President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman met to discuss White House staff reorganization, upcoming inauguration ceremonies, and public relations strategy. They reviewed the logistics of the inaugural worship service—specifically balancing religious representation—and debated how to manage personnel departures, including Dwight Chapin and Alexander Butterfield, to avoid political damage. Additionally, the President expressed reluctance to issue formal statements regarding the Watergate and Segretti controversies before trial proceedings concluded, opting instead to maintain a low profile to protect his credibility.
On December 12, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:58 pm to 2:20 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 820-018 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 820-18
Date: December 12, 1972
Time: 1:58 pm - 2:20 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
The President’s schedule
-Meeting with Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Meeting with Jewell R. Lafontant, John D. Ehrlichman
-Meeting with Gordon C. Strachan, Frank J. Shakespeare
Haldeman’s conversation with William F. (“Billy”) Graham
-The President’s possible meeting with Graham
-Graham’s trip
-1972 election
-Graham’s meeting with [Shah of Iran] Mohammed Reza Pahlavi
-Civilization
-Shah’s message for the President
-Second term reorganization
-Young people
-1973 Inauguration worship service at White House
-John Cardinal Krol
-Graham
-Rabbi Edgar F. Magnin
-Black minister
-Dr. E. V. Hill
-Convictions of Christ
-Effect on Jews
-Ecumenical service
-Evangelical reaction
-Participants
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
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Conversation No. 820-18 (cont’d)
-Black minister
-Greek, Jew, Catholic, Protestant
-Black Protestant
-Invocation, benediction
-Number
-Greek
-Black
-1969 Inauguration
-Avoiding separate service
-Norman Vincent Peale
-Black minister
-Protestants
-Hill
-California Baptist Convention
-Participants
-Graham
-Krol
-Magnin
-Geography
-Hill
-Protocol
-Procession
-New Majority
-Washington, DC hierarchy
-Daniel P. (“Pat”) Moynihan appointment
-Effect on Indian democracy
An unknown person entered and left at an unknown time before 2:20 pm.
Telephone call
-Corinne (Claiborne) (“Lindy”) Boggs
-The President’s previous call
-William E. Timmons’s possible telephone call
-[Pegge (Jendro) Begieh]
-Memorial service for [Thomas] Hale Boggs
-Carl B. Albert
-Drinking
-Return call
-Timmons
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. May-08)
Conversation No. 820-18 (cont’d)
-Albert’s secretary
-Timmons’s possible call
-Memorial service
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon’s attendance
-California
-Memorial service
-The President’s attendance
-Pressures
-Presidential airplane
-Allen J. Ellender funeral
Second term reorganization
-Moynihan
-Symbolism
-The President’s conversation with Ronald L. Ziegler
-Changes
-Press relations
-Ziegler’s view
-John F. Osborne
-Defense Department
-State Department
-Justice Department
-William P. Rogers
-Richard G. Kleindienst
-Press relations
-Washington, DC
-The President’s conversation with Henry A. Kissinger
-1972 election
-Power
Press relations
-New Republic
-[Oriana Fallaci] story
-Osborne
-Return calls from Kissinger
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-News summary
-Pravda
-Osborne and Hugh S. Sidey
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
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Conversation No. 820-18 (cont’d)
-Analyses
-Osborne
-Kissinger interview
-Interview techniques
-Washington Post
-East Wing
-The President’s conversation with Ziegler
-Possible staff firings
-Photographers
-Christmas
-Mrs. Nixon
-Tree
Watergate
-Buchanan’s note
-Donald H. Segretti
-White House statements
-Upcoming trials
-Segretti case
-Status
-Edward M. Kennedy’s action
-Congressional investigation
-White House action
-White House, Committee for the Re-election of the President [CRP]
involvement
-Second term reorganization
-Post-1972 election
-Trial, Kennedy investigation
-The President’s possible statement
-Credibility
-Timing
-Trial, investigation
-White House “White Paper”
-The President’s possible statement
-Haldeman’s view
-Record
-White House staff involvement
-The President’s meeting with Gordon C. Strachan
-Dwight L. Chapin
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. May-08)
Conversation No. 820-18 (cont’d)
-Retention or departure
-Richard A. Moore’s view
-L[ouis] Patrick Gray, III
-Moore’s view
-Haldeman’s view
-Charles W. Colson
-Public relations [PR]
-Moore’s view
-Reappointment
-Timing
-Christmas
-Private sector job
-Alexander P. Butterfield
Second term reorganization
-Butterfield
-Secretary of the Air Force or Navy
-Cronyism
-Political handout
-Under Secretary
-State Department
-Defense Department
-White House
-Women
-Meetings
-Mexican-Americans
-Frederic V. Malek
-Cabinet
-Anne L. Armstrong
-Meeting with the President
-Chief of Protocol
-Compared to Special Assistant to the President
-Visibility
-William R. Codus
-Deputy Chief of Protocol
-John E. Nidecker
-Herbert G. Klein
-Armstrong
-Chief of Protocol
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. May-08)
Conversation No. 820-18 (cont’d)
-Ambassadorship
-Emil (“Bus”) Mosbacher, Jr.
-Chief of Protocol
-Ambassadorship to France or Britain
-Jews
-Ambition
Call to Albert
-Timmons
-Instruction
-John C. Stennis
George P. Shultz
-Conversation with Peter G. Peterson
-Peterson’s trip
The President and Haldeman left at 2:20 pm.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.