Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 10 › Conversation 010-131

Nixon phone call with Safire on Phase II economic program

Thursday, October 7, 1971 · 12:48 PM–12:51 PM ET · White House Telephone · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Safire, William L.Conversation010-131 on Tape 10 (tape position 04:14:17–04:17:46)StartThursday, October 7, 1971 at 12:48 PMEndThursday, October 7, 1971 at 12:51 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 010-131 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and speechwriter William Safire discuss refinements to the upcoming Phase II economic policy speech, specifically focusing on the language surrounding wage and price controls. They agree to replace the phrase "inflationary pressures ease up" with "brought under control" to project a stronger message. Furthermore, Nixon decides to ad-lib a statement emphasizing his commitment to ending these government controls as soon as they are no longer necessary to prevent them from becoming a permanent fixture of American life.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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yeah mr sapphire sir yeah you are yes sir i have one thought that uh may be just a little bit of a problem uh where we uh where we say what we will and will not do the third point we will continue price and wage restraints until the inflationary pressures ease up but we will not make controls of permanent future of life i think somebody could seize on the ease up as being
I think we better say are brought under control or something.
You get my point?
Are curbed.
Until inflationary pressures are curbed.
I see.
Pressures are dampened.
No, not dampened.
Ease up is too soft.
They'll say, well, they're going to give up too hard.
We can't really say in that context inflation has stopped.
No, no, no, no.
I know that.
I know why you say ease up.
But until the pressionary pressures, I think, really are brought under control is what it is, isn't it?
Well, wait a minute.
I'm using my old reaction about the word control.
It's no longer valid.
We've got it in here, but we will not make controls a permanent feature of American life.
You're using control.
That is very good.
Nice play.
We brought up the control, but we're not making controls a permanent thing.
Hold a minute.
But we will not make controls a permanent feature of American life.
Now, I'm going to add something there on an ad lib basis, not on the text, even though it will sort of destroy your nice little balances you have here.
I'm going to say, but we will not make controls a permanent feature of American life.
When they are no longer needed, we will get rid of them.
I think that needs to be said for reasons that are very, very fundamental because of my own convictions.
And I think the idea of you're looking up and adding it in.
When they are no longer needed, we will get rid of them.
And I just think it's good to say it.
and the way if we raise it this way we will continue pricing wages trance until because we said earlier we're going to stay in this battle till we win it now that's very strong but i want to also say when they are no longer needed we'll get rid of it because the hardest thing we're going to have bill is get rid of these goddamn things and also there will come a time it might even come before the election when we're going to have to get rid of a lot of it
on the ground that, you know, rent controls could be stopping housing and some things could be stopping this and business should be cool and it's breaking down and so forth.
When they're no longer needed, we'll get rid of it.
Instead of when, you want to say as soon as?
Well, yeah, I could say that.
Fine, something like that.
Whatever comes natural, right?
Yeah, yeah, fine, fine.
Okay, I'll be standing by.
Yeah, yeah, all right, let me see on that.
Okay.
Let's see.
Alright, fine.
Thanks, Bill.

NARA Description

On October 7, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and William L. Safire talked on the telephone from 12:48 pm to 12:51 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 010-131 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 10-131

Date: October 7, 1971
Time: 12:48 pm - 12:51 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with William L. Safire.

[See Conversation No. 285-22]

     Phase II speech, October 7, 1971
          -Text of draft
                -Phrase change
                      - Controls of inflation
                           -Wording
                -Additions by the President
                      -Removal of controls

Also recorded on October 7, 1971

  • 285-022 12:48 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William L. Safire met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 12:48 pm to 12:51 pm.
  • 010-132 12:51 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:51 pm and 1:02 pm.
  • 285-023 12:51 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 12:51 pm and 1:02 pm.
  • 285-024 12:51 PM · 9 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 12:51 pm and 1:02 pm.
  • 010-133 1:02 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 1:02 pm.
  • 010-134 1:02 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Marjorie P. Acker talked on the telephone from 1:02 pm to 1:03 pm.
  • 285-025 1:02 PM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Marjorie P. Acker met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:02 pm to 1:03 pm.
  • 010-135 1:03 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, Marjorie P. Acker, and William L. Safire talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:03 pm and 1:20 pm.

All 106 conversations from October 7, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 010-131, October 7, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/010-131 (accessed October 6, 2026).