Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 14 › Conversation 014-144

Nixon phone call with MacGregor on Boland amendment

Tuesday, November 16, 1971 · 6:39 PM–6:40 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator; MacGregor, ClarkConversation014-144 on Tape 14 (tape position 04:27:46–04:28:46)StartTuesday, November 16, 1971 at 6:39 PMEndTuesday, November 16, 1971 at 6:40 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 014-144 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with Clark MacGregor regarding the administration's strategy to defeat the impending Boland amendment during a scheduled congressional vote. MacGregor reported confidence in the outcome while noting efforts to suppress Howard W. Robison’s substitute proposal to ensure a clean up-or-down vote. Nixon emphasized the severe political consequences of the amendment, reinforcing the administration’s firm opposition previously communicated to Gerald R. Ford.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yeah.
Mr. McGregor.
Hello, Clark.
Yes, Mr. President.
What's the report down there on that Boland thing?
We're confident that we're going to defeat it.
When will they vote?
Should be within the next hour, Mr. President.
I see.
Estimated about 7.30.
Can you get it up or down on that, or are they going to modify it?
Howard Robison of New York, unfortunately, is insisting on offering a substitute proposal, but we're going to try and get that cleared away so as to get the up or down vote that you wanted.
What if we could just get it on that?
Oh, yes.
The Bullen Amendment is so unconscionable.
That's right.
It's unbelievable.
Well, if they do, let me say, I hate to have it happen in the House, but the blood is on their hands.
I understand.
And they do, too, Mr. President, as a result of your passing that word this morning to Jerry Ford and others.
You made it crystal clear, and that was most helpful to us.
All right, Clark.
Thank you, Mr. President.

NARA Description

On November 16, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Clark MacGregor talked on the telephone from 6:39 pm to 6:40 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 014-144 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 14-144

Date: November 16, 1971
Time: 6:39 pm - 6:40 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with the White House operator.

     Clark MacGregor

The President talked with MacGregor.

     Forthcoming congressional vote
          -Edward P. Boland amendment
               -Howard W. Robison's substitute
               -The President's conversation with Gerald R. Ford

Also recorded on November 16, 1971

  • 014-140 3:16 PM · 11 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 3:16 pm to 3:27 pm.
  • 295-013 3:27 PM · 23 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:27 pm and 3:31 pm.
  • 295-014 3:31 PM · 1 hr 29 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Peter G. Peterson, George P. Shultz, John D. Ehrlichman, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Henry A. Kissinger, and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:31 pm to 5:04 pm.
  • 014-141 5:05 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:05 pm and 6:08 pm.
  • 295-015 5:05 PM · 1 hr 26 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John N. Mitchell, unknown person(s), White House operator, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:05 pm and 6:39 pm.
  • 014-142 6:08 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 6:08 pm.
  • 014-143 6:08 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:08 pm and 6:39 pm.
  • 014-145 6:40 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:40 pm and 7:17 pm.

All 90 conversations from November 16, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 014-144, November 16, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/014-144 (accessed October 1, 2026).