Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 391 › Conversation 391-015

Nixon & Woods on 1972 Presidential Campaign and Media Coverage

Friday, November 3, 1972 · 8:15 AM–8:31 AM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 15 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Woods, Rose MaryConversation391-015 on Tape 391StartFriday, November 3, 1972 at 8:15 AMEndFriday, November 3, 1972 at 8:31 AMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 391-015 ↗

AI Summary

President Richard M. Nixon and his personal secretary Rose Mary Woods met to discuss administrative matters, campaign strategy, and media coverage regarding the 1972 election. They reviewed the President's upcoming schedule, including radio speeches and a list of telephone calls, while also critiquing the perceived hostility and desperation of Democratic campaign tactics. Additionally, the pair coordinated logistics for official photographs and discussed recent television appearances by political allies like John Connally.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 4 minutes of this recording (about 24% 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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I want us to know that
Yeah, how about this today?
Sure.
Forgive me, you know.
It's a good life, sir.
Headline.
To me?
Oh, headline, and apologize, resign, and teach.
Right.
Come, Dad, and sit down with me.
You've done that many.
Don't deal with it.
You wouldn't shake his hand.
You're a horse, Dad.
And they're standing up and ranting.
They keep doing it.
They always say, that's a preacher's son.
It's such a clean, nice home.
Oh, that's correct.
It's just incredible.
Oh, that's terrible.
Do you have to write your name here?
You're going to be embarrassed or whatever.
Oh, that's awful.
But the jury doesn't know that.
But what did he say?
He said kiss my ass.
Yeah, what he said was apparently... How did you know that?
Well, last night after I got tested, you know, I was at Patrick's house.
Patrick's house?
I don't know.
I didn't know.
Yeah, and he said, the headlines would have been, kiss my ass, R-N, you know, the big top headlines, I suppose.
Yeah.
What he really said was, I've got a man, I've got a secret for you.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
Thank you.
Those roads, they're just small changes.
Don't bother with this.
I'll be right back, I'll be right back.
Don't bother with this.
I'll be right back, I'll be right back.
Don't bother with this.
I'll be right back, I'll be right back.
Yeah.
Right.
I'm trying to think what day it is, but I don't know.
Last night.
Pretty.
I don't know if you can read that.
But it was good and they made it.
They made it so it's very beautiful.
They did.
Uh, and before they had, they, when they came on, they took it to the White House.
Uh-huh.
And then they went in there, and he did not live in the White House a lot.
And then they, they, and they had kept it.
Just the very best of a person.
It was excellent.
I heard.
She was placed in the back hall.
Right.
Right.
I went over there right afterwards.
Oh, I wanted to tell you.
Arrange for a checklist.
This is a bunch of those I have on the private channel, too, whatever it is.
We show the Connelly F.R.
and they below that.
They show this today.
And if they can get that part of it, I was a little bit unsure where they should do that.
I did.
I thought it was a good idea.
I thought it was a pretty good idea.
No.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That day was a pretty good one.
I don't see what was so interesting.
They all said they loved the first time they were in the blue.
No, it was, it was, that's what I'm saying.
They liked the fact that they chewed on these.
I like that.
That's very good.
I like the fact that they chewed on these.
That's very good.
I like the fact that they chewed on these.
That's very good.
I like the fact that they chewed on these.
That's very good.
I like the fact that they chewed on these.
That's very good.
I like the fact that they chewed on these.
That's very good.
I like the fact that they chewed on these.
That's very good.
I like the fact that they chewed on these.
That's very good.
I like the fact that they chewed on these.
That's very good.
I like the fact that they chewed on these.
That's very good.
I like the fact that they chewed on these.
That's very
The book looks very different.
Coming from there is also very dramatic.
Actually, if I could reach the window, I could go outside and just sit.
Yeah, I'd be fine.
I'd be fine.
I'd be fine.
I'd be fine.

NARA Description

On November 3, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 8:15 am to 8:31 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 391-015 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 391-15

Date: November 3, 1972
Time: 8:15 am - 8:31 am
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with Rose Mary Woods.

*****************************************************************
                                               -36-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                            Conversation No. 391-15 (cont’d)

[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

       Television [TV] broadcast

       [Pause]

       1972 campaign
            -George S. McGovern
                 -Headlines
                 -Watergate issues
                 -Public statements
                 -Characterized
                 -Double standard
                 -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
                 -Frank Mankiewicz statement
                       -Liberty Island
                 -Public statements
                       -Patrick J. Buchanan
                       -Self-righteousness

       [Pause]

       The President’s telephone calls
            -List
                  -Changes
                  -Press release

       [Pause]

       The President’s speech
            -Radio
                  -Location

       [Pause]

       Message

       Raymond K. Price, Jr.
           -Location
                                            -37-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                           Conversation No. 391-15 (cont’d)

       1972 campaign
            -Democrats tactics
                 -Viciousness
                 -Desperation
                 -R. Sargent Shriver
            -The President’s confidence
                 -The President’s speech, “Look to the Future”
                       -Quality
            -Photographs
                 -Quality
            -Unknown person
                 -Television [TV] show
                       -Channel 2
                       -John B. Connally
                              -Today Show
            -Agnew
                 -San Diego
                 -Demonstrators
                       -Archie Bunker types
                       -“Long hairs”
            -Photographs
                 -Library
                 -Color
                 -Oval Office
                 -Background

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

Woods left at 8:31 am.

Also recorded on November 3, 1972

  • 032-159 8:03 AM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:03 am and 8:42 am.
  • 391-011 8:03 AM · 23 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 8:03 am and 8:07 am.
  • 391-012 8:03 AM · 1 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 8:03 am and 8:07 am.
  • 391-013 8:07 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Marjorie P. Acker met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 8:07 am to 8:08 am.
  • 391-014 8:08 AM · 37 sec — 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 8:08 am and 8:15 am.
  • 391-016 8:33 AM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Mary A. ("Toni") Sidley met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 8:33 am to 8:34 am.
  • 391-017 8:34 AM · 10 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 8:34 am and 8:42 am.
  • 391-018 8:34 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and Raymond K. Price, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 8:34 am and 8:42 am.

All 54 conversations from November 3, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 391-015, November 3, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/391-015 (accessed October 12, 2026).