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Conversation 812-008

TapeTape 812StartFriday, November 3, 1972 at 10:46 AMEndFriday, November 3, 1972 at 10:54 AMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Recording deviceOval Office
AI Summary

President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman discuss reports regarding a 1968 bugging incident and potential FBI involvement during the transition period. Haldeman relays information from George Christian regarding Lyndon B. Johnson’s desire to avoid public confrontation over allegations of Nixon campaign interference in peace talks. The two also address concerns about internal FBI leaks and touch upon Johnson’s health and his public stance regarding the 1972 election.

WatergateLyndon B. JohnsonFBI1968 electionPeace talksAnna Chennault
AudioNARA Description

On November 3, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:46 am and 10:54 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 812-008 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 812-8

Date: November 3, 1972
Time: Unknown between 10:46 am and 10:54 am
Location: Oval Office

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

        The President’s schedule
             -[Louis J. Tullio]

        Watergate
             -1968 bugging of the President
                  -Haldeman’s recent conversation with George E. Christian
                  -Lyndon B. Johnson’s conversation with Christian
                        -Review of files
                              -Denial
                                    -Statement
                        -October 17, 1968

*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1A
[National security]
[Duration: 3s       ]
[Subject: Intelligence]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1A
                                           -10-

                 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. Jan.-08)

                                                             Conversation No. 812-8 (cont’d)

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

                       -Nguyen Van Thieu’s conversations with Nguyen Van Bui Diem
                            -October [17] – 30, 1968
                            -Anna C. Chennault

*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1B
[National security]
[Duration: 2s       ]
[Subject: Intelligence]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1B
*****************************************************************

                       -Chennault
                             -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
                                   -Bugging
                       -Johnson’s conversation with the President
                             -Everett M. Dirksen
                                   -Diem
                       -Johnson’s position
                             -Activities of the President’s surrogates
                                   -The President’s knowledge
                             -The President’s cooperation on peace talks
                                   -[Vantage Point]
                       -Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
                             -J. Edgar Hoover
                                   -The President’s knowledge
                       -FBI leak
                             -[Washington Star] article

      Johnson’s health
           -Johnson’s conversation with Christian
                 -Doctor’s view
                       -April 1973


*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
                                               -11-

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. Jan.-08)

                                                              Conversation No. 812-8 (cont’d)


       1972 election
            -Johnson voting
                   -Public statement
                         -Concern
                         -Absentee
                         -Claudia A. (Taylor) (“Lady Bird”) Johnson
                         -Democratic ticket
                         -George S. McGovern
                                -Pressure for campaign appearance

[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************


       FBI
             -Leaks
                  -Responsibility
                       -White House staff

The President and Haldeman left at 10:54 am.
Transcript (AI-Generated)

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.

I talked to George.
He talked to President Johnson again this morning.
Johnson had his staff working on files and everything.
And last night, Johnson said to George, you know, they've got to deny this this morning.
Johnson said, first of all, after reviewing the policy, he's not going to say anything.
He wasn't going to deny it.
He's not going to.
He's just going to slough it off.
He then went through the whole series of minutes with the Christians.
He said, starting October 17,
Through the 30th, reporting approximately an investor gem here and two over there.
Uh, sure.
That, uh, I mean, we've searched his contacts with that at all.
We were in the construction front, this and that, and all was dealing with vacuum.
Remember, we had that.
Yeah.
And that's when he started looking at me.
And he said, I had Johnson Cold Dirt.
I had no idea what that was writing on.
He said, I did call Mixon and go through the problem with him.
And we agreed that Dirt was working in an intermediary industry.
And Dirt's in that with, yeah, on the Weather 9.
And yeah, we went through all that, smoothed it all over.
He said, I decided at the time,
Johnson said that he decided at the time to interpret this as something foolish that someone did to John Nixon's knowledge and that he and Nixon agreed to do nothing to slow the talks down.
And that we should look at the way he handled it in his book.
That's his position on it.
which wasn't cooperating fully and receiving a few talks and all that stuff.
Then he said to Christian, he said, here's the leading line.
He said, it is conceivable that somebody here may have asked the FBI to follow up on it.
See, last night he said it was absolutely not true.
He said, so maybe it's possible that Hoover did tell the president that he was asked to do this.
And Christian then said, you better handle things straight.
So he said, that is true.
Hoover did tell the president that.
And you should know that.
And he said Johnson wasn't surprised and didn't try to deny that at all.
So he said, now it's clear.
Johnson knows the position we're in.
He knows that you know that Hoover didn't hug you and that we did nothing about it.
Johnson was very grateful for that.
Appreciate it.
And, uh, Christian also added great detail about our concern about the FBI leak, and that our concern is that if we try to move on this story or anything like this, it could be a trap.
In other words, the FBI may be prepared to leak some of this.
Right, right.
Johnson understood that immediately.
He didn't have to spell that out at all.
True.
And Johnson said it briefly.
Johnson also thinks he's going to die.
He told Christian, for the second, third, fourth,
He is very concerned.
He didn't know how he handled his voting story.
He voted absentee.
And he had a friend say today that he had voted, that he and Lady Bird had already voted, that they voted the straight Democratic ticket.
And that's all they're saying.
They're not saying if they voted for the governor, he will not do anything.
They're pushing him unmerc- mercilessly to make an appearance.
They're not saying that.
This is
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