Conversation 829-011

TapeTape 829StartMonday, January 1, 1973 at 9:35 AMEndMonday, January 1, 1973 at 9:40 AMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Recording deviceOval Office

AI Summary

President Nixon dictates instructions to H. R. Haldeman regarding the selection process for official U.S. delegations, specifically citing the recent funeral of Lester Pearson as an example of overly bureaucratic choices. Nixon mandates that future delegations prioritize rewarding loyalists, major financial and political supporters, and key allies in Congress and the media rather than relying on State Department officials. To streamline this process, he orders the creation of a standing list of approximately 100 vetted individuals to ensure delegations can be formed quickly while maintaining minimal administration representation.

Political patronageDelegation appointmentsLoyalty rewardsH. R. HaldemanWhite House administrationLester Pearson funeral

Audio

NARA Description

On January 1, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:35 am and 9:40 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 829-011 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 829-11

Date: January 1, 1973
Time: Unknown between 9:35 am and 9:40 am
Location: Oval Office

The President dictated a memorandum to H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.

       Selection of attendees at funeral of Lester Pearson
             -Reward for loyalists
                   -Ambassadors
                   -State Department
                   -Spiro T. Agnew
                   -Cabinet members
                   -Names submitted to the President
                   -Labor leaders
                          -Charles W. Colson
             -Criteria for selection
                   -Major financial supporters
                   -Major political supporters
                   -Publishers
                   -Loyalists in Congress
                   -“New Majority” loyalists

       List of delegates to attend functions
             -Minimum administration attendees
             -Reasons for list
             -Types of delegates
                                                -9-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                         (rev. Sept.-08)

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.

This kind of delegation, of course, is, whether it is inaugurating a funeral, a celebration of an annual day or what have you, is a way that we can reward some of our loyalists.

Inevitably, the very few who come from states named some former ambassador or some state department type

The other tendency is to overload it with official types like the vice president, chaplain, officers, etc.

In the case of the Pearson delegation, we would have gotten up in such a hurry that the only names that were submitted to me were the official type.

State Department recommendations and a couple of labor leaders in Colson.

What we need here is to look at major financial contributors, major political supporters, major publishers, and

are loyalists in Congress, as well as some of the loyalists in the majority.

And they have a list of about 100 from which we can crawl in the future whenever we have to put together an delegation in a hurry.

This way, it will not be done on the basis of who happens to be the most vigorous

and getting his constituency represented on the delegation.

Paragraph.

On this list, I want the, I want officials from the administration, I want a representation from administration officials kept to the bare minimum necessary to give it

uh the uh status that uh give the delegation status uh what we need to do is put down the line they've got some other names

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