Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 794 › Conversation 794-001
Nixon, Haldeman & Bull on 1972 Campaign and Vietnam Negotiations
Monday, October 9, 1972 · 9:23 AM–10:09 AM ET · Oval Office ·16 min
AI Summary
In this meeting with H.R. Haldeman, Stephen Bull, and later Ronald Ziegler, President Nixon discussed a broad range of political and communications strategies for the 1972 re-election campaign. Key topics included coordinating messaging on Vietnam negotiations ahead of a press conference, countering negative media coverage regarding federal spending, and refining the President's public image through improved photographic and radio outreach. Additionally, the participants addressed personnel management for campaign economic rhetoric and logistical planning for upcoming speeches.
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
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NARA Description
On October 9, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Stephen B. Bull, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:23 am to 10:09 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 794-001 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No.794-1
Date: October 9, 1972
Time: 9:32 am - 10:09 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman and Stephen B. Bull.
Haldeman's schedule
The President’s schedule
Bull left at an unknown time before 9:55 am.
Vietnam
-Henry A. Kissinger’s cable
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Progress of negotiations
-Status of negotiations
-William P. Rogers
-Forthcoming press conference
-Comment
-Rogers’s forthcoming press conference
-Timing
-Statement
-On-camera
-George S. McGovern
-Timing
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 2m 32s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
2
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
*****************************************************************
Campaign practices
-Hecklers
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower‘s schedule
-Vermont
-Possible response
-Young people
-William R. Codus
-Responsibility
-Advance men
[Dwight] David Eisenhower, II
-Military service
-Return
-Navy
-1972 election
-Haldeman’s possible effort
-Installation of heating system
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 21s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
*****************************************************************
-1972 election
-Public reactions
-Compared to Dwight D, Eisenhower’s return of John
S.D. Eisenhower
Speeches
3
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
-Pierre Rinfret’s work
-Peace
-Herbert Stein
-Paul W. McCracken
-Tone
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.
-Presentation of issues
-The People's Republic of China [PRC], Soviet Union
-Rinfret
-Personnel management
-Council of Economic Advisors [CEA]
Radio Address on Federal Spending, October 7, 1972
-Charles W. Colson
-Baltimore Sun story
-News summary
-List publication
-Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger
-Republican leadership meeting
-Colson
-Office of Management and Budget [OMB]
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Baltimore Sun story
-Reporter
-Ziegler
-Catherine Mackin “syndrome”
-Leads
-Taxes
-Increase
-Size
-Rinfret
-Price
-Size
-Vietnam war settlement
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Personal returnable]
4
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
[Duration: 12m 42s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
*****************************************************************
Campaign practices
-Frank L. Rizzo
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 24s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
*****************************************************************
Ziegler entered at 9:55 am.
Press briefing
-Quadriad meeting
-Arthur F. Burns
-Weinberger
-Economic indicators
-Economic expansion
Photographs of the President’s recent address on Federal spending
-News summary
-Patrick J. Buchanan, Lyndon K. (“Mort”) Allin
-Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins
-Distribution to wire services
-Candidates
-Photographs of the President
5
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
-Types of poses
-Camp David
-Laurel lodge
-Text
-Portraits
-Skill as a photographer
Bull entered at an unknown time after 9:55 am.
The president’s schedule
-Quadriad
Bull left at an unknown time before 10:09 am.
Radio speeches
-The President's recent speech on Federal spending
-Radio and press coverage
-Colson
-Price
-Farm speech
-Veterans
-Farm speech
-Chicago
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 2m 28 s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
*****************************************************************
The President's schedule
Ziegler left at an unknown time before 10:09 am.
6
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 2m 29s ]
Ziegler entered at an unknown time after 9:55 am.
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
The President’s schedule
-Russell E. Train
Haldeman and Ziegler left at 10:09 am.Also recorded on October 9, 1972
- 794-002 10:10 AM · 1 hr 25 min — President Richard M. Nixon, George P. Shultz, Arthur F. Burns, Caspar W. ("Cap") Weinberger, Herbert Stein, White House photographer, and Donald H. Rumsfeld met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:10 am to 11:35 am.
- 794-003 11:36 AM · 20 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Russell E. Train, John C. Whitaker, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:36 am to 11:56 am.
- 794-004 11:56 AM · 23 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:56 am and 11:58 am.
- 794-005 11:58 AM · 12 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Winston W. Marsh, James Low, Henry C. Cashen, II, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:58 am to 12:10 pm.
- 794-019 12:10 PM · 30 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:10 pm and 12:13 pm.
- 794-006 12:13 PM · 22 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Sharon McLarty, I. W. McLarty, Mrs. I. W. McLarty, Tony McLarty, James O. Eastland, John E. Nidecker, White House photographer, William E. Timmons, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:13 pm to 12:36 pm.
- 794-007 12:36 PM · 46 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:36 pm to 12:37 pm.
- 794-008 12:39 PM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:39 pm and 12:46 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 794-001, October 9, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/794-001 (accessed September 18, 2026).