Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 872 › Conversation 872-012

Nixon, Kaupinen & Eberle on Staff transitions and Federal appointments

Thursday, March 8, 1973 · 1:16 PM–1:21 PM ET · Oval Office · 6 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Jaffe, Jerome H. (Dr.); Davison, Robert V.; Davison, Robert V. (Mrs.); Kaupinen, Allen G.; Kaupinen, Allen G. (Mrs.); Reisner, Robert A. F.; Reisner, Robert A. F. (Mrs.); Eberle, Jane S.; Muse, Carolyn K.; Axelson, GaryConversation872-012 on Tape 872StartThursday, March 8, 1973 at 1:16 PMEndThursday, March 8, 1973 at 1:21 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 872-012 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with several departing White House staff members and their spouses to express his personal appreciation for their service. During the brief session, which included a group photograph, the President discussed the staff's future career transitions into various federal agencies and the private sector. The conversation focused on individual placements, such as Allen Kaupinen's move to the GSA and Jane Eberle’s transition to the State Department, while acknowledging their ongoing contributions to the administration.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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uh... uh... uh... uh...
Thank you, sir.
No, no, no, no.
I was called over to be the number three man in GSA.
If you ask him that for a year, he's got to surrender him and not allow my drug to kill his claim.
That's a very important speculation.
You stand to my right, please.
Would you just drop the person off?
That's all you can actually think of here in the kitchen, so we want to make good.
Well, we appreciate your work, and, uh, we have a little picture around here, but we can see we're seating a lot of people on the haste.
I didn't say it was going to be so much.
Well, you're going to be a part of it.
Oh, you're still part of the team.
That's right, huh?
That's right.
Nice to have you here, and have fun.
Thank you, sir.
President, this is Elizabeth and Rob Reasoner.
Bob Reasoner.
Yes.
Bob was born to come from America, so this is an American campaign.
Yeah, well, we're not done.
It's a great job.
Very nice of you to take your time.
Well, we're glad.
I just wanted to express appreciation for you.
I wish you well.
Thank you very much.
Let's go.
All right.
Thank you.
Just give him a smile.
This is Mrs. Jane Everett.
Yes.
She was in the Governor Reagan's office here for four or five years and has been helping us for the last two.
Wonderful judgments.
Well, it's going over to the State Department.
Yes, I know.
Now we're here.
Thank you.
We have some pretty girls to shoot today.
They have a better restaurant than we have.
This is Carol Hughes.
She's been my secretary for the last five years.
We're night and day here.
Night and day here.
Thank you so much.
Now, where's Carol?
Carol is going with J.D.
Searle.
They're opening a Washington office.
I'm very anxious to find them.
Dad's Washington.
Dad Searle has been talking to her dad.
They're lucky.
I'm excited about it.
I think so.
Go ahead and stand on my right and we'll look out.
See?
It's great to talk to you.
It makes everybody feel free.
I get nervous.
I get nervous.
I get nervous.
I get nervous.
I get nervous.
I get nervous.
I get nervous.
I get nervous.
I get nervous.
Well, yes, sir.
I'm right about making a sign.
But that's the way from those people's fault.
That's the radio matter.
It doesn't matter.
We're using it all the time.
We're going to start a new one.
Let's get a good picture over here before you go.
I'm telling you, this is a good picture, sir.
Oh, I wish you the best.
Thank you very much.
You'll be still recovering.
I'm in the office mostly, Mr. President.
He's behind the desk now.
He's a medic.
Big shot.
Big shot.
It's difficult.
Thank you.

NARA Description

On March 8, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Dr. Jerome H. Jaffe, Robert V. Davison, Mrs. Robert V. Davison, Allen G. Kaupinen, Mrs. Allen G. Kaupinen, Robert A. F. Reisner, Mrs. Robert A. F. Reisner, Jane S. Eberle, Carolyn K. Muse, and Gary Axelson met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:16 pm and 1:21 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 872-012 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 872-12

Date: March 8, 1973
Time: Unknown between 1:16 pm and 1:21 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Robert V. Davison, Mrs. Robert V. Davison, Allen G. Kaupinen, Mrs.
Allen G. Kaupinen, Robert A. F. Reisner, Mrs. Robert A. F. Reisner, Jane S. Eberle, Carolyn K.
Muse, and Jerry H. Jones. The White House photographer was present at the beginning of the
meeting. Gary Axelson was present at an unknown time after 1:16 pm.

       Introductions
             -Canada
             -Dinner

       Work of departing staff members
            -Pay
            -Allen Kaupinen’s new job
                  -General Services Administration [GSA]
            -President's appreciation
            -Placement in Federal agencies

       Robert Reisner
            -Assistance to Clark MacGregor
            -President's appreciation
            -Photograph session

       Jane Eberle
             -Work with Ronald W. Reagan
             -Job at State Department

             Carolyn Muse-Work for Jerry Jones
             -New job
                  -J. D. Serle [?]

       Gary Axelson
            -Press coverage of campaign
                  -William P. Rogers
            -Radio compared to television [TV]
                                             -20-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                           Conversation No. 872-23 (cont’d)

       Photograph

       Axelson’s desk job

An unknown man entered at 1:21 pm.

Davidson et al. left at 1:21 pm.

       Meeting with Tony Martin

The unknown man left at 1:21 pm.

Also recorded on March 8, 1973

  • 872-008 12:46 PM · 24 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at 12:46 pm.
  • 872-009 12:46 PM · 24 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:46 pm and 12:53 pm.
  • 872-010 12:46 PM · 47 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:46 pm and 12:53 pm.
  • 872-013 1:22 PM · 11 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Tony Martin, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:22 pm and 1:33 pm.
  • 872-014 1:33 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:33 pm and 2:20 pm.
  • 872-015 1:33 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 1:33 pm and 2:20 pm.
  • 872-016 1:33 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:33 pm and 2:20 pm.
  • 872-024 1:33 PM · 11 sec — unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:33 pm and 2:20 pm.

All 32 conversations from March 8, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 872-012, March 8, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/872-012 (accessed October 6, 2026).