Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 632 › Conversation 632-004
Nixon, Haldeman & Woods on Labor Relations and Public Relations
Wednesday, December 8, 1971 · 10:27 AM–10:50 AM ET · Oval Office
AI Summary
President Nixon met with Rose Mary Woods and later H. R. Haldeman to coordinate various administrative tasks, scheduling matters, and public relations efforts. Discussions included the career status of labor mediator J. Curtis Counts, the logistics for upcoming presidential holiday appearances, and the scheduling of a meeting between John B. Connally and the President regarding the Cost of Living Council. Additionally, the participants reviewed personal correspondence and debated the nature of the modern presidency compared to previous administrations.
Audio
Download MP3 (part 1) · 168.3 MB ·Download MP3 (part 2) · 86.9 MB
This conversation has not yet been cut into its own clip, so the player above contains the full tape segment shared with neighbouring conversations. It begins about 00:59:48 into the tape and ends around 01:22:23.
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
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· Timestamps are positions within the full tape recording.
1:00:16Yes, sir.
1:00:38So if you're a clown and you need time to pull out everybody's name who's been here and get rid of them and just hold the ones who haven't been here.
1:00:44Yeah, well, the only dinners we will have in America are at 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. We may have spring.
1:00:54Do a little study in the future.
1:00:55Sure, that's fine.
1:00:56The Ohio crowd, the Illinois crowd.
1:01:07So was that little girl awful, or was she good?
1:01:13She was all right.
1:01:15She looked very good.
1:01:39Do you have time for me to ask you a couple questions?
1:01:47Kurt called me this morning and asked me if I would talk with him.
1:01:53He's a citizen.
1:02:10Oh, it isn't at all.
1:02:12Hello.
1:02:12That's right.
1:02:12So, a witness, four or five months ago, he was out with the presidency of Eric Ho.
1:02:14Oh, yes.
1:02:37I don't know.
1:02:38And he said that at that time he had checked through a show at the National House of Representatives and told, you know, that he didn't want to get the second anniversary after.
1:02:53And he didn't, he had not, of course, been seeking any jobs then.
1:02:58But he said that he now has another two proposals where he wants to check in to another one from
1:03:09trying again to connect to that.
1:03:10Now, he perfectly loves to sit tight, but he wants to be sure that sitting tight is your desire, not the... Yeah, it's very important that you sit tight for the reason that he's so effective in these mediated things, and that between now and the election.
1:03:43He said he didn't know whether you had anything else in mind, and, you know, later, you might get a different spot.
1:04:00That's what I thought.
1:04:01Yeah, after the election, yeah.
1:04:02I think that through the election, we're going to be in this position.
1:04:10But after the election, there's going to be a general reshuffling, and he wants to stay in.
1:04:19And then I think he still has those offers.
1:04:22But I think he just wanted to hear it from you.
1:04:27Sure.
1:04:32That's fine.
1:04:33Have you seen .
1:04:36See, this ball comes from somebody that got off me.
1:04:37Somebody came from here and was asking me about something.
1:04:38I see.
1:04:38I think it would do something, huh?
1:04:39Well, I'll look into it.
1:05:44I think I got a suggestion on your
1:05:50doing it on TV to get to the ancestors of the country during the holiday.
1:05:54Of course, he knew how busy it was.
1:05:57His reason is that when they're listening, and he says he knows it from actual fact, when they're listening while they're at school, you get a bunch of hecklers in the middle of something, and they don't give the other kids sometimes a chance for you to get across.
1:06:19And he just thought that your salute to the president at that dinner when you spoke was so excellent.
1:06:25He just wished that every hamster in America could have heard that speech.
1:06:31And I'll give this to anybody who wants your schedule.
1:10:17Bob called me one day last week, Thursday Friday.
1:10:21And he really didn't want to say it, but just to tell me how...
1:10:27the golf games gone and so forth, and how amazed he was, as much as he's seen me around and he's been in the public image, just how very nice and how very courteous you were to everyone, down the course, walking out of your way to do this, that, and he said he was just amazed that he wanted to be remembered.
1:10:48He sees an awful lot of people at our church.
1:10:51Oh, and her...
1:10:57He didn't do that.
1:10:59He didn't do that.
1:11:01He didn't do that.
1:11:05He didn't do that.
1:11:06He didn't do that.
1:11:07He didn't do that.
1:11:09He didn't do that.
1:11:10He didn't do that.
1:11:11He didn't do that.
1:11:13He didn't do that.
1:11:16Well, that was a good case, wasn't it?
1:11:20Oh, yeah.
1:11:20But do you know, I think you all have to do the same here, because in New York, if you've got that,
1:11:46And he received our letter again.
1:11:48Yes.
1:11:52I like that very much.
1:11:53And every time I talk to someone, they say, well, Keith, not only gives him stuff, but he's helping a lot of people open doors.
1:12:01He could also say that Freeman Gosling, everybody, you know, he is one of the greatest boosters and the most helpful person.
1:12:11I don't think we need to do it.
1:12:16Oh, we can.
1:12:18Yes, we can.
1:13:07he can make himself available and would be glad to any time you want.
1:13:12As far as clear time is concerned, he could either make it at 4.30 today or 4.00 or 4.15 tomorrow.
1:13:20Tomorrow is a little easier for him, but it doesn't make any difference.
1:13:29And he'd be glad to do it.
1:13:33If you do that, I'll get you together with probably a four-year-old today.
1:13:38And then you'll be covered out.
1:13:40That's fine.
1:13:40He's over there, and he's got a cost-of-living council, et cetera, and he does some of them on the road.
1:13:49Some of the markets, well, there's that in the event, and we'll just come in and make it easy in the time after.
1:13:55They can make it for you, Mark.
1:13:55I'll set up.
1:13:56Okay.
1:13:56That'll be fine.
1:13:59If I have something, Mark, that's fine with me.
1:14:04You'll be clear at 315.
1:14:07What time did he say, 415?
1:14:09Yeah, make it 430.
1:14:09430 tomorrow, OK?
1:14:10If you want to do it earlier, he says, oh,
1:14:26how to handle a French.
1:14:28I just thought, I sort of feel that he and I have a local conversation.
1:14:32And he basically wanted to chat about where we go.
1:14:35Apparently Henry hasn't discussed with me the question.
1:14:37He said he wanted to talk with you about what you want to do, because he had a feeling maybe he ought to take Volker with him.
1:14:42Because the French would never, not that they're not.
1:14:46It's been my understanding that Volker would report whoever he wanted to take, and he wasn't going to take a man with him.
1:14:51And we've been studying that whole thing on that basis.
1:14:54Roger.
1:15:02Whatever he wants.
1:15:04Whatever he feels, you know, if it's more than he wants for whoever it is, if he says whatever he wants, it will best help his kind of our needs.
1:15:11He pretty much has to have a truck.
1:15:12That's right.
1:15:13That's up to him.
1:15:14So he called me.
1:15:15Okay.
1:15:17Yep.
1:15:17I'll see you tomorrow at 4.30.
1:15:19Okay.
1:15:19I mean, that's a good call.
1:15:23Again, I have to ask you, I have to ask you, I have to ask you, I have to ask you, I have to ask you, I have to ask you, I have to ask you,
1:15:33And that if there is no concrete evidence of progress shown after December 17, 1888 in Washington, he's afraid of what might do.
1:15:56He had an idea which I'll pick up otherwise.
1:15:58We had to get pictures even when they don't tell the name of the guy and autograph them to him because he thinks that's so good of you.
1:16:07And then of course that picture which we all know is as good as that one of the football fans.
1:16:22And then I'm going to show you something funny.
1:16:25I think Berlin is at this end, and I have to talk all over the place.
1:16:29If you haven't heard what they say, it's this actor who's made up to try to take your part.
1:16:33He looks like you.
1:16:34The only time he looks like you is when I'm talking to him.
1:16:39They say he's a prude, so I don't know.
1:16:59When you can't see any clothes on the side.
1:17:32We're putting the envelopes and dating the envelopes, because .
1:18:03I'm not sure, but at least if they're by date, it'll sort of be the way you want it.
1:18:05Julie Lee, all right.
1:18:06Her schedule says she's going back to Virginia, but I don't know whether she's going in or not.
1:18:12You want me to find out?
1:18:13Uh-oh.
1:18:13Well, she's early this morning.
1:18:21She's at a Christmas decoration.
1:18:40Thank you.
1:19:53Oh, okay.
1:19:54In some ways they did, but in some ways they didn't, too.
1:19:58You know, Eisenhower used to do his pretty personally.
1:20:06He had the luckiest of events that he did.
1:20:20but they were like, he had very solid energy.
1:20:25They had almost all the same people, didn't they?
1:20:40Almost always.
1:20:40My God, yes, they were.
1:20:41I was trying to think.
1:20:41I can't even remember now.
1:20:42I'll use my life.
1:20:43They had a lot more.
1:20:43There wasn't as much going on in the world because they had an awful lot more
1:20:48I didn't have time to play golf and breathe.
1:20:53Braves and everything, you know.
NARA Description
On December 8, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, White House operator, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:27 am to 10:50 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 632-004 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 632-4
Date: December 8, 1971
Time: 10:27 am - 10:50 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Rose Mary Woods.
The President's schedule
-Dinners
-Ohio, Illinois, New York, California
-Entertainment for December 7, 1971 dinner
-Rita Reichman [?]
J[ames] Curtis Counts
-Talk with Woods
The President’s schedule
-Call from unknown person
The White House operator talked with the President at 10:28 am.
[Conversation No. 632-4A]
[See Conversation No. 16-42]
[End of telephone conversation]
Counts
-Offered presidency of Airco
-Location
-Checked with George P. Shultz and James D. Hodgson
-Other job offers
-Trucking
-Roger M. Blough Construction Company
-Mediator in labor strikes
-Counts’ effectiveness
-Options
-Presidential election of 1972
-Blough
-Location
-Unknown person
**********************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 07/12/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[632-004-w001]
[Duration: 40s]
The President's meeting with Daniel P. (“Pat”) Moynihan
-Tricia Nixon Cox
-Dinner
-Schedule
-Constance M. (Cornell) (“Connie”) Stuart
-Talk with the President
**********************************************************************
The President's television appearances
-Christmas 1971
-Freeman Gosden's views
-Possible outcome of the President’s speeches in front of students
-“Salute to the President” remarks
-Students
**********************************************************************
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 07/12/2019. 2m
58s segment cleared for release. 38s remain closed as 632-004-w002.]
[Personal Returnable]
[632-004-w002]
[Duration: 38s]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
**********************************************************************
[Personal Returnable]
[632-004-w002]
[Duration: 2m 58s]
Anthony T. (“Tony”) Rossi
-Fabric selection
-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] trip
-People's Republic of China [PRC] trip
-Appointment
-Dwight L. Chapin
-Possibly after Azores trip
-Press conference
-The President's schedule
-New York
-December 11, 1971
-December 18, 1971
**********************************************************************
Leslie T. (“Bob”) Hope
-Call to Woods
-Timing
-Unknown woman
-Willard W. Keith
-Herbert W. Kalmbach
-New York
-Unknown woman
**********************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 07/12/2019. 8s
segment cleared for release. 7s remain closed as 632-004-w003.]
[Personal Returnable]
[632-004-w003]
[Duration: 8s]
Leslie T. (“Bob”) Hope
-Health
-Delores (Reade) Hope
-Philip Dorn
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal Returnable]
[632-004-w003]
[Duration: 7s]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
**********************************************************************
**********************************************************************
Leslie T. (“Bob”) Hope
-Letter from the President
-Hope
-Kalmbach
-Gosden
-Keith
-Gosden
-Kalmbach’s opinion
Allen Hoover
-Camp
-Possible letter from the President to Hope
[Letter dictated]
H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman entered at 10:45 am.
John B. Connally's schedule
-Meeting with the President
-Time and day
-Cost of Living Council [COLC] meeting
-Timing of meeting
-President’s schedule
-French
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Paul A. Volcker
-Accompanying Kissinger
-William P. Rogers
-Meetings with the French
Haldeman left at an unknown time before 10:50 am.
Bernard J. (“Bunny”) Lasker
-Call to the President
-Stock market
-International monetary situation
-December meetings
-Timing
Autographed photographs
-Football
Nixon look-alike actor
-Richard W. (“Dick”) Berlin
-Appearance
-Woods’ opinion
Envelopes
Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Schedule
-Location
-Timing
-The President's forthcoming phone call
-White House Christmas decorations
-Upcoming Christmas television program
**********************************************************************
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 07/12/2019.
23s segment cleared for release. 28s remain closed as 632-004-w004.]
[Personal Returnable]
[632-004-w004]
[Duration: 28s]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
**********************************************************************
[Personal Returnable]
[632-004-w004]
[Duration: 23s]
The President’s schedule
-The President’s opinion
-Nature of modern presidency
**********************************************************************
The President’s schedule
-Entertainment
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-John F. Kennedy
-Eisenhower
-Dinners
-Guests
-World situation under previous presidents
-Amount of free time afforded to
-Individual games
-Golf and bridge
**********************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 07/12/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[632-004-w005]
[Duration: 1m 16s]
The President’s clothing
-Lighter weaves
-Spring and summer
-Anthony T. (“Tony”) Rossi
**********************************************************************
Woods left at 10:50 am.Also recorded on December 8, 1971
- 632-003 10:18 AM · 34 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:18 am and 10:27 am.
- 016-041 10:28 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 10:28 am.
- 016-042 10:28 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:28 am and 2:15 pm.
- 016-043 10:28 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:28 am and 10:52 am.
- 632-005 10:50 AM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:50 am and 10:52 am.
- 016-044 10:52 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and John B. Connally talked on the telephone from 10:52 am to 10:55 am.
- 632-006 10:52 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John B. Connally met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:52 am to 10:55 am.
- 016-045 10:55 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:55 am and 11:03 am.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 632-004, December 8, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/632-004 (accessed October 12, 2026).