Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 535 › Conversation 535-007

Nixon, Houdek & Haig on National Security Council and Presidential gifts

Friday, July 2, 1971 · 11:29 AM–11:32 AM ET · Oval Office ·2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Houdek, Robert G.;  Houdek, Robert G.;  Haig, Alexander M., Jr.;  Ziegler, Ronald L.;  Atkins, Oliver F. ("Ollie")Conversation535-007 onTape 535 (tape position 02:28:09–02:30:48)StartFriday, July 2, 1971 at 11:29 AMEndFriday, July 2, 1971 at 11:32 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 535-007 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with NSC staffer Robert G. Houdek, his wife, Alexander Haig, and Ronald Ziegler to facilitate a brief farewell and photo opportunity. During the meeting, the President discussed Houdek’s transition to Princeton University for his undergraduate studies. The encounter concluded with the President presenting a gift featuring the presidential seal to Houdek's wife.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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So then, President Powell, Mr. Powell's voting, Mr. Powell's voting, another one of our pros and cons, and now he's coming in.
I'm sorry for the delusion, I'll say.
All these people have worked out here hours, and here hours, and here hours, and here hours, and here hours, and here hours, and here hours, and here hours.
How is that going now?
It's going to be hard.
You're going to be a freshman?
Yes, sir.
That's great.
Well, that's my name.
You're going to move.
You're going to move.
That's what you're going to have.
All right.
If you're not a freshman.
Oh, yes, yes.
One college.
One college.
Oh, sure.
I can be.
I will.
I can, and they are on the date.
They're going to be to the box back around.
Oh, yeah.
Mr. President, your fire security and insurance has come over here now.
With the fighters all around.
I think I'll put you on it.
I'll be in bed there in a sec.
All right.
You're responsible, then.
I know those are going to keep saying they're lying.
I know.
I know.
I know.
I don't know if we got any compacts left.
We had to get one.
If you don't have one, there we are.
This is the presidential seal of the compact.
I don't think girls use compacts, but they do have proofs.
Well, I hope you, after that, you'll come back to government sometime.
Good luck.
Thank you.

NARA Description

On July 2, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Robert G. Houdek, Robert G. Houdek, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Ronald L. Ziegler, and Oliver F. ("Ollie") Atkins met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:29 am to 11:32 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 535-007 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 535-7

Date: July 2, 1971
Time: 11:29 am - 11:32 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Robert G. Houdek, Mrs. Robert G. Houdek, Gen. Alexander M. Haig,
Jr., Ronald L. Ziegler and Oliver F. Atkins.

     Robert G. Houdek
         -Work on the National Security Council [NSC] staff
         -Princeton University
               -Forthcoming studies
         -Undergraduate studies in Wisconsin

     Arrangements for photograph
          -Ziegler

     Presidential gifts
           -Compact
                -Presidential seal

Houdek et al. left at 11:32 am

Also recorded on July 2, 1971

  • 535-006 11:27 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Oliver F. ("Ollie") Atkins, Marjorie P. Acker, Herbert A. Peterson, Mrs. Herbert A. Peterson, Debra Peterson, Eric Peterson, and Jeffrey Peterson met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:27 am to 11:29 am.
  • 535-008 11:32 AM · 26 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at 11:32 am.
  • 535-009 11:32 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Lane Dwinell, Elizabeth (Cushman) Dwinell, Alexander P. Butterfield, and Oliver F. ("Ollie") Atkins met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:32 am to 11:36 am.
  • 535-010 11:36 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield [?], Eleuterio Mendozo, Mrs. Eleuterio Mendozo, Elizabeth Mendozo, and James D. ("Don") Hughes met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:36 am to 11:39 am.
  • 535-011 11:39 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Robert J. Newbrand, Mrs. Robert J. Newbrand, Janice Newbrand, Patricia Newbrand, Michael Newbrand, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:39 am to 11:41 am.
  • 535-012 11:41 AM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:41 am and 11:43 am.
  • 535-013 11:43 AM · 10 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Wimer D. Mizell, Eddie Bane, Larry Calufetti, Benny Castillo, Bob Ellenberger, John Caneira, Nell Ellenberger, Ron Fraser, Doug Gerlach, Marty Harrington, Peter Helt, Tony Hewitt, Cliff Holland, Fred Lynn, Bill McClain, Roger McGill, Fred Mims, Paul Patterson, Jeff Port, Ken Reed, Jay Smith, Jack Smitheran, Tim Steele, Jackson Todd, Al Torregano, Bobby Winkles, and Elinor Winkles met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:43 am to 11:52 am.
  • 535-014 11:54 AM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Roman C. Pucinski, Orlando Rivera, and Arthur Fagan met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:54 am to 11:57 am.

All 78 conversations from July 2, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 535-007, July 2, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/535-007 (accessed September 18, 2026).