Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 684 › Conversation 684-002
Nixon, Haldeman & Butterfield on ITT antitrust case
Monday, March 13, 1972 · 6:03 PM–6:05 PM ET · Oval Office
AI Summary
President Nixon dictates a series of directives to H.R. Haldeman concerning administrative scheduling, press strategy, and political messaging. The President outlines plans for an upcoming White House church service featuring the Army Chorus and suggests using Henry Kissinger's meetings with political groups to manage his schedule. Furthermore, Nixon orders research into the growth of ITT during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations to bolster the administration’s defense against antitrust criticism and requests historical precedents of media bias regarding the House Un-American Activities Committee to support his public relations efforts.
- ITT antitrust case
- White House press relations
- Henry Kissinger
- White House scheduling
- House Un-American Activities Committee
- political strategy
Audio
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 01:46:26 into the tape and ends around 01:59:51.
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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.
1:47:34Put the record straight.
1:47:36Paragraph.
1:47:37In that same connection, by giving Henry groups that are important to us politically, it will take the pressure off of him
1:47:52to do with some of the columnists and others who inevitably are going to be pressing to see them.
1:48:04Obviously, it gives them to go on a schedule, and it's better they go on a schedule with people who will be of interest to us politically rather than... Is that a time?
1:48:22Ooh, that's almost enough that he would otherwise get to him.
1:48:39On another subject, for the Great Army Church, I would like to have the Army Chorus.
1:48:47It is the best of the three choruses.
1:48:59And since the gridiron is devoid of speeches, uh, ostensibly, and full of music, why not have, they have our, uh, church service with, uh, scripture-reading prayer and the Army chorus without, uh, trying to have any remarks.
1:49:30Anyone we get to speak will fall flat before they go to the sinks.
1:49:40At least, whatever we do on the speaker side, make it short.
1:49:43And let's have the Army Corps, who are a number of good religious hunters, who they can make a spiritual, which they are very good at, with that big barricade.
1:49:54I wouldn't remember.
1:49:59On another subject, getting a report today on how much our EMT grew during the three county years and the five council years.
1:50:20My guess is that the growth was very substantial, particularly during the latter period.
1:50:29The figure may mean nothing, but I would like to have it amended, too.
1:50:32We want to make a case on the point that the Johnson administration, as well as the Kennedy administration, failed to bring an action to stop the growth of IT&P, whereas this administration did so.
1:50:49Also, we should follow up on the Colts' promises.
1:51:05whether any lawyer from the anti-trust division or ITT would be loyal enough to say that prosecution was recommended during counting years and nothing happened.
1:51:20If it is not possible to make it this way, then I'm in the voice of the justice.
1:51:25I think most would agree to have Janine cover this in his testimony.
1:51:39Another item I need to say, which you can get from Mort Allen's shop, as a result of a quick check, is whether any editorials, whatever, or columns have been written criticizing the
1:52:04It is very funny for a liable assessment on the attempts of the President of the United States on hearsay or remotely.
1:52:19Also, at a later point, because it will probably take several days to get this, I would like for some young person
1:52:33to go back in the files during the days of the, in this case, the Un-American Activities Committee, and get a reading editorial in the New York Times or Washington Post, naming the committee for using hearsay once or both.
1:52:47In some cases, it may be that part of the theory doesn't hold up, but at least I would like our researchers to see what the facts are.
1:53:25A character that was murdered regarding a grant.
1:53:28We should be sure to place a call in about once every two weeks to discuss the political situation.
1:53:42I would prefer not to get into these matters as directly with them.
1:53:54I do want to continue in contact with him so that he doesn't feel that we are not interested in supporting this group and help keep states where they can be halted.
1:54:26On another subject, I would like for you to give Edmo a call.
1:54:32Knowing that the RN is analyzing the process.
1:58:33On another subject, the next time we were discussing the Rogers matter, you told him that all the hands here, particularly Ziegler and Kwan, told him not to count the criticism of him, which has certainly in the last three days
1:58:53But the figure has not had one question on it from the press at any of his briefings up to this point.
1:59:01He has a strong statement that I authorize him to make, and that is to question your trade.
1:59:08Would you also pass the same to the client so that he can handle it in the effective way?
1:59:13In the effective way.
NARA Description
On March 13, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 6:03 pm and 6:05 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 684-002 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 684-2
Date: March 13, 1972
Time: Unknown between 6:03 pm and 6:05 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President dictated a memorandum to H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
Haldeman
Alexander P. Butterfield entered at an unknown time after 6:03 pm.
Signing documents
Butterfield left at an unknown time before 6:05 pm.
The President continued dictating.
The President's schedule
-Meeting with William F. (“Billy”) Graham and religious leaders
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Schedule
-Meetings with political groups
-Meetings with columnists
-White House church service
-Army Chorus
-Half hour church service
-Army Chorus
-Speakers for service
-Army chorus
-Religious songs
International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT] case
-Growth
-John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson administrations
-Stop growth
-Present administration
-Haldeman's talk with Charles W. Colson
-Lawyer for ITT or Department of Justice
-Prosecution during Johnson administration
-Harold S. Geneen testimony
-Testimony against the President
-Lyndon K. (“Mort”) Allin's office
-Editorials or columns
-Criticism
-Files of the House Un-american Activities Committee [HUAC]
-Alger Hiss case
-Editorials
-New York Times and the Washington Post
-Condemnation of the committee
-Hearsay evidence
Graham
-Talks with Haldeman
-Political situation
Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-Talk with Haldeman
-Press
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 2m 33s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
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William P. Rogers situation
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Herbert G. Klein
-Press questions
-Ziegler's statement
-Klein
The President completed the dictation.Also recorded on March 13, 1972
- 684-003 6:03 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 6:03 pm and 6:05 pm.
- 323-008 6:05 PM · 43 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:05 pm and 6:07 pm.
- 021-057 6:07 PM · 27 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 6:07 pm to 6:08 pm.
- 323-009 6:07 PM · 59 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 6:07 pm to 6:08 pm.
- 021-058 6:12 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 6:12 pm to 6:17 pm.
- 323-010 6:12 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 6:12 pm to 6:17 pm.
- 021-059 6:17 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:17 pm and 6:22 pm.
- 323-011 6:17 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:17 pm and 6:22 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 684-002, March 13, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/684-002 (accessed October 12, 2026).