Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 331 › Conversation 331-025

Nixon & Haldeman on Jerry V. Wilson and DC crime policy

Wednesday, April 19, 1972 · 1:09 PM–1:48 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation331-025 on Tape 331 (tape position 04:14:10–04:16:29)StartWednesday, April 19, 1972 at 1:09 PMEndWednesday, April 19, 1972 at 1:48 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 331-025 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 417186379 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman coordinate a public appearance in the Rose Garden to honor D.C. Police Chief Jerry V. Wilson for his success in reducing crime in the nation's capital. The President outlines his intended remarks, which emphasize the administration's progress on crime and highlight Wilson’s leadership as a national model. During the meeting, the two also briefly touch upon Edwin Reinecke’s testimony regarding the ITT hearings and a scheduled appointment with John B. Connally.

Jerry V. Wilson
DC crime policy
Rose Garden ceremony
ITT hearings
John B. Connally
Public relations

Audio

Download MP3 · 3.5 MB

NARA Description

On April 19, 1972, 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 1:09 pm and 1:48 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 331-025 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 331-25

Date: April 19, 1972
Time: Unknown between 1:09 pm and 1:48 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

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

     Meeting with Jerry V. Wilson and Washington, DC police officers
          -Arrangements
               -Rose Garden
               -The President's appearance
               -The President's remarks
                     -DC crime rates
                     -Wilson's achievements
                     -[Walter E. Washington]
               -Time

     ITT hearings
          -Edwin Reinecke's testimony

     John B. Connally
          -Meeting with the President

Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 1 minute of this recording (about 80% 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

Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).

It's a reconsideration that we could get it done today, early, early, around 7 o'clock.

What I was thinking was to stand them up in the back of the, you know, on the steps leading into Rose Garden.

And what I would do would be

Well, what I would do is just to go out and say, gee, Wilson, I want to congratulate you.

We came into office.

There was something about the Washington response.

You've become the crime capital of our country in my 30 seconds.

I said, as a result of what you have done, crime is now reduced 30%.

And here, you, the men on the floor, as mayor of Washington, are a great credit.

This is Washington.

You're now an example for all the country.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

John, I'd like to have that done.

If you could set it up, it'd have to be done at 2.45.

It's all right.

Also recorded on April 19, 1972

023-032 12:57 PM · 11 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 12:57 pm to 1:09 pm.
331-024 12:57 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 12:57 pm to 1:09 pm.
023-033 1:48 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 1:48 pm to 1:49 pm.
331-026 1:48 PM · 36 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:48 pm to 1:49 pm.
023-034 1:49 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:49 pm and 2:11 pm.
331-027 1:49 PM · 9 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 1:49 pm and 2:11 pm.
331-028 1:49 PM · 36 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:49 pm and 2:11 pm.
331-029 1:49 PM · 3 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 1:49 pm and 2:11 pm.

All 44 conversations from April 19, 1972 →

Nixon phone call with Colson on ITT hearings and Political strategy April 5, 1972 · 8 min
Nixon phone call with Colson on unemployment statistics and ITT hearings April 5, 1972 · 19 min
Nixon phone call with Haldeman on Vietnam War and Richard Kleindienst April 16, 1972 · 19 min
Nixon phone call with Haldeman on Richard G. Kleindienst and John N. Mitchell April 16, 1972 · 5 min
Nixon & Haldeman on 1972 Presidential Campaign and Ross Perot March 27, 1972 · 1 hr 6 min
Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on Jerry V. Wilson June 23, 1971 · 2 min

Cite this conversation

Conversation 331-025, April 19, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417186379). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/331-025 (accessed November 15, 2026).