Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 11 › Conversation 011-040

Nixon phone call with Mitchell on Supreme Court nomination

Monday, October 11, 1971 · 2:47 PM–2:49 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Mitchell, John N.Conversation011-040 on Tape 11 (tape position 01:00:03–01:02:26)StartMonday, October 11, 1971 at 2:47 PMEndMonday, October 11, 1971 at 2:49 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 011-040 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Attorney General John Mitchell discuss the vetting process for the potential Supreme Court nomination of Mildred L. Lillie. They evaluate the political advantages of her Catholic faith and her marriage to an Italian husband, while also reviewing her judicial record and her husband’s professional background. Mitchell confirms that a nomination package is being prepared for the President's final approval to ensure the appointment remains on schedule.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Hello.
Yeah, how are you getting along with the woman?
Oh, just going great.
Did you find out, or do you know that she's Catholic?
She's Catholic.
That's great.
Yes, sir.
That's great.
And she got a little Italian blood?
Not according to the rhetoric, but it may be.
She's sure got a distinguished-looking Italian husband, though.
And he's a lawyer.
Yes.
You know, I'm not really being facetious.
I really think this helps on the Volpe thing.
What do you think?
I do indeed.
I mean, after all, she's a Catholic married to an Italian.
Yes, it's a fair shot.
He is just what you would want a judge's wife to be.
He's a plotting mediocrity.
Ha, ha, ha.
And rather distinguished looking, you know.
Is he a lawyer?
Yes, a lawyer in practice for 35 years out there without great distinction.
Right.
So that nobody's going to accuse him of influencing the judge's decisions.
Correct.
Good.
And so far as we can see, he checks out all right.
He's been in debt a little bit with some notes at the bank, but he seems to have paid them off and have a reasonably good standing in the community.
So far it just looks great.
And she's been reversed enough by the Supreme Court in California in criminal cases to give her a good standing with the law and order people.
Good, good, good.
She's got a good personality, I think.
People will see that she's not one of these frigid bitches, you know.
That's right, I know, the terrible ones.
Well, this business of the...
by the Catholic thing, and it's very good.
Married to an Italian.
Okay.
So far so good, and hopefully we will have a package for you to approve to send to the bar here the next day or so.
Good.
Fine, John.
So that we can keep on target next week.
Great.
Great.
Good.
I understand you're going to rock them again tomorrow.
I may, yeah.
I don't think they expect much.
I wouldn't.
No.
Wouldn't believe so.
Not much.
Okay.
That ought to tip them a little bit.
Right.
Very good, sir.
Thanks.

NARA Description

On October 11, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and John N. Mitchell talked on the telephone from 2:47 pm to 2:49 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 011-040 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 011-040

 Date: October 11, 1971
 Time: 2:47 pm - 2:49 pm
 Location: White House Telephone

 The President talked with John N. Mitchell.

 [See Conversation No. 287-15]

        Supreme Court nomination
             -Mildred L. Lillie
                  -Catholic
                  -Italian husband
                         -John A. Volpe
                  -Court record
             -Department of Justice [DOJ] recommendations

Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542

Also recorded on October 11, 1971

  • 011-038 2:39 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Tricia Nixon Cox talked on the telephone at 2:39 pm.
  • 011-039 2:39 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone from 2:39 pm to 2:47 pm.
  • 287-015 2:47 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John N. Mitchell met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:47 pm to 2:49 pm.
  • 011-041 2:49 PM · 26 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:49 pm and 4:33 pm.
  • 287-016 2:49 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:49 pm and 4:33 pm.
  • 287-017 2:49 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 2:49 pm and 4:33 pm.
  • 287-018 2:49 PM · 37 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:49 pm and 4:33 pm.
  • 287-019 2:49 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 2:49 pm and 4:33 pm.

All 53 conversations from October 11, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 011-040, October 11, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/011-040 (accessed October 12, 2026).