RICHARD NIXON TAPES: A Shy President (1)

-Part 1-
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 first part of the conversation, after initially discussing a TV show about Nixon's wife Pat Nixon, the two men talk about Nixon's military aides. Nixon wants one military aide that he is totally comfortable around. He wants to work with someone he already knows because, he says, "it takes me a hell of a long time to get acquainted with anybody, to get used to them." One of the men he discusses is Jack Brennan, a key character in the new movie Frost/Nixon. He especially likes one aide named Coffey, because he is "extremely easy" on Nixon to be around and he knows "how to melt into the woodwork."

They also discuss the duties of Nixon's personal secretary and friend, Rose Mary Woods, who was then signing his autograph for him. Nixon praises the new secretary Nell Yates, and he also suggests that Woods' secretary Marje Acker could take over some of Woods speech typing duties.

(Photo: President Richard Nixon in his Executive Office Building (EOB) Office with photographs of his daughters behind him.)

(NARA censors beeped out some of this conversation as "personal returnable." This is represented here by approximately 5 second beeps.)

You can hear the second part of this conversation here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnzrnnI6g60

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[grumpytosnowwhite]

It's kinda odd to hear a guy who's supposed to be a lying scumbag talking about being shy and wondering about if he would like people. Just like a real person.

[jatroup12]

I find tapes like this very fascinating even though they are not, on the surface, about anything earth-shattering. Nixon had a great voice, distinct and pleasant to listen to. He would have made a great radio personality.

[nuts4clara]

I wonder who this "coffey" is, Juan Valdez? XD

[jimmbo13]

@jatroup12 I too often thought he had a good strong, distinct, deep voice. Reagans was more pleasant and polished delivery, FDR had a nice, patrician, baritone. Jimmy Carter and George HW Bush had rather unpleasant voices.

[univibe23]

2:26 "he doesn't smell"??

[capricious71]

I can't imagine George W Bush being like this. Nixon was a bright guy and clearly sensitive, whatever his politics were. 

[number676766]

I'm a liberal, Nixon was not bad. He continued many liberal reforms started before him.

[knightschwartz]

the left has painted him so unfairly. Watergate is a blip in our history. Nixon's worst act isn't even in the school textbooks which was his ending the gold standard. The nation destroying 1965 Immigration Reform Act is 100 times more important than Watergate is but they don't even tell schoolkids about that (the 1965 act put us on the road to becoming majority minority).

[knightschwartz]

the left has painted him so unfairly. Watergate is a blip in our history. Nixon's worst act isn't even in the school textbooks which was his ending the gold standard. The nation destroying 1965 Immigration Reform Act is 100 times more important than Watergate is but they don't even tell schoolkids about that (the 1965 act put us on the road to becoming majority minority).

[SPQRImperator]

@jatroup12 I so agree.

Fantastic voice.

[gwangjuboy1]

These recordings are great - I could listen to them all day. I don't think there is a source that is as revealing about the heart of power. This could easily be one of us chatting with our friends. Incredible.