President Nixon, H.R. Haldeman, and Daniel P. Moynihan gathered in the Oval Office to discuss the intellectual composition of the administration and the strategic landscape of the 1972 presidential campaign. Moynihan argued that the current election presented a stark ideological divide compared to previous bipartisan cycles, positioning Nixon as a moderate unifier for a majority of Americans against the extremism of his opponents. The participants also touched upon administrative personnel challenges, the role of intellectuals in government, and briefly addressed the burgeoning Watergate controversy with dismissive humor.
On August 14, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Daniel P. Moynihan met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:47 pm and 2:48 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 769-001 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 768-24/769-1
Date: August 14, 1972
Time: Unknown between 1:47 pm and 2:48 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and Daniel P. ("Pat") Moynihan.
[An unknown portion of this conversation was not recorded while the tape was being changed.]
Intellectuals and the Presidents administration
-The Administration's search for writing talent
-Adequate nature of current speech writing staff
-Irving Kristol
-The President's abilities
-[Thomas] Woodrow Wilson
-Openness to discussion
-Experience
-View of foreign and domestic policy
-Interaction between intellectuals and the President
Possible national coalition
-The President's possible role as a force for unity
-Issue of current campaign compared to issues of previous campaigns
-Franklin D. Roosevelt
-Wendell L. Willkie
-Thomas E. Dewey
-Harry S. Truman
-Dewey
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Adlai E. Stevenson, II
-John F. Kennedy
-The President
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-Barry M. Goldwater
-Similar views of opponents in previous campaigns
-Bipartisan foreign policy
-Goldwater
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
-US economic system
-Differences between views of opponents in current campaign
-US role in the world
-US economic policy
-Moderate Democrats
-Stevenson
-George S. McGovern
-The Administration's moderate course
-Criticism by the right wing
-John Birch Society
-The President's role in Jewish conspiracy
-California
-Polarization of politics
-The Administration as an alternative
-Majority of US citizens
-Progress
-Democratic support for the President
-John B. Connally
-The Administration's openness to people regardless of party affiliation
Watergate
-Haldeman
-The President's joke
-Moynihan's view
-The President's view
-Democratic National Committee
-Republican National Committee
Framed copy of education bill
-Allen J. Ellender
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-Ellender
-Service as Senate President pro tempore
Moynihan and Haldeman left at 2:48 pm.
3
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)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.