President Nixon and H.R. Haldeman discussed strategies for managing press relations during the 1972 re-election campaign, specifically addressing concerns over media bias and unfavorable coverage. They evaluated the merits of holding an Oval Office press conference versus utilizing radio addresses to communicate directly with the public while avoiding the perceived pitfalls of traveling press events. The two men ultimately decided to prioritize scheduling a press conference for the coming week to preempt George McGovern's planned Vietnam speech and control the news cycle on issues like the campaign, foreign policy, and the Soviet grain deal.
On October 2, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:51 am to 10:08 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 790-006 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 790-6
Date: October 2, 1972
Time: 9:51 am - 10:08 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon's schedule
-[United Press International [UPI] wives]
The President's schedule
-Camp David
-Henry A. Kissinger and Andrei A. Gromyko
-Meeting
-Timing
-Swimming
(rev. Nov-03)
Press relations
-The President's previous western trip
-Patrick J. Buchanan’s view
-Haldeman’s view
-Television [TV]
-Robert B. Semple, Jr.
-New York Times
-Administration's daily schedule
-“Visual”
-George S. McGovern
-Private meetings
-Fundraising dinners
-Tone
-Buchanan
-David S. Broder column
-Press attitude
-Washington Post
-New York Times
-Radio speeches
-1968 campaign
-Clark MacGregor
-State of the Union address
-MacGregor
-The President’s policy, performance, character
-Local reactions
-San Francisco
-New York
-Los Angeles
-1972 campaign
-Fundraising
-Motorcade
-The President's schedule
-Radio speech
-Timing
-Motorcade
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.
-Upcoming conversation with Haldeman
-Office press conference
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-On-the-road
-Disadvantages
(rev. Nov-03)
-Control
-The President’s August 29, 1972 press conference
-Questions
-Vietnam
-Kissinger
-Timing
-McGovern
-Vietnam
-Speech
-Peace plan
-Timing
-Eleanor (Stageberg) McGovern's statement
-The President's October 9, 1968 statement
An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 9:51 am.
The President's schedule
The unknown person left at an unknown time before 10:08 am.
Press relations
-The President’s schedule
-Office press conference
Broder
-The President's accessibility to press
-Compared to McGovern
-Life magazine article
-McGovern’s credibility
The President's schedule
-Office press conference
-Timing
-Issues
-1972 Campaign
-Vietnam
-Soviet Jewry
-Value of issues
-International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT]
-Watergate
-US-Soviet Union grain deal
-Earl L. Butz
-The President’s instructions
(rev. Nov-03)
-Buchanan
-Price
-Briefing book
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-Radio speeches
-Questions
-Taxes
-Timing
-Maritime agreement signing
-News story
-American Legion
-Press conference
-Maritime agreement
-[Camp David]
Haldeman left at 10:08 am.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.