Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 379 › Conversation 379-017

Nixon & Haldeman on 1972 Presidential Election and Campaign Strategy

Wednesday, November 1, 1972 · 11:20 AM–11:45 AM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 27 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation379-017 on Tape 379StartWednesday, November 1, 1972 at 11:20 AMEndWednesday, November 1, 1972 at 11:45 AMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 379-017 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H.R. Haldeman met to coordinate final logistical and strategic planning for the closing stages of the 1972 presidential campaign. The discussion focused on scheduling upcoming travel and campaign appearances in states like North Carolina and New Mexico, while also addressing technical preparations and staging requirements for a televised address. The two also assessed media coverage and public opinion polls to refine their messaging in the final days before the election.

Audio

Download MP3 (part 1) · 25.8 MB ·Download MP3 (part 2) · 11.2 MB

Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 11 minutes of this recording (about 42% 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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Thank you.
The, uh, cross-dressing is 20 feet deep.
I mean, you've got to be ready.
Oh, I was trying to do it.
I was trying to do it.
I was trying to do it.
I was trying to do it.
I was trying to do it.
I was trying to do it.
I was trying to do it.
I was trying to do it.
I was trying to do it.
uh... uh... uh... uh... uh... uh... uh...
This is FDI.
This is FDI.
... ... ... ...
... ... ... ...
Thank you.
They want to get out there and shout it in the air.
When they cross it, they want to stay away from the city.
Because part of their business is themselves.
And that's one of the important things.
But we didn't.
We started part of it.
And they're very important.
So it might be a little better for us.
And it might be a little better for the property.
We picked up a progression.
We picked up a progression.
Tri-City area.
That's a problem that's starting to be introduced.
If you're going to get a problem wherever you go, you're not going to be able to go out and do super good stuff.
Charlotte, we've done a lot of research there before.
Thank you.
Thank you.
That's where we are in the rest of the population.
There's a very decent problem of access to the airport there, but that may be good.
And the other next idea is the population where there are no policies.
But he also had an algorithm that I didn't share.
If we had a good new route, there would be no demonstrators and no problem with it, because the Indians were able to convert the location on their own.
And the algorithm would be very strong.
The other choice is a lot of churches.
The same size as the wild one.
The area of Texas Forest and the area of Pasadena.
The last time, the National State University was there.
It is our version of Farmer's Life.
There was no one else who had it.
It was just a lot of money.
It was a version of Farmer's Life.
I don't think he had it at all for me.
And I think if he had it for me, then he said, yeah, I think he could pull it off.
I'm pretty sure it's a Roscoe.
What about the other cruisers?
Is there something you said to bring in to close the interception closure?
We're going to the 40 miles, and that's where we're going to be able to come back to.
All right.
Okay.
40 miles?
Yeah.
I'm going to try to get it right on the center of the area.
You know what I'm saying?
You know what I'm saying?
You know what I'm saying?
You know what I'm saying?
A lot of people spend time with the investors, not with me.
I don't have any.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I'm going to take you on a tour of that house.
You know, I've never been in a car accident where they do this to me.
I've never done anything like this.
I've been shot.
I've been shot.
I've been shot.
I've been shot.
I've been shot.
I've been shot.
I don't want to go back to Charlie yet.
I love that, but as they say, they can't do that because the same as Jewish government in Chicago, I trust that we are fighting the fact that we're knocking off a lot of people, a lot of tribes, especially the tribes here in North Dakota, mainly because a lot of things can be done.
I think Washington is not so flabbergasted with this conversation.
It's a question of time.
And it's a question of time.
They've got to come up with a new story to start the announcement.
They've got to come up with a new story to start the announcement.
They've got to come up with a new story to start the announcement.
They've got to come up with a new story to start the announcement.
They've got to come up with a new story to start the announcement.
They've got to come up with a new story to start the announcement.
They've got to come up with a new story to start the announcement.
They've got to come up with a new story to start the announcement.
This is one of those little blocks in the house.
The main thing is to have an adequate light out of all these bottles that I have here.
You know, I've worked for others back in the time that I've been in this department.
And I feel like I'll be more than 7,000 minutes a day working in this department.
And this is the key.
You can see it in different places.
You can see it over there.
You can see it in the camera and where I'm going.
The main thing is to have the whole light in my basement, you know.
And the other part is to have an adequate light.
I need direction.
I need direction.
I need direction.
I need direction.
You know, if you're going to read it, maybe it's going to be a few more minutes, but we've got a bunch of things to say for this morning, and we'll put you in the chair at the same time.
I have a lot of things to say about this.
I have a lot of things to say about this.
I have a lot of things to say about this.
I mean, you think he's better off than him, but then, like, what can I do?
Sitting there?
Can't you just let us hold you up for a little bit?
Okay.
I think I can do it.
Also, they are lighting problems.
So, put the goddamn light on.
I don't know.
I don't know.
They've been concerned about this all along for years.
Either that or someone's got to go in and ask for assistance.
Most of the time, it's a quick one.
They're asking for advice.
We didn't want to do it, but we wanted to do it.
That was a sure thing.
I don't know.
I don't know.
You guys are doing great.
You guys are doing great.
You guys are doing great.
You guys are doing great.
You guys are doing great.
You guys are doing great.
Thank you.
The main problem with this is I need a chair.
I need a hard chair.
I need a chair.
I need a chair.
I need a chair.
I need a chair.
Thank you.
...reaction to the situation, the problem, the man, the fellow, the human being, the child, the person, the good son, the mother, the father, the father, the mother, the father, the mother, the father, the mother, the father, the mother, the mother, the father, the mother, the father, the mother, the father, the mother, the father, the mother, the father, the mother, the father, the mother, the father, the mother, the mother, the mother, the mother, the mother, the mother, the mother, the mother, the mother, the mother, the mother, the mother, the mother, the mother, the mother, the mother, the mother, the mother,
All right.
All right.
.
.
.
.
The main hope that I have is that I will have a lot of opportunities.
I hope that I will have a lot of opportunities.
I hope that I will have a lot of opportunities.
I hope that I will have a lot of opportunities.
I hope that I will have a lot of opportunities.
There's no way.
I'm just trying to make you understand that if you're mad, you have to say it.
If you're mad, you have to say it.
If you're mad, you have to say it.
If you're mad, you have to say it.
Well, that's fine.
I'm just working on it.
There's a lot of work to be done.
You're going to follow through, or are you?
You're going to follow through.
Okay.
Yeah, but I have to write our history.
I've got to kind of work on two or three things right now.
I really want to get out and do it again.
You know, and also what you're going to do.
And I'll be waiting on you to show you that and how we handle that.
Yeah.
I don't know.
We've done this with all that.
But, uh, it's just good to, you know, you know, on the full side of Chicago.
I'm trying to do a full side, but I don't know.
There's always a way.
Good.

NARA Description

On November 1, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 11:20 am to 11:45 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 379-017 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 379-17

Date: November 1, 1972
Time: 11:20 am - 11:45 am
Location: Executive Office Building

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

       Radio addresses
            -Timing
                  -[“The Birthright of an American Child”], November 5, 1972
                        -November 6, 1972 newspapers
                  -Health policy
                  -Foreign policy, November 4, 1972
                                           -27-

                 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                           Conversation No. 379-17 (cont’d)

                       -November 5 and 6, 1972
                             -Newspapers
                       -Vietnam War

*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

      Radio addresses
           -The President’s schedule

      1972 election
           -Hecklers in Boston
                  -Car burnings
                  -George S. McGovern
                  -Clark MacGregor
                  -Radio coverage
                  -Tricia Nixon Cox, Julie Nixon Eisenhower
                        -Radio presentation
           -The President’s trips
                  -North Carolina, New Mexico
                  -Recommendations
                  -Rhode Island
                  -Oklahoma
                        -Dewey F. Bartlett
                  -Congressional elections
                  -North Carolina
                        -Raleigh
                              -Airport
                        -Asheville
                        -Previous visits
                              -Haldeman
                              -Tricia Nixon Cox, Julie Nixon Eisenhower
                              -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
                        -Victory chances
                  -New Mexico
                        -Santa Fe
                        -Albuquerque
                              -Airport
                                    -Access problem
                               -28-

      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                Conversation No. 379-17 (cont’d)

                 -Previous visit
                       -Agnew
                 -Demonstrations
                 -Texas
                       -El Paso
                 -New Mexico State University
                 -Farmers
                 -Albuquerque
                 -Las Cruces
-Prospects
-The President’s trips
      -North Carolina
            -Colleges
                  -Greensboro, Charlotte
                  -Chapel Hill
                  -Problems
            -Raleigh
            -Greensboro
            -Demonstrators
            -Crowd size
                  -Chicago
-Media coverage
      -Newspaper story
      -Television networks
-Television speech [“Look to the Future," November 2, 1972]
      -Staging
            -Library
                  -Chair
                  -Lighting
                  -Chair
                  -Books
                  -Studio
                  -Lighting
      -Vietnam
      -Staging
            -Chair
            -Library
-Press coverage
      -Adrian Lee
            -Foreign policy writer
                                             -29-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                           Conversation No. 379-17 (cont’d)

                         -Age
                    -Mary McGrory
                         -Column
                               -McGovern
             -MacGregor
             -Haldeman’s proposed telephone call to John D. Ehrlichman
                    -Theodore H. (“Teddy”) White
             -Polls
                    -Chicago Sun-Times
                         -Charles H. Percy

[End of segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************

Haldeman left at 11:45 am.

Also recorded on November 1, 1972

  • 032-114 10:45 AM · 48 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and John A. Scali talked on the telephone from 10:45 am to 10:46 am.
  • 032-115 10:46 AM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:46 am and 11:15 am.
  • 032-116 10:46 AM · 52 sec — Charles W. Colson and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:46 am and 11:15 am.
  • 032-117 10:46 AM · 18 sec — Charles W. Colson and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:46 am and 11:15 am.
  • 032-118 10:46 AM · 10 sec — Charles W. Colson and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:46 am and 11:15 am.
  • 379-015 10:46 AM · 29 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, Charles W. Colson, and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 10:46 am and 11:15 am.
  • 032-119 11:17 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 11:17 am.
  • 379-016 11:17 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 11:17 am and 11:20 am.

All 58 conversations from November 1, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 379-017, November 1, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/379-017 (accessed October 5, 2026).