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Conversation 642-026

TapeTape 642StartMonday, January 3, 1972 at 11:09 AMEndMonday, January 3, 1972 at 11:15 AMTape start time04:12:36Tape end time04:18:58ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Recording deviceOval Office
AI Summary

President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman evaluated the technical production of the President’s recent television interview with Dan Rather, expressing dissatisfaction with the camera angles and framing. They discussed potential improvements for future media appearances to avoid unflattering visual effects. Additionally, the pair strategized on the political benefits of appointing a qualified woman to a government council, with the President directing Haldeman to gauge the support of key officials for a specific candidate.

Media relationsTelevision productionPolitical appointmentsPublic relations strategyDan Rather interview
AudioNARA Description

On January 3, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:09 am to 11:15 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 642-026 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 642-26

Date: January 3, 1972
Time: 11:09 am - 11:15 am
Location: Oval Office

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

     The President's previous interview with Dan Rather, January 2, 1972
          -Technical aspect
               -Private poll
               -Camera angles
                      -The President's appearance

*****************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 5s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

*****************************************************************

                            -Opinions
                                 -George P. Shultz and Henry A. Kissinger

*****************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 4s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

*****************************************************************

                                 -J. Edgar Hoover
                                 -Haldeman
                     -Room and feet
                -[Unknown person]
                -Mark I. Goode
                -Complaints
                -Shots
                     -Set
                     -The President's face
                     -Height
                           -[Unknown person]
                           -Camera angles
                -National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC], American Broadcasting
                     Corporation [ABC]
                -Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
                     -Satisfaction with end product
                -Goode
                     -Experience
                -CBS
                     -Camera angles
                     -Possible opinions from Patrick J. Buchanan, William L. Safire and
                           Leonard Garment
                     -Richard A. Moore's possible opinion
                     -Camera shots
                           -Feet
                           -Room

     Misplaced papers
          -Manolo Sanchez
          -Notes
          -Sanchez's search

Haldeman left at 11:15 am.
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

Which, if we can possibly bring, if they could bring themselves to live with a woman, other than their wife, we could put a woman in that council and it would be very good, this one.
well there is this uh girl that i mentioned to you on the helicopter that day oh yeah he would like her john o'connelly's reading was not negative but rather lukewarm on her uh i don't think that's a personal reading because he doesn't know her he asked and he gets out of that but she's the best woman around and she's
She's very good.
She says, no.
All right.
Would Stein take her?
Oh, yeah.
Stein would be rather.
She would come to Bob Hall and ask him to call Collin and tell Collin that this would help us very much politically to have a woman on the council.
That doesn't make any goddamn sense.
I'm not sure we can get it, but she would be in fine stroke if we could get it.
I'll be glad to do that, or I'd be glad to call John myself if it's like, or would you rather have Bob call?
You call him.
You call him, yeah.
No, I was just saying, you know what I'm saying?
You were just saying that, uh, we, we've got the thing open from a political standpoint, and I, uh,
I feel that since we struck out on the court, I think a woman on the council would be good that she's really first-class, she'll play her game and sign and satisfy Woodburn and Bradford.
First of all, unless she's totally acceptable to John, then who do you want?
Put it that way, that I respond like that.
She isn't.
Who am I?
Somebody else?
Okay.
Very fine.
I'll do that.
You have to have a fight with her.
No, I don't think.
She's on our price commission, and that's the only sense in which he's focused on her.
And I'm sure that her field is international economics, and probably some in the Treasury have evaluated her as so-so or whatnot in the international economic field.
But our fault is...
Ken Dan, for instance, a judgment I have good respect for in this field, has worked with her and thinks she's first class.
The guy in the Kraken doesn't think so.
She's pretty.
Oh, that's better.
Okay.
the way they shot the way they shot they they at least it seemed to me that gave you the appearance of somewhat lopsided
Could you name Mr. Smith?
Uh, he is, uh... Mr. Smith, you've got a number.
He's our mayor of Iowa, Ironshire.
Uh, the number is 712-426-2185.
Mr. Smith?
Yeah.
Yeah, Mr. Smith, uh, 712-426-2185.
You want to say a greater name, Mr. Smith?
Uh, I have a little bit of trouble, sir.
For whatever it is worth,
The camera work was not the best.
The face was given a lopsided appearance, which is in a straight-on shot, which I sat in that chair.
I felt it wouldn't be that way because I could see what they were doing.
Schultz thought that his percent of the truth.
He didn't criticize it.
He said that he heard it on the radio and said it was a tremendous thing.
I know that you and others, all the people say it was wonderful.
They shot the room.
It's a nice shot of your feet.
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