Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 9 › Conversation 009-006

Nixon phone call with Rockefeller on Attica State Prison and Law and Order

Tuesday, September 14, 1971 · 6:13 PM–6:18 PM ET · White House Telephone · 5 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Rockefeller, Nelson A.Conversation009-006 on Tape 9 (tape position 00:05:44–00:10:24)StartTuesday, September 14, 1971 at 6:13 PMEndTuesday, September 14, 1971 at 6:18 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 009-006 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 417189631 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon calls New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller to express his full support for the Governor's handling of the violent Attica State Prison riot. The two discuss the tactical necessity of the police response, acknowledging the tragedy of the casualties while agreeing that firm action was required to maintain order. Nixon confirms that he has rallied legislative leaders behind Rockefeller and advises the Governor to remain steadfast against potential media or political criticism.

Audio

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NARA Description

On September 14, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Nelson A. Rockefeller talked on the telephone from 6:13 pm to 6:18 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 009-006 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 9-6

Date: September 14, 1971

Time: 6:13 pm - 6:18 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Nelson A. Rockefeller.

[See Conversation No. 278-36C]
     Attica State Prison riots
           -Legislative leaders meeting
                 -Time
                 -Number of Republicans
                 -President's announcement at meeting
                       -Polls
                       -Hugh Scott
                             -Announcement to press
                 -President's support for Rockefeller
                 -Response by Rockefeller
           -Victims
                 -Situation
                       -Troopers
                 -Sharpshooters
           -Reactions by New York Congressional delegation
                 -Jacob K. Javits’s comments
                 -James L. Buckley's comments
                 -Barber B. Conable, Jr.
           -Question of criticism of situation
                 -Action by Rockefeller
                 -President's support
                       -Mass arrests of demonstrators in Washington
           -Rockefeller's conversation with Henry A. Kissinger
                 -Comparison with Cambodia situation
           -Example of Rockefeller's action
           -New York Daily News
           -New York Times
           -Washington Post
           -Thomas Grey (“Tom”) Wicker
           -John D. Ehrlichman

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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Hello, Nelson, I wanted you to know that at the legislative leaders' meeting this morning, at its conclusion, and it's been on the wire, I don't know whether you may have seen it, but there were 19 Republicans there for the weekly leadership, and I said, now look, I want you fellows to know, I said, I usually should not stick my nose in other problems, but I know how it is when you have to handle a hard one.
They have to handle it and then have people who should support you wait until they see what the opinion makers and the polls and so forth.
And I said, I just want you to know that I've told Governor Rockefeller yesterday that I supported him.
And that was that.
All 19 agreed with me.
And Scott went out and told the press that all 19 solidly supported the governor.
And I thought you should know, too, that as I came down on the elevator day, you know, I always take my little private polls.
I'm sure you do.
One of the Negro fellows has been there for many years.
I played it very deadpan.
I said, gee, wasn't that a terrible thing that happened in New York?
And I'm very deadpan.
He said, well, you know, Mr. President, I don't think Governor Rockefeller had any other choice.
So just, you did the right thing, and don't let them get you down, huh?
Oh, listen, I've got...
I think you've got great support on this.
I really do.
I sense it from... No concern.
I'm grateful, and thank God that we didn't lose any more people.
Right.
Well, you handled it well.
Your people handled it well.
But I want you to know that down here, we're going to...
Get a few people with some backbone to stand up on this thing because because I think it's coming We got a little problem of identification As to how the people were killed now looks as though there's some question as to some of them weren't shot by the troopers Well, you know, this is one of those things you can't have sharpshooters picking off the prisoners when the hostages are there with them at a distance with tear gas without maybe having a few accidents and
Oh, sure.
You mean...
If that's the case, it might be that some of them were shot by the guards, but that's life.
They saved a lot of them.
I didn't think we'd get any of them.
Well, you saved a lot of the guards.
32 of them got out.
That's what I mean.
That was worth it.
Oh, I think... No question.
Listen, I tell you...
I know the reaction in...
our congressional delegation, so I thought probably that had gotten down.
Well, now, Javits broke up, you know.
Oh, he was great, and so was Buckley.
And Javits broke up, Buckley did, and it's Lenny Conable, who the congressman in that area was going up, and he nodded, and he says, I backed the governor all the way.
He did.
He made an excellent statement.
But I'm sure they're going to nitpick this thing, and they'll say, well, you could have saved this or that.
The point is, what the hell would they have done?
What would they have done?
You had to do it, and that's one of those things.
It's like when we had to make these arrests, mass arrests, when these clowns came to Washington.
So there were some people that were innocent that claimed they were arrested.
That's just too damn bad, but we had to keep the government running.
Henry called me, and I said, well, Henry, we've had our, what was it you wanted?
Cambodia.
This is our Cambodia up here.
Henry's, yeah.
Henry called you today?
Yeah, he was here today.
Good.
Well, you just stand firm there and don't give an inch.
Don't worry.
Because I think in the country, I think in the country, you see, the example you set...
may step in the backs of a few other governors that may have the problem, but also in the country, too, I think that it may discourage this kind of a riot occurring someplace else.
Well, I think so.
And believe me, what we're going to do to make preparations for the future is, you know...
Really moving on that.
Incidentally.
What about the New York?
The Daily News, I think, would certainly support you on this.
They all have.
How about the Times?
The Daily News, the Times, and the Post even have been good.
Well, good.
Even the Times?
Oh, yes.
Well.
Well, I think this was pretty damn serious up here.
Right.
These people.
Right.
And they had their own man there, Tom Wicker.
I know.
And they couldn't find a solution.
Right.
And so... Well, you let the Ehrlichman know if there's anything more that needs to be said or done or anything from this end, if there is.
And generally, we should stay out.
But you know what I mean.
We're with you.
You're wonderful.
I appreciate it very much.
Okay.
Thanks a thousand.

Also recorded on September 14, 1971

  • 009-003 5:35 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:35 pm and 5:39 pm.
  • 009-004 5:39 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William P. Rogers talked on the telephone from 5:39 pm to 5:42 pm.
  • 278-036 5:39 PM · 33 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, William P. Rogers, Henry A. Kissinger, White House operator, Nelson A. Rockefeller, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:39 pm to 6:35 pm.
  • 009-005 6:07 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:07 pm and 6:13 pm.
  • 009-007 6:18 PM · 13 sec — Henry A. Kissinger and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:18 pm and 6:35 pm.
  • 009-008 6:18 PM · 7 min — Henry A. Kissinger and William P. Rogers talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:18 pm and 6:35 pm.
  • 278-037 6:35 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:35 pm and 6:40 pm.
  • 278-038 6:35 PM · 53 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Manolo Sanchez, and Patrick J. Buchanan met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:35 pm and 6:40 pm.

All 42 conversations from September 14, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 009-006, September 14, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417189631). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/009-006 (accessed November 2, 2026).