Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 14 › Conversation 014-155
Nixon phone call with Ehrlichman on H.R. 1 and Tax legislation
Wednesday, November 17, 1971 · 2:48 PM–2:50 PM ET · White House Telephone · 58 sec
AI Summary
President Nixon and John Ehrlichman discuss the strategic implications of Senator Charles Percy’s proposed amendment to H.R. 1, the pending tax bill. Nixon argues that yielding to Percy on the amendment creates a legislative scenario where the bill might fail or require a presidential veto, whereas avoiding the amendment ensures the passage of a bill he is obligated to sign. After confirming that George Shultz concurs with this assessment, they reach a consensus to prioritize the bill's passage over legislative confrontation.
- H.R. 1
- Tax legislation
- Charles Percy
- George Shultz
- Veto power
- Legislative strategy
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
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NARA Description
On November 17, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and John D. Ehrlichman talked on the telephone from 2:48 pm to 2:50 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 014-155 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 14-155
Date: November 17, 1971
Time: 2:48 pm - 2:50 pm
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with the White House operator.
John D. Ehrlichman
Ehrlichman talked with the President.
[See Conversation No. 293-7]
Charles H. Percy's possible amendment to Tax Bill
-House Resolution 1 [H.R. 1]
-Ehrlichman's conversation with George P. Shultz
-VetoAlso recorded on November 17, 1971
- 293-033 2:41 PM · 23 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:41 pm to 3:10 pm.
- 293-007 2:48 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:48 pm to 2:50 pm.
- 293-008 2:50 PM · 29 sec — 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 2:50 pm and 2:53 pm.
- 014-156 2:53 PM · 1 min — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:53 pm and 4:00 pm.
- 014-157 2:53 PM · 2 min — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, and James D. ("Don") Hughes talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:53 pm and 4:00 pm.
- 015-001 2:53 PM · 30 sec — unknown person(s) talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:53 pm and 5:23 pm.
- 015-002 2:53 PM · 19 sec — unknown person(s) talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:53 pm and 5:23 pm.
- 293-009 2:53 PM · 56 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, unknown person(s), Bruce J. Kehrli, White House operator, and James D. ("Don") Hughes met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:53 pm to 4:00 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 014-155, November 17, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/014-155 (accessed October 12, 2026).