Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 8 › Conversation 008-088

Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on John D. Ehrlichman

Sunday, September 12, 1971 · 4:31 PM ET · White House Telephone · 11 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation008-088 on Tape 8 (tape position 03:58:32–03:58:42)StartSunday, September 12, 1971 at 4:31 PMEndSunday, September 12, 1971 at 4:31 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 008-088 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon directed the White House operator to place a call to John D. Ehrlichman. He explicitly instructed the operator to avoid interrupting Ehrlichman if he was currently attending a social event. This brief interaction served as a standard administrative request to facilitate a consultation between the President and his top advisor.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Please.
Would you try Mr. Ehrlichman, please?
Yes, sir.
Don't get him out of a social function or anything.
All right, Mr. President.

NARA Description

On September 12, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 4:31 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 008-088 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 8-88

Date: September 12, 1971
Time: 4:31 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with the White House operator.

[See Conversation No. 278-23]

     Request for call to John D. Ehrlichman

Also recorded on September 12, 1971

  • 008-089 4:31 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 4:31 pm.
  • 278-023 4:31 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 4:31 pm.
  • 278-024 4:31 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 4:31 pm.
  • 278-025 4:31 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:31 pm and 4:37 pm.
  • 008-090 4:35 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 4:35 pm.
  • 008-091 4:35 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:35 pm and 4:37 pm.
  • 008-092 4:37 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 4:37 pm.
  • 008-093 4:37 PM · 18 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Robert H. Finch talked on the telephone from 4:37 pm to 4:55 pm.

All 32 conversations from September 12, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 008-088, September 12, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/008-088 (accessed October 9, 2026).