that's why I think some Republicans ought to vote.

There's four tables that should vote.

Okay, thanks, brother.

NARA Description

On September 16, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:41 pm to 3:43 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 278-072 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 278-72

Date: September 16, 1971
Time: 3:41 pm - 3:43 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

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

     Congress
         -Draft extension bill
              -George P. Shultz
                    -Follow-up with F. Edward Hébert, Margaret Chase Smith, John C.
                          Stennis
         -Richard S. Schweiker

          -Situation
                -Republicans votes

Also recorded on September 16, 1971

009-043 2:10 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Clark MacGregor talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:10 pm and 6:21 pm.
009-044 2:10 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:10 pm and 6:21 pm.
278-069 2:47 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:47 pm to 2:49 pm.
278-070 3:00 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 3:00 pm.
278-071 3:00 PM · 5 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 3:00 pm and 3:41 pm.
278-073 3:43 PM · 21 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 3:43 pm and 4:00 pm.
573-001 4:00 PM · 56 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, Alexander P. Butterfield, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Henry A. Kissinger, William L. Safire, Clark MacGregor, Herbert G. Klein, Stephen B. Bull, Patrick J. Buchanan, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:00 pm to 4:58 pm.
075-004 4:58 PM · 1 hr 25 min — President Richard M. Nixon and elected state and local officials, including Arch A. Moore, Jr., Richard B. Ogilvie, Thomas J. Meskill, Winfield Dunn, Warren E. Hearnes, J. James Exon, Wendall R. Anderson, Frank Licht, Luis A. Ferre, John C. West, William J. Connor, Gladys N. Spellman, Bernard Hillenbrand, Henry W. Maier, Louie Welch, John J. Gunther, Richard G. Lugar, Pat Healy, John B. Connally, James G. Martin, Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, George P. Shultz, John D. Ehrlichman, Herbert Stein, Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., Charls E. Walker, Ronald L. Ziegler, the White House photographer, and members of the press, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 4:58 pm and 7:00 pm.

All 52 conversations from September 16, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 278-072, September 16, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/278-072 (accessed October 12, 2026).