Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 659 › Conversation 659-016
Nixon, Mitchell & Haldeman on Richard Kleindienst and L. Patrick Gray
Friday, January 28, 1972 · 4:06 PM–4:46 PM ET · Oval Office
AI Summary
President Nixon, John Mitchell, and H.R. Haldeman met to coordinate the transition of the Attorney General’s office, specifically timing Mitchell’s resignation to coincide with the President's upcoming trip to the People's Republic of China. Mitchell advocated for the simultaneous Senate confirmation of Richard Kleindienst as his successor and L. Patrick Gray as Deputy Attorney General, expressing confidence in their approval despite potential political opposition. The participants also discussed administrative matters, including the presentation of the Encyclopedia Judaica to Martha Mitchell and the political outreach efforts involving Max Fisher.
- John Mitchell
- Richard Kleindienst
- L. Patrick Gray
- Cabinet appointments
- Nixon China trip
- Max Fisher
Audio
Download MP3 (part 1) · 168.3 MB ·Download MP3 (part 2) · 168.5 MB ·Download MP3 (part 3) · 84.7 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 03:58:13 into the tape and ends around 04:36:36.
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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.
4:00:35when I have a 75th birthday soon or something, and he was sending a call.
4:00:41I just want you to be sure to check to see whether one was sent with a letter sent or, and you can put up a call list of what's been, or he mentioned it to me, but I don't know whether he was able to tell me.
4:00:53Foster McGon.
4:02:21I've got you consciously aiding the enemy, Dunn.
4:02:25Who did that?
4:02:26I did.
4:02:27Barbara Waller's led me into it, and today she'll let me do it.
4:02:30So I did.
4:02:31If it's squirrely, it'll bounce.
4:02:37It should.
4:02:39It'll bounce, or... Oh, they won't.
4:02:41So they're doing that on me?
4:02:46If I put it into context, I'd made it exactly the way we talked about it.
4:02:50Or it could be said they didn't know what we were doing, and they were not being able to shut down.
4:03:03Mr. President, I just have a couple of things to run by.
4:03:06The other reason I'm really curious is the number one issue, and that's my retirement state.
4:03:15The time has come, or at least shortly, and I think it should be programmed the way we talked before, and that is just to drop an announcement on the 16th or 17th when you're leaving town to go to China.
4:03:30A resignation to take a clerk March 1st.
4:03:35At the same time, send Clayton's name up for a confirmation.
4:03:40And I am absolutely convinced that he can be confirmed without any difficulty.
4:03:45Teddy Kennedy has called findings.
4:03:47He's called Jimmy's one.
4:03:49But he will support it.
4:03:51I've got people like Honey and the rest of them coming in.
4:03:54They had an abortive tally up there by Mark Price before it was shut off.
4:04:00So they got it started out of the White House here.
4:04:03And Mark Price was out on the floor of the Senate taking a tally on findings.
4:04:09So...
4:04:10And the point is that he had covered 24 senators, the and all the rest of them, and they were .
4:04:16Hugh Scott went down to see me the other day, and he said there'd be no problem with it.
4:04:24He was sure about it, whatever he recommended.
4:04:28I don't know if he'll do that.
4:04:33And then if you're still in on the opinion, we'll put in the deputy's job.
4:04:40Yeah, I like that.
4:04:41I think that's a good... Tells them to the future.
4:04:45Tells them to the future, and it's a good balancing wheel, and I have been intrigued with Pat Gregg as a little lawyer as he is.
4:04:52He's a first-class lawyer.
4:04:54Good.
4:04:55He really is.
4:04:56First-class lawyer.
4:05:19Mr. President, I just have a couple of things to run by.
4:05:23The only reason I'm really curious is the number one issue, and that's my retirement.
4:05:48The time has come, or at least shortly, and I think it should be programmed the way we talked before, and that is just to drop an announcement on the 16th or 17th when you're leaving town to go to China, a resignation to take effect March 1st, at the same time send Clayton's name up for a confirmation.
4:06:12And I am absolutely convinced that he can be confirmed without any difficulty.
4:06:18Teddy Kennedy has called findings.
4:06:20He's called Jimmy's one.
4:06:22But he will support it.
4:06:23I've got people like Honey and the rest of them coming in.
4:06:27They had an abortive tally up there by Mark Price before it was shut off.
4:06:34So they got it started out of the White House here.
4:06:36And Mark Price was out on the floor of the Senate taking a tally on findings.
4:06:42The point is that he had covered 24 senators, the Schleicherts and Matthiases and all the rest of them, and they were proclaiming.
4:06:56Hugh Scott went down to see me the other day, and he said there'd be no problem with the reviews.
4:07:02I don't know if you'll do that.
4:07:06And then if you're still in the
4:07:09from the opinion of Pat Gray and the deputies.
4:07:13I think that's a good...
4:07:15It tells them to the future.
4:07:17It tells them to the future.
4:07:18It's a good balancing wheel.
4:07:20I have been intrigued with Pat Gray as a good lawyer as he is.
4:07:25He's a first-class lawyer.
4:07:27He really is.
4:07:28He really is a first-class lawyer.
4:07:31He has a head straight on his shoulders.
4:07:33He's a good administrator.
4:07:35He's a good administrator, so...
4:07:37Uh, that'll take care of the Justice Department through the next 10 months or whatever it is.
4:07:43If you're in court, we will advance that program.
4:07:48All right.
4:07:50They both have to be confirmed?
4:07:54Yeah.
4:07:54Yes.
4:07:56Put both nominations up then at the same time?
4:08:02I would.
4:08:08And then this one, we'll take care of it in good style.
4:08:15We don't, John Sullivan's, we not do anything like the stands thing, you know, any public.
4:08:21We just put out the announcement.
4:08:23We're getting ready to go to China.
4:08:25And then when, then we do a swearing in.
4:08:28I can do a picture.
4:08:29When you get back in, please confirm.
4:08:30Swearing in, see if Dick Poole will do it.
4:08:37I think that's the way that Floki had planned on getting done.
4:26:32John, I got to be glad to donate to you the new Jewish scientific sheet.
4:26:39I'm going to give it to you so you can give it to Margaret for her birthday.
4:26:44She'd love it.
4:26:45Sixteen bucks.
4:26:46Sixteen bucks.
4:26:47It's the most fantastic work.
4:26:49I know it.
4:26:50I heard all about it before you got it.
4:26:52I got it when I got the first copy, and the Pope's getting the second, and Queen Elizabeth the third.
4:26:58That's right.
4:26:59So why don't you tell my wife that I've given it to you so she can give her a surprise for her birthday.
4:27:06I understand that you opened up the volume under the tea and all the phantom jets flew out of it.
4:27:11The ambassador opened up that volume for me.
4:27:14He's a good guy, Ravine.
4:27:17Ravine's a hell of a fellow.
4:27:27Well, we killed a large other bird with that stone, too, by running Max in, because Max has been... Well, incredibly, he's got to get in, he's got to have a picture, so that's why he went natural.
4:27:39I heard you as I was walking past the door.
4:27:42You were saying?
4:27:43Yeah.
4:27:43Well, he says he's running a word of old around the corner.
4:27:49Well, he is.
4:27:50He works his ass off, but he's got to keep nothing in balance.
4:27:54If we didn't get him in with men, it would have been too late.
4:27:59Well, that's why we got him first in the picture.
4:28:05You know, the English thing is, America, a lot of our Jewish Jews in Israel,
4:28:16They are.
4:28:17Max, Max is a professional governor.
4:28:21He's just doing his job.
4:28:24They believe all that crap.
4:28:25Over in Israel, they're too busy scratching to make a living.
4:28:28They're worried about all that crap.
4:28:30Here, they're, they're, they wear all their shoes.
4:28:34It's like a professional actor.
NARA Description
On January 28, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, John N. Mitchell, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:06 pm to 4:46 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 659-016 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 659-16
Date: January 28, 1972
Time: 4:06 pm - 4:46 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with John N. Mitchell and H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m 23s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
******************************************************************************
Barbara Walters interview of Haldeman
-Attack on administration critics
-Aid the enemy in Vietnam
Mitchell’s retirement as Attorney General
-Preparation
-Timing of announcement
-The President’s forthcoming trip to the People’s Republic of China [PRC]
Appointments
-Richard G. Kleindienst’s confirmation
-Prospects
-Edward M. Kennedy’s intention
-James O. Eastland
-John V. Tunney’s intention
-Tally of prospects
-Mark Price
-Results
-Roman L. Hruska
-Paul J. Fannin
-Richard S. Schweiker
-Charles McC. Mathias, Jr.
-Hugh Scott’s view
-Talk with Mitchell
-L. Patrick Gray’s promotion
-Deputy slot
-Benefits
-Qualities
-Legal skill
-Administrative skill
-Confirmations of Gray and Kleindienst
-Submission to Senate
-Timing
-Eastland
-Timing of announcement
-Maurice H. Stans
-PRC trip
-Timing of swearing-in
-Kleindienst
-Photograph session
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 17m 41s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
******************************************************************************
Encyclopedia Judaica
-Martha (Beall) Mitchell
-Volumes
-Number
-Workmanship
-Other presentations
-Giovanni Battista Motini [Pope Paul VI] and [Elizabeth, Queen of England
Elizabeth II
-Phantom jets
-Yitzhak Rabin
-Israeli generals
-Toughness
-Presentation
-Max M. Fisher
-Photograph session
-Mitchell and Stans
-Efforts for the administration
-Stephen B. Bull
Jews in America
-Compared to those in Israel
-Fisher
-Professionals
-Israel
-Economic conditions
-Compared to Irish in US
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 11m 52s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
******************************************************************************
White House dinner for DeWitt and Lila (Acheson) Wallace, January 28, 1972
-White tie
-Frequency
-Compared to black tie
-Collars
Mitchell’s resignation
-Timing
-James R. (“Jimmy”) Hoffa comparison
-Executive clemency
Mitchell and Haldeman left at 4:46 pm.Also recorded on January 28, 1972
- 088-004 3:50 PM — Unknown person(s) met in the Cabinet Room of the White House on an unknown date, sometime between 3:50 pm on January 28, 1972 and 1:30 pm on January 31, 1972.
- 659-013 3:50 PM · 10 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:50 pm to 3:52 pm.
- 659-014 3:52 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:52 pm and 4:06 pm.
- 659-015 3:52 PM · 27 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:52 pm and 4:06 pm.
- 659-017 4:46 PM · 59 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:46 pm and 4:48 pm.
- 659-018 4:46 PM · 51 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:46 pm and 4:48 pm.
- 659-019 4:46 PM · 50 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:46 pm and 4:48 pm.
- 659-020 4:48 PM · 15 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, and Oliver F. ("Ollie") Atkins met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:48 pm to 5:03 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 659-016, January 28, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/659-016 (accessed October 12, 2026).