Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 282 › Conversation 282-005

Nixon & Haldeman on Japanese-American relations and Press relations

Wednesday, October 20, 1971 · 12:30 PM–2:23 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 6 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation282-005 on Tape 282 (tape position 00:05:26–00:11:16)StartWednesday, October 20, 1971 at 12:30 PMEndWednesday, October 20, 1971 at 2:23 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 282-005 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 417184835 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H.R. Haldeman reviewed logistical arrangements for upcoming White House events, including a dinner for a Japanese delegation featuring Henry Kearns and Nobusuke Kishi. The discussion touched upon the scheduling of an October 25 meeting and broader concerns regarding press relations, specifically the administration’s strategy for dealing with the Los Angeles Times. The conversation also briefly veered into personal observations regarding the temperament and perceived attitudes of various individuals and groups within the administration's political sphere.

Audio

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NARA Description

On October 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 12:30 pm and 2:23 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 282-005 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 282-5

Date: October 20, 1971
Time: Unknown between 12:30 pm and 2:23 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

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

     Haldeman’s conversation with John B. Connally

     [Unintelligible]

     The President's schedule
          -Forthcoming White House Dinner with Japanese Delegation
                -Henry Kearns
                -Nobusuke Kishi
                -Frank J. Shakespeare
                -Timing
                -Location
          -Forthcoming meeting with unknown group, October 25, 1971
                -Timing
          -Unknown person [Henry A. Kissinger ?]
                -Jews
                -Ronald L. Ziegler
          -Los Angeles Times
                -Administration's actions

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

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Good.
Yeah.
Well, that's fine.
No, sir.
No problem.
Put Henry Kearns on the list.
Henry knows Keisha.
Very well.
You know, a few years ago, there'd just been an enormous amount of handling.
I mean, that's been good.
That's been good.
It's attractive.
For that kind of party.
Sometimes they'd be done on this.
It might come up to a shape.
It's the kind of people you see there.
That's the kind of people you think of when they come up to a party.
Or I don't know, maybe shake your beard.
That's Friday night.
If you don't know whether we've got an agent coming around here, they're probably just playing, so.
I'm going to start heading down the stairs.
I'm going to go set up a big table in the back.
I'm going to go to my mom.
It's great that it will be upstairs, definitely.
I'm not really looking for us to take it upstairs, definitely.
I don't have a problem at all with the other party.
Well, upstairs is still good.
It's still a very good reason to have it upstairs.
Monday afternoon.
Monday afternoon is better.
It gets him a little time too long.
That's what's good.
Monday afternoon.
Monday afternoon is pretty long.
I mean, it's going to take some hard hunting.
It's going to take some hard hunting.
It's going to take some hard hunting.
The more I've seen of him, I think he's, he doesn't come around when you kick him.
You know what?
If you know something, it's a Jewish tradition.
I tell them, although I don't know many churches, if they think they have the upper hand, you know, if they get arrogant, you know, it's just very important for them to be a little bit honest when they come to you.
That's why they always, and that's why they are so arrogant.
I have other people, because they know their reaction.
They never react to something.
That's right.
That's right.
You're right.
They must be worried.
I don't know.
I don't.
I just wondered if you should do the same with the Los Angeles time.
Why not just leave early?
That's my point.
And, uh, even if you don't know what I mean, it's, uh, not personal, I'd say.
I'm not careful.
It happens, too.
Sound anything?
That's right.
Slow.
Keep dragging.
That's right.
Drag the feet all over the goddamn place.
I thought there was something else the whole time.

Also recorded on October 20, 1971

  • 597-004 12:20 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:20 pm and 12:30 pm.
  • 282-001 12:30 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:30 pm and 2:23 pm.
  • 282-002 12:30 PM · 22 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 12:30 pm and 2:23 pm.
  • 282-003 12:30 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 12:30 pm and 2:23 pm.
  • 282-004 12:30 PM · 27 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 12:30 pm and 2:23 pm.
  • 282-006 12:30 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:30 pm and 2:23 pm.
  • 282-007 12:30 PM · 7 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 12:30 pm and 2:23 pm.
  • 597-005 12:30 PM · 1 min — unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:30 pm and 11:59 pm.

All 81 conversations from October 20, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 282-005, October 20, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417184835). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/282-005 (accessed November 12, 2026).