Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 298 › Conversation 298-019

Nixon alone in his EOB office on Clifford Hardin and Camp David

Thursday, November 11, 1971 · 3:27 PM–3:30 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Nixon, Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan)Conversation298-019 on Tape 298 (tape position 02:19:39–02:23:08)StartThursday, November 11, 1971 at 3:27 PMEndThursday, November 11, 1971 at 3:30 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 298-019 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and First Lady Pat Nixon coordinate their personal schedules and upcoming political matters, including the resignation of Secretary of Agriculture Clifford Hardin. The President discusses his plans to work through an upcoming National Security Council meeting before traveling to Camp David. The couple also briefly touches upon event logistics, including the presence of Billy Graham and the management of various guests.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 1 minute of this recording (about 44% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Hello.

Yeah, I wanted to tell you a couple things.

First, we're going to announce Hardin's resignation today.

He was successful in his thoughts in Indiana.

He's an old friend of mine.

They always say that, but that's not true.

And then I'm going to...

So I'm going to stay here and work with them.

So I won't be holding her back.

I thought we'd go to Camp David, if that's all right with you.

I have a NSC meeting at 5, and I hope to finish it by 6, 15.

I thought we'd look at it and see what it would say.

Fish is coming down.

I told her it was coming down.

Right, the U.S. Army being around, what shall we say, 6.30.

And they were all set.

And they're going to come over here at quarter of four.

The buses, the missing buses coming in.

You want to step over and say, well, you don't have to.

You can do this by yourself.

All right, fine.

We don't need you.

Fine.

Now, with regard to the, uh, with regard to the, uh, uh, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh,

At least you got him.

Okay, I'll get at him, I'll run away.

Okay, yeah, we'll cross some of them off if necessary to get this man on.

The only one that I have approved is Billy Graham.

Yeah.

I know he's been here many times, so why not?

It's okay, I'll be there.

Yeah.

I know, I know, I know that, but I just want, I just,

All right, I'll get at it right away.

I'll get somebody on it that's done more work.

Okay.

I agree.

You don't need to do it.

Just send it over to me and I'll take care of it too.

Okay.

Okay, fine.

I'll see you later.

Bye.

NARA Description

On November 11, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:27 pm to 3:30 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 298-019 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 298-19

Date: November 11, 1971
Time: 3:27 pm - 3:30 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

*****************************************************************

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 09/07/2018.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[298-019-w001]
[Duration: 1m 58s]

The President talked with Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon.

[See Conversation No. 14-41]

*****************************************************************

Also recorded on November 11, 1971

014-041 3:27 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon talked on the telephone from 3:27 pm to 3:30 pm.
014-042 3:30 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:30 pm and 3:32 pm.
014-043 3:30 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:30 pm and 3:32 pm.
298-020 3:30 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 3:30 pm and 3:32 pm.
298-021 3:30 PM · 4 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 3:30 pm and 3:32 pm.
014-044 3:32 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon talked on the telephone from 3:32 pm to 3:33 pm.
298-022 3:32 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:32 pm to 3:33 pm.
014-045 3:33 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 3:33 pm to 3:34 pm.

All 91 conversations from November 11, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 298-019, November 11, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/298-019 (accessed October 1, 2026).