Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 820-020
Date: Tuesday, December 12, 1972 at 2:20 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")
Recording device: Oval Office
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/820-020

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:02] Alex raised a question about the dealer and coming to the cabinet thing.
[0:15] And I said, well, then what about Sapphire and Price and Garmin?
[0:28] And the point, the point that I make is that I just don't think it, I think you ought to just stop it at three and leave Flanagan off too.
[0:36] Well, no, it's not that one off now.
[0:43] We've just got to get that man in his proper position anyway, you know.
[0:46] Because he shouldn't be on for these things.
[0:49] Because we're not, you know, we've changed that deal to understand it.
[0:59] What can we do about this?
[1:01] Oh, can you have him sling her in on the ground?
[1:36] I'd like you to have a little talk, if you will, sometime at the top, people, that all this horseshit and the effect that it must have there, it's going to be noted, which, of course, is Henry's.
[1:50] It's going to be changed now.
[1:51] Now, there are times that I may want to see Ziegler, and I don't want Flanagan around, for example.
[1:57] And there may be times that I want to see Flanagan, and I don't want, you know, Erlinger around.
[2:03] And can't we do that or not?
[2:05] Or is it just socially just too much of a problem?
[2:08] We just have to always have the people socially that they're ranked at certain levels or it's going to be all that stuff.
[2:14] I really think we've got to do it, Bob, because... And the life of the cabin.
[2:19] Now, let's come down to some cold turkey.
[2:22] We don't invite the whole cabin to everything, do we?
[2:27] We invite one or two for some, right?
[2:31] And so why do we have to, as a White House staff, why do we have to say, well, a deed has to come, or it's going to be noted that they're not there?
[2:38] I mean, really, it's the same thing, isn't it?
[2:43] You're going to have to be talking to them later.
[2:46] So at this time, I don't give a damn.
[2:47] We can have the whole staff if you want, if there's room.
[2:50] But you know what I mean?
[2:51] It doesn't really matter.
[2:52] I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings around Christmas.
[2:54] But I do think we ought to really get away from this nonsense to the effect that, well, it's going to be noted if I'm not there.
[3:02] It's not going to be another cabinet or anybody else.
[3:05] Some people come, some people don't.
[3:07] And then particularly, particularly this is true, this is true, then cabinet people can't bench when they see, well, why do all staff people come, see?
[3:17] And they do sometimes.
[3:20] So I think we ought to, or if you have another feeling about it, maybe we better just do it the other way.
[3:25] What do you think?
[3:32] of that, but Alex said he thought we ought to raise it because they've raised it with him.
[3:36] If, for example, but my point is if this were a meeting of legislative leaders or something like that, or they were president of that,
[4:06] People have to feel that they've got to come to every social event in order to be able to carry out their jobs.
[4:11] I just think we've got to get different people.
[4:13] That's what I feel about it.
[4:16] And I just don't.
[4:19] I think it's relevant.