Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 357 › Conversation 357-007

Nixon & Woods on John C. Lungren and Break-in

Thursday, September 21, 1972 · 2:16 PM–3:15 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Woods, Rose MaryConversation357-007 on Tape 357StartThursday, September 21, 1972 at 2:16 PMEndThursday, September 21, 1972 at 3:15 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 357-007 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and personal secretary Rose Mary Woods discuss the security breach at the office of Dr. John C. Lungren and compare George McGovern’s shifting campaign positions to those of Barry Goldwater. Nixon expresses concern regarding the motivations behind the break-in while analyzing the political volatility caused by McGovern's frequent policy changes. The pair discusses these strategic developments in the context of the ongoing presidential campaign.

Audio

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Oh, Rose, would you ask them to have the fire at 530, please?
Yeah, yeah.
Isn't that really something about London's office?
You know, it's sort of like this.
It's kind of like the conversation you have with your friend, isn't it?
If they're so desperate,
What I'm concerned about from this point of view, and you're very curious, I think that's what makes them make something in.
So if they could put the other guy, you know, I'd give another hand to them.
I think they're that much better.
See your point?
Well, Gary kept his own hardcore, too.
Gary didn't change his position.
He didn't change his position.
His true believers thought he was going to win, but this guy was changing his position so much that he was beginning to get his own believers that were wondering if he was going to jump another jump or not.
Right.
Okay.

NARA Description

On September 21, 1972, 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 2:16 pm and 3:15 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 357-007 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 357-7

Date: September 21, 1972
Time: Unknown between 2:16 pm and 3:15 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 2:16 pm and 3:15
pm.

[Conversation No. 357-7B]

[End of telephone conversation]

The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 2:16 pm and
3:15 pm.

[Conversation No. 357-7A]

[See Conversation No. 30-13]

[End of telephone conversation]

The President talked with Rose Mary Woods.

             The President's schedule
                 -Barber

             Break-in of Dr. John C. Lungren’s office
                 -Woods's conversation with unknown person
                 -Possible action

             Issues
                 -Changes in George S. McGovern's position on specific issues
                     -Compared to Barry M. Goldwater

Also recorded on September 21, 1972

  • 784-020 12:23 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Robert R. Casey, John E. Nidecker, White House photographer, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:23 pm to 12:25 pm.
  • 784-021 12:25 PM · 1 hr 11 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, unknown person(s), and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:25 pm to 2:01 pm.
  • 784-022 2:13 PM · 43 sec — United States Secret Service agents and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House on an unknown date, sometime between 2:13 pm on September 21, 1972 and 8:49 am on September 22, 1972.
  • 030-013 2:16 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:16 pm and 3:15 pm.
  • 357-008 2:16 PM · 13 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 2:16 pm and 3:15 pm.
  • 357-009 2:16 PM · 3 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 2:16 pm and 3:15 pm.
  • 357-010 2:16 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 2:16 pm and 3:15 pm.
  • 357-011 3:15 PM · 56 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, Manolo Sanchez, unknown person(s), and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:15 pm to 5:02 pm.

All 43 conversations from September 21, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 357-007, September 21, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/357-007 (accessed October 1, 2026).