Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 183 › Conversation 183-002

Ehrlichman & Ziegler on 1972 election and George McGovern

Tuesday, November 14, 1972 · 10:04 AM–11:36 AM ET · Camp David Study Desk · 1 min

ParticipantsEhrlichman, John D.; Ziegler, Ronald L.Conversation183-002 on Tape 183StartTuesday, November 14, 1972 at 10:04 AMEndTuesday, November 14, 1972 at 11:36 AMRecording deviceCamp David Study DeskSourceNixon Library record for 183-002 ↗

AI Summary

John D. Ehrlichman directs Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler to adopt a strict policy of providing "no comment" regarding all future statements made by George McGovern, Sargent Shriver, and other Democratic leaders following the 1972 election. Ehrlichman emphasizes that the White House should treat these political figures as if they do not exist to avoid engaging in post-election recriminations. The conversation establishes this blanket refusal to comment as the official strategy for dealing with inquiries about the defeated opposition.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Sure.
President, I would like you to just no comment that McGovern cracked about the Wallace people.
And also, just consistently, no comment anything McGovern says from here on out.
We'll get at it, Elie Schreiber, and we'll get at it another way.
All right.
Well, I mean, two others.
But from you and the White House, you just have to see if they didn't exist.
Brian, Mrs. Westwood, Shriver, McGovern, the whole crowd.
I had more on down to this, and I think this is transmitted, but let me just bounce it off of you.
If I would be asked for a comment, it would simply be to say, the only observation I have is that tens of millions of independent Americans
Eric, regardless of the party, thought about the issues and voted on the issues.
No.
No.
You just don't have any comment.
No comment.
That's it.
Right.
See, the election's over and you just don't have any comment on these political recriminations.
All right.
But you don't say that.
You just say no comment.
Yes, sir.
Okay.
I'm with him right now.
Yep.
Okay.
Thanks.
Bye.

NARA Description

On November 14, 1972, John D. Ehrlichman and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:04 am and 11:36 am. The Camp David Study Desk taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 183-002 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 183-2

Date: November 14, 1972
Time: Unknown between 10:04 am and 11:36 am
Location: Camp David Study Desk

John D. Ehrlichman talked with Ronald L. Ziegler.

[See Conversation No. 224-15B]

*****************************************************************

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift during
chronological review 2007-2013]

       1972 election
            -Press statements
                   -George S. McGovern
                        -George C. Wallace
                        -No comment
                  -R. Sargent Shriver
                  -Lawrence F. O’Brien, Jr.
                  -Jean Westwood
                  -McGovern
                        -Ziegler’s response
                              -Independents
                              -No comment

*****************************************************************

Also recorded on November 14, 1972

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  • 224-012 9:54 AM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at 9:54 am.
  • 224-013 9:54 AM · 26 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:54 am and 10:02 am.
  • 153-007 10:02 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Mamie G. Eisenhower talked on the telephone at Camp David from 10:02 am to 10:04 am.
  • 224-014 10:02 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Mamie G. Eisenhower met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 10:02 am to 10:04 am.
  • 153-008 10:04 AM · 25 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:04 am and 11:36 am.
  • 183-001 10:04 AM · 49 sec — John D. Ehrlichman, Camp David operator, President Richard M. Nixon, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:04 am and 11:36 am.
  • 224-015 10:04 AM — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, John D. Ehrlichman, unknown person(s), Camp David operator, Ronald L. Ziegler, Alexander P. Butterfield, and Henry M. ("Scoop") Jackson met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 10:04 am to 12:40 pm.

All 56 conversations from November 14, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 183-002, November 14, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/183-002 (accessed October 2, 2026).