Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 318 › Conversation 318-025

Nixon & Haldeman on Political strategy and Crisis management

Wednesday, February 2, 1972 · 3:03 PM–3:06 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation318-025 on Tape 318 (tape position 02:35:20–02:37:44)StartWednesday, February 2, 1972 at 3:03 PMEndWednesday, February 2, 1972 at 3:06 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 318-025 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H.R. Haldeman discuss the timing and strategy for responding to a current political or public relations challenge. Nixon insists on a cautious, patient approach, opting to wait for the situation to evolve before taking action. The President ultimately affirms that he has already dictated his chosen course of action and maintains that his plan is sufficient.

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 49% 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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Oh, I have talked to, I just had a talk with one of the members, I wonder if you would like to propose to Bill, I wonder if you aren't, if you aren't, if you aren't missing an opportunity to come over to the table and hear what they have to say.
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The best thing to do is just to wait.
Let it get a ride first, and then catch it.
Well, I thought I had dictated this answer.
Or dictated some common sense.
I told you clearly what I was going to do.
And it's got to be fine.
Fine.
OK. All right, fine.
Well, I'm going to do this in my last few moments, OK?

NARA Description

On February 2, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:03 pm to 3:06 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 318-025 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 318-25

Date: February 2, 1972
Time: 3:03 pm - 3:06 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

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

[See Conversation No. 20-30]

Also recorded on February 2, 1972

  • 020-030 3:03 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 3:03 pm to 3:06 pm.
  • 020-031 3:06 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:06 pm and 3:17 pm.
  • 318-026 3:06 PM · 9 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 3:06 pm and 3:17 pm.
  • 318-027 3:06 PM · 4 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 3:06 pm and 3:17 pm.
  • 318-028 3:06 PM · 7 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 3:06 pm and 3:17 pm.
  • 318-029 3:06 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:06 pm and 3:17 pm.
  • 318-030 3:06 PM · 6 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 3:06 pm and 3:17 pm.
  • 318-031 3:06 PM · 29 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Hobart D. Lewis met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:06 pm and 3:17 pm.

All 71 conversations from February 2, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 318-025, February 2, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/318-025 (accessed October 12, 2026).