President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman met to coordinate logistics for an upcoming appearance at the Detroit Economic Club and to review a wide range of political and personnel matters. They discussed the administration's public relations strategy, the potential political future of Robert Finch, and campaign planning for the 1972 election, including concerns regarding the California delegation and Ronald Reagan's supporters. Additionally, the President reviewed cabinet-level staffing, including the transition of Maurice Stans and the appointment of Romana Acosta Banuelos, while evaluating the political impact of recent Vietnam bombing reactions and upcoming diplomatic initiatives involving China and the USSR.
On September 22, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 12:55 pm to 1:50 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 279-014 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 279-14
Date: September 22, 1971
Time: 12:55 pm - 1:50 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
The President's schedule
-Arrival time, Detroit Economic Club
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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 04/09/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[279-014-w001]
[Duration: 2s]
The President's schedule
-Arrival time, Detroit Economic Club
-Shower
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The President's schedule
-Arrival time, Detroit Economic Club
-Dinner
-Arrival
-Time
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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 04/09/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[279-014-w002]
[Duration: 13s]
The President's schedule
-Arrival time, Detroit Economic Club
-Need time to change of clothes
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The President's schedule
-Arrival time, Detroit Economic Club
-Dinner
-Departure time
-Hotel
-Dinner
-Washington, DC departure time
-Arrival time
-Kissinger
-Meeting with John B. Connally
-Meeting between the President, Henry A. Kissinger and Connally
-Time and date
-Monetary situation
-Meeting between the President, Connally, and Arthur F. Burns
-Time
-Length of meetings
-Arrangements for the President's morning schedule
-Detroit Economic Club
-Length of question and answer [Q&A] session
-Introduction of the President
-Question period
Public relations
-Mail project
-Helen M. Smith
-Roland L. Elliott in the White House mail room
-Work
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Radio talk show
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.
Cabinet meeting, September 24, 1971
-Attendance
-Council of Economic Advisors [CEA]
-Senior staff members
-Robert J. Dole
-George H.W. Bush
-United Nations [UN]
-Robert H. Finch, Donald H. Rumsfeld
-Dole
Paul W. Keyes
-Miss America
-Laugh-In
-[Laurie Lee Schaefer, Phyllis Ann George]
-Public relations for the administration
The President's schedule
-Burns’ view
-Meeting recommendation
-Connally
-Pierre-Paul Schweitzer
Campaign contribution
-Connally
-Armand Hammer
-Amount
-President’s view
-Further efforts
-Maurice H. Stans
Ronald L. Ziegler
Labor
Blacks
-Organized groups
-Marching
-Shirley Chisholm
Professional lobbyists
-Business Council
-Peter M. Flanigan
Consumer Price Index [CPI]
-Latest figures
Justices
-John M. Harlan
-Haldeman's conversation with Mitchell
-Harlan's health
-Justices [Hugo L. Black and Harlan]
-Announcement of resignation
-Effect
-Reaction on Vietnam announcement
-Front page story
-The President's conversation with Kissinger
-News commentators
-North Vietnam
-Reaction
-Opposition
-Edmund S. Muskie
-Bombing
Personnel
-Finch
-Mitchell
-Status
-Haldeman's conversation with Herbert W. Kalmbach
-Kalmbach
-Solution
-Finch
-Role in administration
-Counsel
-California
-Activities
-International drug interdiction
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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 04/09/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[279-014-w004]
[Duration: 2m 12s]
Personnel
-Robert H. Finch
-Candidacy for Senator from California
-Concern about California delegation
-Counties, cities
-Candidate for Mayor of Los Angeles
-Executive ability
-President’s opinion
-Compared to John V. Lindsay
-Timing
-Presidential election, Senate races, Governor
-Herbert W. Kalmbach, Richard A. Moore
-The President's possible conversation with Robert H. Finch
-California
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Personnel
Robert H. Finch
-National figure
-Role in administration
-Meeting with youth
-College campuses
-Appearances in California
-Rotary Club
-Republican Club dinners
-Marge Turner
-Attendance
-Public speaking
-Size of audience
-Type of organizations
-Trips
-Latin America
-Ambassadorship to Mexico
-Voters
-Texas, California
-Public appearances
-College campuses
-Votes
-Other organizations
-Blair House
-Listening to groups
-Surrogates for the President
-Finch
-Rumsfeld
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Senators
-Liberal candidates
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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 04/09/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[279-014-w006]
[Duration: 4m 41s]
Personnel
-Robert H. Finch's political career
-California
-Surrogates for Robert H. Finch
-Robert T. Monagan
-John G. Veneman
-Robert Meyer
-Cliff Miller
-Delegation to the Republican National Convention [RNC]
-John N. Mitchell
1972 election
-California delegation to Republican National Convention [RNC]
-Vote
-Ronald W. Reagan
-The President's permission
-Split within delegation
-Law
-First ballot
-Incumbent President
-The President's nomination
-John N. Mitchell
-Convention
-Elections
-Ronald W. Reagan’s supporters
-Right wing
-Importance to the Convention
-Attitude
-Atmosphere
-Poll
-New York City
-Conservatives
-Support for Ronald W. Reagan and Spiro T. Agnew
-Presidential nomination
-Human Events readers
-Compared to rank and file conservatives
-Human Events
-Robert P. Griffin, Michigan
-Campaign
-Style
-Separation from the President
-Possible resignation as Senate whip
-Campaign
-Liberal
-End of session
-Candidate for re-election
-Donald H. Rumsfeld
-Outcome of election
-Influence of the President
-Election time
-Economics
-Support
-Republicans
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Presidential appointment
-Romana Acosta Banuelos
-News coverage
-Los Angeles Times
-Minorities
-Blacks
-Mexican-Americans
-Mexico
-Spanish
-Cesar Romero
-American success story
-Family business
-Family
-Sons
-Daughter
-Accomplishments
-Horatio Alger type
-Catholicism
-Visit to the President
-Signatures
-Spelling
The President's schedule
-Groups visiting the President
-Bowling alley event
-Race car drivers
-Visit, September 21, 1971
-Effect
-Racing magazines
-Coverage
-Reception
-Number of guests
-Guests
-Popularity
-Youth
-Hot rods
-Drag races
-Lions Club activities
-Teenagers
-Motorcycles
-Motorcycle group
-Hell's Angels
-Detroit Economic Club
-Oregon
Kissinger's schedule
-Public appearances
-Philadelphia World Affairs Council
-Foreign relations
-Council on Foreign Relations
-Hugh Scott
-Spokesman for administration
-Effect on audience
-Television
-Return from the People’s Republics of China [PRC]
The President's schedule
-Unknown meeting
-Arrangements
-Banuelos
-Swearing-in ceremony
-Attendants
-Family
-Location
-Oval Office
-Aldo Moro
-Date
-Announcement on Soviet Summit
-Kissinger
-Columbus Day
-Meeting with Moro
-Length
-Italian-Americans
-The President's Trip to Florida
-Columbus Day
-Moro meeting
-John A. Volpe
George W. Romney
-Trip to Michigan
Public relations
-Michigan
-Gerald R. Ford
-Impact of economic issues
-Detroit Economic Club
-The President's visit to Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire
-Massachusetts
-Public response to the President's visit
-Harvard University
-Boston
-Students
-US public
-Boston
-Harvard students
-Boston Common
-Effect on the President
-Other colleges
-The President's visit
-The President's public appearances
-Testimonial dinners
-Massachusetts
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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 04/09/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[279-014-w009]
[Duration: 41s]
Public relations
-The President’s public appearances
-Fund-raising dinners
-Denver
-Illinois
-President’s opinion
-Jack R. Miller
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J. Edgar Hoover
-Jack N. Anderson's column
-The Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
-Handling
-Staff
-Tenure in office
CPI
-Analysis
-Components
-Automobiles
The President's schedule
-Connally
-Dinner
-Conference Room
-Connally and Mitchell
-Camp David
-Cabinet Room
-Meetings
Thelma C. (“Pat’) Nixon
-News coverage
-Public response
-Television
Media [?]
-Coverage
-Campaign
-Democratic candidate
-Vietnam
-Kissinger
-Perceptions
-Announcement of the PRC trip
-Announcement of Soviet summit
-Viewpoint
-Trip to the PRC
-Current situation
-Experts
-Mao Tse-tung
-Rumors of death
-President’s view on impact
PRC
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[Previous archivists categorized this section as unintelligible. It has been rereviewed and
released 04/09/2019.]
[Unintelligible]
[279-014-w011]
[Duration: 47s]
People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Henry A. Kissinger’s involvement
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USSR
-Forthcoming Summit
-Andrei A. Gromyko, Rogers
Herbert W. Kalmbach
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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 04/09/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[279-014-w010]
[Duration: 2m 22s]
Maurice H. Stans
-New project
-Role in 1972
-Cabinet officer
-Salary
-Car
-Ceremony
-Cabinet
-President’s suggestion
-Meeting with Robert J. Dole
-Work with John N. Mitchell
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Haldeman left at 1:50 pm.This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.