RICHARD NIXON TAPES: A Shy President (2)

-Part 2-
H. R. (Bob) Haldeman
September 12, 1971
008-103
White House Telephone

President Richard Nixon talks with his Chief of Staff Bob Haldeman. In the second part of the conversation, Nixon tells Haldeman how Rev. Billy Graham and Secretary of the Treasury John Connally suggested to Nixon that he did not need to stand in a receiving line shaking people's hands after White House worship services. Not a people-person anyway, Nixon likes the idea but realizes that his wife Pat Nixon thinks he should shake hands. Haldeman (who had a somewhat contentious relationship with the First Lady) suggests that maybe just Pat alone should shake hands, while Nixon goes back to work.

The president changed his mind on the issue of shaking hands after church, as you can hear in this conversation with Pat Nixon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXzUD_4b1cM

Nixon and Haldeman also discuss busing issues in Boston.

(Photo: Pat Nixon shaking hands during the 1960 presidential campaign. Richard Nixon is behind her.)

(NARA censors beeped out large segments of this conversation as "personal returnable." They are represented here by approximately 5 second beeps.)

You can hear the first part of this conversation here (Nixon discusses the difficulties he has in getting to know people): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCgEcgiLO2k

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[wonkacorp]

nixon talks to off load, not really to hear what haldamen thinks. must have been both an honor to be the President's sounding board, but also a bit of a pain...like: uhm, do you really want to hear what I think, or not?

[calimar28]

great history! Love listening to the tapes, Nixon is fascinating.

[MrBEB123]

Nixon, Ford and Regan were smart and good conversationalists. The Republican and thus Conservative philosophy is based on facts whereas the Democratic / liberal "philosophy" is based on winning at all costs by means of catering to every semi-warm body that really cannot make it fair and square.

[vincelogan1]

Whoop

[at1212b]

heh, very true. But if you actually here LBJ's conversation, very similar.. but the way LBJ did it, was definitley a hoot to hear.