Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 12 › Conversation 012-017
Nixon phone call with Mitchell on Supreme Court appointments
Wednesday, October 20, 1971 · 5:49 PM–5:50 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min
AI Summary
President Nixon consulted with Attorney General John Mitchell regarding the strategic timing of an upcoming Supreme Court appointment announcement. Nixon instructed Mitchell to coordinate the release to coincide with prime-time network coverage, while issuing an ultimatum to a candidate who had not yet arrived in Washington. Additionally, Nixon directed Mitchell to compile favorable background dossiers emphasizing the academic credentials of potential nominees to ensure a strong public presentation.
Audio
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data
Each line starts with a timestamp button; press it to play the audio from that point.
NARA Description
On October 20, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and John N. Mitchell talked on the telephone from 5:49 pm to 5:50 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 012-017 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 012-017
Date: October 20, 1971
Time: 5:49 pm- 5:50 pm
Location: White House Telephone
Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542
The President talked with John N. Mitchell.
[See Conversation No. 282-32B]
Supreme Court appointments
-Announcement timing
-Networks
-Ronald L. Ziegler briefing
-Nominees
-Howard H. Baker, Jr.
-Department of Justice role
-Briefing papersAlso recorded on October 20, 1971
- 012-015 5:33 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John N. Mitchell talked on the telephone from 5:33 pm to 5:40 pm.
- 282-030 5:33 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John N. Mitchell met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:33 pm to 5:40 pm.
- 012-016 5:40 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, unknown person(s), White House operator, and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:40 pm and 5:49 pm.
- 282-031 5:40 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:40 pm and 5:49 pm.
- 282-032 5:40 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, Manolo Sanchez, White House operator, and John N. Mitchell met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:40 pm and 5:49 pm.
- 012-018 5:50 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:50 pm and 6:05 pm.
- 282-033 5:53 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:53 pm to 6:05 pm.
- 282-034 5:53 PM · 13 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 5:53 pm and 6:05 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 012-017, October 20, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/012-017 (accessed September 28, 2026).