Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 667 › Conversation 667-003

Nixon, Haldeman & Bull on Vietnam policy and Public relations

Tuesday, February 8, 1972 · 5:13 PM–5:19 PM ET · Oval Office ·8 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob");  Bull, Stephen B.;  Woods, Rose Mary;  Sanchez, ManoloConversation667-003 onTape 667 (tape position 01:58:47–02:07:41)StartTuesday, February 8, 1972 at 5:13 PMEndTuesday, February 8, 1972 at 5:19 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 667-003 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman met to discuss political strategy and administrative messaging, specifically regarding Haldeman's recent appearance on the Today show and public reaction to administration stances on Vietnam. The pair reviewed potential inquiries from the press and strategies for responding to critics, while also addressing logistical concerns related to the President's upcoming schedule, including a memorial service for Llewellyn E. Thompson. The conversation concluded with administrative updates involving Rose Mary Woods and the management of office materials.

Audio

Download MP3 · 18.9 MB

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I didn't raise it.
It's funny, he talked to John.
And he made a point of saying, you know, it's his house.
I didn't have any quarrel with the White House staff on that.
He said, it's the president that's kind of been talking about value-added tax.
He said, I didn't think your boys were talking about it.
So...
He's not talking about what he said to Jim.
That's a lie.
I haven't used the word.
You know, I really haven't.
He was just, you know, he didn't want to get it.
You know, in some cases, people probably are trying to suggest that.
Well, they are.
There isn't any question about that.
The technique was wrong, but the substance was wrong.
There are people, and some of them, there are people without that.
I, uh, I, uh, I think they're asking me about, uh, you know, I don't know.
And I just said, no, I said, uh, but, uh, I said, I've seen no reason, I mean, to, uh, to raise something together.
I mean, uh, let it go.
See what happens.
You've got today, you've got tomorrow.
Scalise, I mean, yeah, that's it.
It's still rising from all you did.
Maybe you decide you want to do it.
Scali's argument was that that would sort of clear the air so that you wouldn't be bogged down with it if, you know, if there were any questions anybody would ask you.
I think what I'm going to say is a lot of the figures covered that.
I really haven't anything to add.
What is the question that Peter just made about it?
See, that's the only scandal I want to say.
The personality is, I think he's over-sensitive.
I think the reality is over-sensitive in my opinion.
But also, looking at the leadership, reading the Hughes-Cotton-Jerry Ford thing, they ask them to
So, in other words, you agree with Baldwin that they are aiding and abetting the enemy, and Scott said, I don't join anybody else's statements ever.
I've known him a long time with it.
You people take statements out of my text, and I don't know what the whole statement is.
So I would not join that, as I never would join a statement.
And then he repeated what I said.
He said what he thought, which was, you know, made his point solid.
And then he said, and I would repeat what I said yesterday,
People make strong attacks, they've got to expect strong declines.
And then they didn't pursue it much.
They went on to the substance.
I'm not so sure it's going to...
It's going to get obsessed with each day's story.
I don't know.
I've misjudged this one all the way.
I didn't think it was as big a story as it was to begin with.
Well, look, they won't make anything of each story anymore.
One of the things that they're, as they do with him, they'd love the chance to get out one of us, but they think they're hurting.
I frankly don't think they are.
Well, I'm giving a bunch of those, God bless you, telegrams like you get.
Thank God you have the courage to hit them.
It's long from okay.
What do you say?
We have to keep standing up to these people that are trying to sell our country down the river.
Stay with it.
Don't back down.
Well, that's the reason why I can't do it.
I mean, obviously, I'm just going to say that I think I'm just going to say that because I kind of wish many of you agreed.
I said, Mr. Secretary, I'm going to say that my views are going to change.
I'm going to tell you what I'm going to say.
We don't want to go to.
No, but I don't.
We sent a military aid to them.
I think we should.
You know, sure.
And the reason.
Well, I think.
Oh, I see.
Uh huh.
Yeah.
Do you do that as well?
Oh, thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Uh, bring, bring, uh, don't hurry, don't hurry.
Uh...
They really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really,
I don't want to hurt that person.
I'm pressing down.
I'm still trying to get it back.
Oh, it's much better.
He's coming tomorrow.
He's coming tomorrow.
He's coming tomorrow.
Oh, yeah.
And I've got my arm flat, so my collar's up.
Did you have any free to come over and have a drink with us?
No, I promised not to continue.
All right.

NARA Description

On February 8, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Stephen B. Bull, Rose Mary Woods, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:13 pm to 5:19 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 667-003 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 667-3

Date: February 8, 1972

Time: 5:13 pm - 5:19 pm
Location: Oval Office

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

     The President’s schedule
          -Florida
                -John B. Connally
                -Fishing

     Connally [?]
         -Memorandum about Value-Added Tax [VAT]
                -John D. Ehrlichman
                -White House staff
                -The President’s alleged comments about VAT

     Haldeman’s interview on Today show
          -Ronald L. Ziegler
          -Handling
               -John A. Scali
                     -Possible questions for the President
                          -Ziegler
               -Kissinger

     Leadership briefing
          -Hugh Scott and Gerald R. Ford
          -Haldeman’s comments on Today
               -Accusation at opponents of administration policy in Vietnam
               -Scott’s reaction
                      -Context
                      -Press
               -Press
                      -Kissinger
                      -Ziegler
               -Public reaction
                      -Telegrams

Stephen B. Bull entered and left at an unknown time between 5:13 pm and 5:15 pm.

     The President’s schedule

     Haldeman’s comments on Today

          -Public opinion
               -John A. (“Jack”) Mulcahy
          -Possible statement by the President
               -Ziegler

     Memorial service
        -Llewellyn E. (“Tommy”) Thompson, Jr.
        -The President’s attendance
        -Attendance
               -William P. Rogers
               -Military aide
        -Wreath

Rose Mary Woods entered at 5:15 pm.

     The President’s schedule
          -Thompson memorial service
               -Wreath
          -Canada
               -Henry A. Kissinger
               -Possible effect of cancellation
                      -Pierre E. Trudeau

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

[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number
LPRN-T-MDR-2014-034. Segment declassified on 05/24/2019. Archivist: MM]
[National Security]
[667-003-w001]
[Duration: 4s]

     The President’s schedule
          -Canada
               -Possible effect of cancellation
                      -Pierre E. Trudeau

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

Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 5:15 pm.

     Executive Office Building [EOB]
          -Briefcase
          -Books

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 5:19 pm

     Schedule

Haldeman left at an unknown time before 5:19 pm

     The President’s schedule
          -Gen. Walter R. Tkach [?]
               -Forthcoming talk with Woods

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

[Previous PRMPA Privacy (D) reviewed under deed of gift 08/12/2022. Segment cleared for
release.]
[Privacy]
[667-003-w002]
[Duration: 16s]

     Rose Mary Woods’ health
          -Gen. Walter R. Tkach schedule [?]

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

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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 08/12/2022. 6s
segment cleared for release. 21s remain closed as 667-003-w003.]
[Personal Returnable]
[667-003-w003]
[Duration: 21s]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3

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

[Personal Returnable]
[667-003-w003]
[Duration: 6s]

     Rose Mary Woods’ schedule
          -Virginia [?]

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

Woods left at 5:19 pm.

Also recorded on February 8, 1972

  • 020-066 2:54 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Earl B. Ruth talked on the telephone from 2:54 pm to 2:56 pm.
  • 020-067 2:57 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Robert H. Finch talked on the telephone from 2:57 pm to 3:01 pm.
  • 320-025 2:57 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Robert H. Finch met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:57 pm to 3:01 pm.
  • 320-026 3:00 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:00 pm to 3:02 pm.
  • 320-027 3:05 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:05 pm to 3:14 pm.
  • 320-028 3:15 PM · 1 hr 46 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John B. Connally, Robert S. McNamara, Henry A. Kissinger, White House photographer, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:15 pm to 5:06 pm.
  • 320-029 5:06 PM · 1 min — Unknown person(s), Manolo Sanchez, President Richard M. Nixon, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building on an unknown date, sometime between 5:06 pm on February 8, 1972 and 4:00 pm on February 10, 1972.
  • 667-005 5:19 PM · 2 min — Stephen B. Bull, United States Secret Service agents, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:19 pm and 11:59 pm.

All 48 conversations from February 8, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 667-003, February 8, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/667-003 (accessed September 18, 2026).