Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 12 › Conversation 012-077
Nixon phone call with Woods on Supreme Court appointments and gender diversity
Thursday, October 21, 1971 · 9:47 PM–9:50 PM ET · White House Telephone · 3 min
AI Summary
President Nixon and his personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, discuss the administration's stance on appointing women and minorities to high-level positions, specifically regarding the Supreme Court. The two express skepticism toward selecting candidates based on identity politics, arguing that such appointments undermine meritocracy and the professional readiness of the individuals involved. This exchange highlights the President's internal deliberations concerning diversity initiatives and the pressure to fill influential government roles.
- Supreme Court appointments
- gender diversity
- affirmative action
- meritocracy
- administration personnel policy
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
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NARA Description
On October 21, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods talked on the telephone from 9:47 pm to 9:50 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 012-077 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No.012-077
Date: October 21, 1971
Time: 9:47 pm- 9:50 pm
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with Rose Mary Woods.
Reports on President’s speech
******************************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 12/15/2017.
47s segment cleared for release. 7s remain closed as 012-077-w001.]
Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542
[Personal Returnable]
[012-077-w001]
[Duration: 47s]
Julie Nixon Eisenhower’s and Tricia Nixon Cox’s calls to Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[012-077-w001]
[Duration: 7s]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
******************************************************************************
Public treatment of Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon
-Democrats
-Press coverage
-Headlines
******************************************************************************
Administration positions for women
-Supreme Court
-Blacks
******************************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 08/10/2017.
45s segment cleared for release. 2s remain closed as 012-077-w002.]
[Personal Returnable]
Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542
[012-077-w002]
[Duration: 45s]
Speech announcing the Supreme Court nominations
-The President’s schedule
-Rose Mary Woods’s opinion
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[012-077-w002]
[Duration: 2s]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
******************************************************************************
Attempt to nominate a female justice to the Supreme Court
Positive response to speech announcing the Supreme Court nominations
******************************************************************************Also recorded on October 22, 1971
- 012-070 9:21 PM · 29 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 9:21 pm.
- 012-071 9:21 PM · 10 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 9:21 pm to 9:31 pm.
- 012-072 9:44 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 9:44 pm.
- 012-073 9:44 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone from 9:44 pm to 9:45 pm.
- 012-074 9:45 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 9:45 pm.
- 012-075 9:45 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:45 pm and 9:47 pm.
- 012-076 9:45 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:45 pm and 9:47 pm.
- 012-078 9:50 PM · 14 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 9:50 pm to 10:04 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 012-077, October 22, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/012-077 (accessed October 12, 2026).