Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 822 › Conversation 822-006
Nixon, Armstrong & Haldeman on White House Staffing
Wednesday, December 13, 1972 · 3:08 PM–3:47 PM ET · Oval Office · 39 min
AI Summary
President Nixon, Anne Armstrong, and H.R. Haldeman met to discuss staffing for the administration's second term, specifically focusing on a new, high-level role for Armstrong within the White House. The participants considered placing Armstrong in a senior advisory position—rather than the Chief of Protocol—to better leverage her political skills, manage the Bicentennial Commission, and address criticism regarding the representation of women. Nixon emphasized the need for a specific, authoritative title and an office within the White House complex to ensure Armstrong had the necessary proximity and influence to manage key policy and political initiatives.
- Anne L. Armstrong
- White House Staffing
- Bicentennial Commission
- Second Term Reorganization
- Women in Government
- Political Strategy
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
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NARA Description
On December 13, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Anne L. Armstrong, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:08 pm to 3:47 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 822-006 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 822-6
Date: December 13, 1972
Time: 3:08 pm – 3:47 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Anne L. Armstrong and H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
Greetings
[Photograph session]
-Washington Redskins-Dallas Cowboys game, December 10, 1972
-Result
-Injuries
-Larry Brown
-Armstrong’s schedule
-6-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 822-14 (cont’d)
-Ice storm in Texas
*****************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift during
chronological review 2007-2013]
Republican National Committee [RNC] Chairmanship
-George H. W. Bush
*****************************************************************
United Nations [UN]
-George H. W. Bush’s view
-Value
-Hijacking vote, December 12, 1972
-Africa
*****************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift during
chronological review 2007-2013]
United Nations [UN]
-Compared to Republican Party
Bush
-Accomplishments
-Senate and House committees
Robert C. (“Bob”) Wilson
-Decision to run
-Newspaper reports
-Washington Post, Dallas Morning News
-Daniel H. Kuykendall
-Haldeman’ to follow-up on story
-Gerald R. Ford
-7-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 822-14 (cont’d)
Republican candidates
-New Majority
-Wilson, William E. Brock, III
-Senate
-Bush
-House of Representatives
-Age
-Quality
-Ford
-Clarence J. (“Bud”) Brown, Jr.
-Wilson
Refreshments
Republican candidates
-Wilson
-1968 election
-Bush
-Brown
-Barber B. Conable, Jr.
-Ford
-Kuykendall
-Tennessee
-Bush
-Unified organization
-Research finance
-Republican campaign, committees
-1971 campaign finances
-Robert J. (“Bob”) Dole
-Work during 1972 campaign
-Concentration of resources
-1974 Congressional elections
-State legislatures
-Candidates
-Armstrong
-Speech at Republican Convention
-Democratic Party
-Public attitude
-New Majority
-8-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 822-14 (cont’d)
-Tom Flynn [?]
-The President’s outreach
-Maryland, Florida
-1972 election
-Florida, Texas
-Ethnics
-Divisions
John B. Connally
-Conversations with Armstrong and the President
-Invitation to support the President
-Texas Republican Party
-Leader of Texas politics
-Future with Democrats
-Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy
-Robert S. Strauss
*****************************************************************
Second term reorganization
-Armstrong
-Chief of Protocol
-Armstrong’s conversation with Haldeman
-Tobin Armstrong’s schedule
-Parties
-Trips
-US image
-Ranch
-Trips
-1973
-Europe
-Number
-Europe
-[Leonid I. Brezhnev’s] trip to the US
-Europe
-February
-Soviet Union, People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Duration
-Image
-9-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 822-14 (cont’d)
-Tobin Armstrong
-Conversation with Dwight L. Chapin
-State Department
-Bicentennial Commission
-The President’s note
-Chairmanship
-David J. Mahoney, Jr.
-Management
-Communications
-Liaison to state commissions, governors, countries
-Anne Armstrong’s schedule
-Compared to Chief of Protocol
-Tobin Armstrong
-Problems
-Mahoney’s schedule
-Committee
-Management
-Politics
-1972 election
-Congressional relations
-Democrats
-James Roosevelt
-Franklin D. Roosevelt
-Chairmanship
-Women
-Appointment to high positions
-Marriage
-Marina von N. Whitman
-[Robert Whitman]
-University of Pittsburgh
-Atomic Energy Commission [AEC]
-Oveta Culp Hobby
-Frances Perkins
-Hobby
-Chief of Protocol
-Ambassadorship
-Symbolism
-Bicentennial Commission
-Co-chairmanship
-Value
-10-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 822-14 (cont’d)
-“Sales” ability
-Television [TV]
-Women
-White House staff
-Cuts
-Barbara H. Franklin
-Recruitment
-Blacks, Jews, women
-Anne Armstrong’s schedule
-Texas
-Bicentennial Commission
-Liaison
-Leonard Garment
-The President’s conversation with Hobart D. (“Hobe”) Lewis
-Liaison with former Presidents
-Special consultancy
-Congressional relations
-Ethnic quotas
-Office location
-Jackson [Place]
-James Biddle
-Compared to Executive Office Building [EOB]
-Purpose
-Role
-Advisor
-Speaker
-Liaison
-Bicentennial Commission
-Republican Party
-Woman
-Role
-Compared to Garment
-Special Consultant or Special Counsel
-Bicentennial Commission
-Other duties
-Women’s groups’ criticism
-Special Consultant
-Possible title
-Special Consultant
-Importance
-11-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 822-14 (cont’d)
-Anne Armstrong’s schedule
-Women
-Point of view
-Franklin’s office
-Office of Management and Budget [OMB]
-Personnel
-Policy
-Virginia H. Knauer
-Consumer Affairs
-Depart of Health, Education and Welfare [HEW]
-Office location
-Jackson Place
-Bicentennial Commission
-EOB
-Counselors
-Cabinet
-Bicentennial Commission
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 3:08 pm.
The President’s schedule
-George P. Shultz
Bull left at an unknown time before 3:47 pm.
Second term reorganization
-Armstrong
-Bicentennial Commission
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-Concern
-Francis J. (“Frank”) Sinatra
-Chairmanship
-Chairmanship
-Garment
-White House staff
-Need for specific responsibilities
-Charles B. (“Bud”) Wilkinson
-[National Center for Voluntary Action] [NCVA]
-Bryce N. Harlow’s view
-Counselor to the President
-12-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 822-14 (cont’d)
-NCVA
-Wilkinson
-George W. Romney
-Compared to Bicentennial Commission
-Bicentennial Commission
-Possible failure
-Richard M. Nixon era
-Possible failure
-Congress
-States’ responsibility
-Armstrong
-Bicentennial Commission
-Possible failure
-White House staff
-Possible staff
-Office location
-Specific responsibilities
-Announcement
-Bicentennial Commission
-Political meetings
-Bush
The President’s schedule
-Shultz
*****************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift during
chronological review 2007-2013]
Wilson candidacy
-Message to Ford
-The President’s support
-Fundraising
-House Campaign Committee
-Photographs with the President
-Role for women
-1972 campaign
-Dole
-13-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 822-14 (cont’d)
-Clark MacGregor
-Committee to Re-elect the President [CRP]
-Lack of women on staff
-Rita E. Hauser
-Pat Hutar
-Volunteer
*****************************************************************
Second term reorganization
-Armstrong
-White House staff
-Politics
-John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
-Garment
-Modern art
-Nancy Hanks
-Bicentennial Commission
-Kennedy Center
-Modern architecture and art
-The President’s view
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Garment
-1973 Inauguration
-Reviewing stand
-Weather
-“The Movement”
-Physical appearances, lives
-[Robert H. Bork]
-Solicitor General
-Beard
-Conservatism
-Barry M. Goldwater
-Lifestyle
-The President’s views
-Public opinion
-Ted Cummings
-Hollywood
-Compared to Chief of Protocol
-14-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 822-14 (cont’d)
-Image
-Tobin Armstrong
-The President’s travels
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-Anne Armstrong’s schedule
-New Majority
-Bicentennial Commission
-Anne Armstrong’s relationship with Bush, William E. Brock, III
-Women
-Political meetings
-Fights
-Republican Party
-Constance Armitage of National Federation of
Republican Women
-Groups’ criticism
-AEC
-Dr. Edward E. David, Jr.
-Shultz
-Change
-Cabinet
-Supreme Court
-Preparation
-Anne Armstrong’s possible conversation with Haldeman
-Possible title
-Compared to Garment’s title
-Office location
-White House, EOB
-Bicentennial Commission
-Politics
-Special projects
-South
-Recruitment
-South
-Democrats
-Relationship with John E. Tower
-Background
-Texas
-Southern Republicans
-Harry F. Byrd, Jr.
-Linwood Holton’s view
-15-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 822-14 (cont’d)
Armstrong and Haldeman left at 3:47 pm.Also recorded on December 13, 1972
- 822-002 2:48 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:48 pm and 2:57 pm.
- 822-003 2:48 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:48 pm and 2:57 pm.
- 822-004 2:48 PM · 53 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:48 pm and 2:57 pm.
- 822-005 2:57 PM · 10 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald H. Walker, Dwight L. Chapin, Stephen B. Bull, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:57 pm to 3:07 pm.
- 822-007 3:47 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:47 pm and 3:48 pm.
- 822-008 3:48 PM · 24 min — President Richard M. Nixon, George P. Shultz, Edwin S. Cohen, and Lewis A. Engman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:48 pm to 4:13 pm.
- 034-063 4:13 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:13 pm and 4:15 pm.
- 822-009 4:13 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:13 pm and 4:15 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 822-006, December 13, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/822-006 (accessed October 1, 2026).