{"conversationCode":"386-004","tapeNumber":386,"conversationNumber":4,"identifier":"37-wht-conversation-386-004","startDateTime":"1972-12-05T23:30:00.000Z","endDateTime":"1972-12-06T00:35:00.000Z","startDate":"5-Dec-1972","startTime":"6:30 PM","endDate":"5-Dec-1972","endTime":"7:35 PM","dateCertainty":"certain","timeCertainty":"estimated","participants":"Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. (\"Bob\"); Butterfield, Alexander P.; White House operator; Cox, Tricia Nixon; Monzon, Zosimo T.;","description":"On December 5, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. (\"Bob\") Haldeman, Alexander P. Butterfield, White House operator, Tricia Nixon Cox, and Zosimo T. Monzon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:30 pm and 7:35 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 386-004 of the White House Tapes.","locationCode":"EOB","recordingDevice":"Old Executive Office Building","latitudeEstimated":38.897567,"longitudeEstimated":-77.039147,"chronCode":"5.2","chronRelease":"Fifth Chronological Release: Part II","chronReleaseDate":"2-Dec-2008","aogpRelease":null,"aogpSegment":null,"lastModified":"2015-07-27T17:04:10.235Z","findingAid":"Conversation No. 386-4\n\nDate: December 5, 1972\nTime: Unknown between 6:30 pm and 7:35 pm\nLocation: Executive Office Building\n\nThe President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.\n\n       Vietnam negotiations\n            -Haldeman’s message to Henry A. Kissinger\n                 -Breakdown in talks\n                        -Kissinger’s recommendation\n                              -The President’s possible television [TV] appearance\n                        -Compared to impasse\n                              -Consultations\n                                    -Recess\n                 -Kissinger’s possible statement\n                        -Tone\n                        -US military action\n                              -Duration\n                                    -Settlement agreement\n                        -Resumption of talks\n                 -The President’s possible TV appearance\n                        -Breakdown in talks\n                              -North Vietnamese intransigence\n\f                                             -32-\n\n                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM\n\n                                                               Conversation No. 386-4 (cont’d)\n\n                         -Doves\n                         -Haldeman’s conversations with “hard liners”\n                                -John B. Connally\n                   -Possible effect on Kissinger\n                   -Breakdown in talks\n                         -Initiative\n                                -North Vietnam\n\nAlexander P. Butterfield entered at an unknown time after 6:30 pm.\n\n       The President’s schedule\n            -Telephone call from Tricia Nixon Cox\n                  -Manolo Sanchez\n\n       Message to Kissinger\n\nButterfield left at an unknown time before 6:43 pm.\n\nThe President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 6:30 pm and\n6:43 pm.\n\n[See Conversation No. 34-148]\n\n[Conversation No. 386-4B]\n\n[End of telephone conversation]\n\nThe President talked with Tricia Nixon Cox between 6:43 pm and 6:44 pm.\n\n[See Conversation No. 34-26]\n\n[Conversation No. 386-4A]\n\n[End of telephone conversation]\n\n       Vietnam negotiations\n            -Breakdown\n                 -Kissinger’s recommendation\n                        -The President’s possible TV appearance\n                             -Connally’s view\n\f                                     -33-\n\n           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM\n\n                                                       Conversation No. 386-4 (cont’d)\n\n                       -Public relations [PR]\n                       -US bombing of North Vietnam\n                             -Pace\n                       -PR\n                             -Charles W. Colson’s view\n                                    -Boston\n                                    -Harvard University\n                                    -Princeton University\n                             -Announcement\n                                    -Kissinger’s possible statement\n                                    -Timing\n                                          -Kissinger’s return to Washington, DC\n\nThe President’s schedule\n     -Reception for California administration officials\n           -Haldeman’s schedule\n                  -Home\n           -Robert J. Dole\n           -Robert H. Finch’s recommendation\n                  -California Republicans\n                        -Possible meeting in San Clemente\n     -George H. W. Bush\n     -Oval Office\n     -Telephone calls\n           -Ronald W. Reagan\n           -Herbert G. Klein\n           -Strom Thurmond’s birthday\n                  -Harry S. Dent\n                  -Private line\n                  -Compared to wire\n                  -Timing\n           -Apollo XVII astronauts\n                  -Launch\n                        -Timing\n                  -Camp David\n     -Harry S. Truman\n           -Health\n                  -Lyndon B. Johnson\n                  -Telephone call\n                  -Death\n\f                                              -34-\n\n                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM\n\n                                                                 Conversation No. 386-4 (cont’d)\n\n       Second term reorganization\n            -John A. Volpe\n                  -Ambassadorship to Italy\n                        -Announcement\n                             -Timing\n                  -John D. Ehrlichman\n\n       Connally\n            -Presidency\n                  -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew\n\n       Vietnam negotiations\n            -Haldeman’s message to Kissinger\n                 -Breakdown in talks\n                        -Option\n                 -Congressional relations\n                        -Funds\n                              -The President’s view\n                 -Breakdown in talks\n                        -Kissinger’s return\n                              -California\n                                    -Press relations\n                 -The President’s possible TV appearance\n                        -Necessity\n                        -Ehrlichman’s and Colson’s views\n\n       The President’s schedule\n            -Reception for California administration officials\n\nZosimo T. Monson entered and Haldeman left at an unknown time before 7:35 pm.\n\n       The President’s schedule\n            -Reception for California administration officials\n\nMonson left at an unknown time before 7:35 pm.\n\f                                            -35-\n\n                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM","filename":["386-004.mp3"],"tapeStart":"","tapeEnd":"","participantsList":["Nixon, Richard M. (President)","Haldeman, H. R. (\"Bob\")","Butterfield, Alexander P.","White House operator","Cox, Tricia Nixon","Monzon, Zosimo T."],"prevCode":"386-003","nextCode":"386-005","transcript":[{"start":1.01,"end":23.54,"text":"... ... ... ... ..."},{"start":27.84,"end":55.94,"text":"... ... ..."},{"start":66.97,"end":94.36,"text":"... ... ..."},{"start":103.31,"end":120.54,"text":"Følelsen, Følelsen."},{"start":126.61,"end":149.16,"text":"I just say that it's not a lot of things involved in this, and I feel here that it's really going to be a good job of the hard work, of the hard work, of the hard work."},{"start":149.18,"end":150.54,"text":"It's going to make very few of the hard work that's going to happen."},{"start":161.93,"end":162.93,"text":"Det er eit galt."},{"start":192.05,"end":213.63,"text":"I thought it was really cute at the heart, but I didn't see it at those times, and I just thought, it's very, very cute."},{"start":213.65,"end":213.95,"text":"It's very cool."},{"start":213.97,"end":215.23,"text":"It kind of would be totally wrong for the rest of y'all to see."},{"start":215.25,"end":215.37,"text":"Right."},{"start":215.39,"end":216.63,"text":"I couldn't have thought of my name if it wasn't for my friend."},{"start":216.71,"end":217.97,"text":"I know he doesn't like me at all, and I don't like him at all."},{"start":268.83,"end":291.25,"text":"... ... ... ..."},{"start":297.4,"end":325.49,"text":"... ... ... ... ..."},{"start":329.11,"end":356.03,"text":"... ... ... ... ... ..."},{"start":379.11,"end":406.75,"text":"... ... ... ... ... ..."},{"start":407.29,"end":431.93,"text":"... ... ..."},{"start":437.3,"end":464.71,"text":"I'm not sure."},{"start":464.73,"end":464.99,"text":"I don't know."},{"start":465.01,"end":465.29,"text":"I'm just weak."},{"start":465.31,"end":465.57,"text":"I don't know."},{"start":465.59,"end":465.85,"text":"I don't know."},{"start":465.87,"end":466.13,"text":"I don't know."},{"start":466.15,"end":466.41,"text":"I don't know."},{"start":466.91,"end":478.2,"text":"... ... ... ... ..."},{"start":478.84,"end":507.36,"text":"... ... ... ... ..."},{"start":530.29,"end":553.63,"text":"Ja."},{"start":561.97,"end":578.19,"text":"... ... ... ... ..."},{"start":595.03,"end":620.66,"text":"... ... ... ... ..."},{"start":621.49,"end":641.96,"text":"... ... ... ... ..."},{"start":642.6,"end":671.32,"text":"... ... ... ... ..."},{"start":672.63,"end":694.34,"text":"Takk i kveld."},{"start":694.36,"end":694.62,"text":"Takk i kveld."},{"start":694.64,"end":694.9,"text":"Takk i kveld."},{"start":696.02,"end":721.95,"text":"Men, men, men, men, men, men, men, men, men, men."},{"start":727.55,"end":752.17,"text":"... ... ... ..."},{"start":761.53,"end":780.54,"text":"... ... ... ... ..."},{"start":789.98,"end":809.52,"text":"Nå har vi kveld, og vi har kveld."},{"start":809.54,"end":810.2,"text":"Nå har vi kveld, og vi har kveld."},{"start":818.65,"end":845.89,"text":"... ... ... ... ..."},{"start":849.3,"end":874.99,"text":"... ... ... ... ..."},{"start":878.04,"end":903.98,"text":"... ... ... ..."},{"start":906.07,"end":934.81,"text":"... ... ... ... ..."},{"start":947.04,"end":974.31,"text":"We've got a couple of things that I wanted to ask you."},{"start":974.33,"end":974.85,"text":"One, what do they call it?"},{"start":974.87,"end":975.43,"text":"Do I have to call it a desk?"},{"start":975.46,"end":976.02,"text":"Do I have to call it a desk?"},{"start":976.04,"end":976.6,"text":"Well, let me call it a desk."},{"start":976.62,"end":976.88,"text":"I don't know."},{"start":977.3,"end":1000.55,"text":"... ... ... ... ..."},{"start":1004.94,"end":1032.73,"text":"... ... ... ..."},{"start":1038.84,"end":1057.88,"text":"... ... ... ... ..."},{"start":1060.09,"end":1089.77,"text":"... ... ... ... ..."},{"start":1090.11,"end":1117.08,"text":"Ja, det tror jeg."},{"start":1117.1,"end":1117.36,"text":"Det tror jeg."},{"start":1117.38,"end":1117.64,"text":"Det tror jeg."},{"start":1117.66,"end":1117.92,"text":"Det tror jeg."},{"start":1117.94,"end":1118.2,"text":"Det tror jeg."},{"start":1118.22,"end":1118.48,"text":"Det tror jeg."},{"start":1118.5,"end":1118.76,"text":"Det tror jeg."},{"start":1125.42,"end":1152.14,"text":"I'm trying to get all of you going."},{"start":1152.16,"end":1152.86,"text":"I'm trying to get all of you going."},{"start":1152.88,"end":1153.58,"text":"I'm trying to get all of you going."},{"start":1153.6,"end":1154.3,"text":"I'm trying to get all of you going."},{"start":1154.82,"end":1178.16,"text":"... ... ... ... ... ... ..."},{"start":1183.09,"end":1193.94,"text":"Nå er det fyrir."},{"start":1193.96,"end":1194.28,"text":"Nå er det fyrir."},{"start":1222.67,"end":1250.51,"text":"... ... ... ..."},{"start":1253.67,"end":1272.7,"text":"Herregud."},{"start":1272.72,"end":1272.9,"text":"Herregud."},{"start":1272.92,"end":1273.1,"text":"Herregud."},{"start":1287.58,"end":1307.09,"text":"Herregud!"},{"start":1307.11,"end":1307.29,"text":"Herregud!"},{"start":1308.5,"end":1332.79,"text":"... ... ... ... ..."},{"start":1386.87,"end":1412.02,"text":"... ... ... ..."},{"start":1417.23,"end":1442,"text":"... ... ... ... ..."},{"start":1479.26,"end":1492.34,"text":"... ... ..."},{"start":1517.55,"end":1547.54,"text":"... ... ... ... ..."},{"start":1547.96,"end":1576.84,"text":"Ja."},{"start":1576.86,"end":1576.92,"text":"Ja."},{"start":1576.94,"end":1577,"text":"Ja."},{"start":1577.27,"end":1601.56,"text":"... ... ... ... ..."},{"start":1609.45,"end":1631.51,"text":"... ... ... ... ..."},{"start":1643.02,"end":1669.33,"text":"... ... ... ... ..."},{"start":1674.2,"end":1686.54,"text":"... ... ... ... ..."},{"start":1704.04,"end":1724.36,"text":"... ... ..."},{"start":1763.37,"end":1764.89,"text":"Hei."},{"start":1764.91,"end":1764.99,"text":"Hei."},{"start":1791.55,"end":1817.88,"text":"... ... ... ... ..."},{"start":1824.25,"end":1838.35,"text":"Takk for watching!"}],"aiSummary":{"text":"President Nixon met with H. R. Haldeman to discuss the breakdown of Vietnam peace negotiations and the potential for a televised address to explain the situation to the public. They evaluated recommendations from Henry Kissinger and other advisors regarding military strategy, public relations, and the political implications of a potential impasse. The discussion also addressed second-term administrative reorganizations, including ambassadorships, and coordinated the President's upcoming schedule, which involved various meetings and social obligations.","topics":["Vietnam War","Henry Kissinger","Peace Negotiations","Public Relations","Presidential Schedule","Administration Reorganization"],"generatedAt":"2026-04-06T17:48:42.204Z"},"topicSlugs":["vietnam-war","henry-kissinger","peace-negotiations","public-relations","presidential-schedule","administration-reorganization"],"audioDurationSec":1846,"audioFiles":[{"file":"386-004.mp3","bytes":44300155,"durationSec":1845.69,"bitrate":192015,"missing":false}],"audioIsShared":false,"audioProbedAt":"2026-09-18T02:19:45.437Z","findingAidSource":"nixonlibrary.gov subject log (2024-05), reslice-v2","findingAidUpdatedAt":"2026-09-18T08:43:31.226Z","transcriptGapSeconds":1158,"transcriptGapShare":0.63,"transcriptQuality":"incomplete","audio":["https://nixon.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/audio/386-004.mp3"],"url":"https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/386-004","nixonLibraryUrl":"https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/white-house-tapes/386/conversation-386-004","license":"Public domain (U.S. Government work). AI-generated fields (transcript, aiSummary) are provided as-is without warranty."}