Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 27 › Conversation 027-092

Nixon phone call with Ehrlichman on Office of Economic Opportunity

Wednesday, July 26, 1972 · 5:20 PM–5:29 PM ET · White House Telephone ·8 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  White House operator;  Ehrlichman, John D.Conversation027-092 onTape 27StartWednesday, July 26, 1972 at 5:20 PMEndWednesday, July 26, 1972 at 5:29 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 027-092 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and John Ehrlichman discuss legislative strategies regarding the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) and the restructuring of its board of directors. The pair considers a proposal to reform the board's composition by selecting representatives from both former poverty lawyers and client groups. Additionally, they touch upon broader legislative priorities, including H.R. 1, school busing policies, and handgun control measures pending before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Audio

Download MP3 · 10.9 MB

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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The OEO part of it is going to have to fall with the rest.
And they'll have to go along with it.
Well, that's the Congress.
We're now separate.
Let's go do that thing that we've been talking about.
And let's just kind of do the rest.
Let's just really have to step on through the board of directors.
Let's come up with a formula where you can pick three former poverty lawyers, three former poverty clients, and pick one of them.
Yes, yes.
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We're still...
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Takk for ating med.
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NARA Description

On July 26, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and John D. Ehrlichman talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:20 pm and 5:29 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 027-092 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 27-92

Date: July 26, 1972
Time: Unknown between 5:20 pm and 5:29 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The White House operator talked with the President.

     Status of something

John D. Ehrlichman talked with the President between 5:21 pm and 5:29 pm.

[See Conversation No. 352-9]

     Status of request

     Statement by the President
          -Questions

                                       (rev. Feb-02)

          -Legislation on Office of Equal Opportunity [OEO] and legal services
                 -Patrick J. Buchanan
                 -Conference
                 -Legislation
                      -Congress
                          -Continuing resolution
                      -Board of Directors

     Legislation
          -House Resolution [HR] 1
          -Working mothers
                 -Child custody
          -Recommendation
          -Handguns
                -L[ouis] Patrick Gray, III
                -Saturday night specials
                -Senate Judiciary Committee
                     -Birch E. Bayh, Jr. and Roman L. Hruska
          -Appropriation
          -Busing
                -House Labor and Education Committee
                     -Hearings on bill
                          -Moratorium
                          -Rollback in education provisions
                          -[Forename unknown] Palmer (?)
                                 -Moratorium
                                 -Marlow W. Cook

     Today Show
         -Appearance by unknown person
               -Robert Abernathy

Also recorded on July 26, 1972

  • 027-089 5:01 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:01 pm and 5:10 pm.
  • 027-091 5:10 PM · 25 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Clark MacGregor talked on the telephone from 5:10 pm to 5:20 pm.
  • 352-007 5:10 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 5:10 pm.
  • 352-008 5:10 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Clark MacGregor met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:10 pm to 5:20 pm.
  • 352-009 5:21 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:21 pm to 5:29 pm.
  • 352-010 5:29 PM · 7 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 5:29 pm and 5:35 pm.
  • 352-011 5:29 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:29 pm and 5:35 pm.
  • 352-012 5:35 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Patrick J. Buchanan, Alexander P. Butterfield, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:35 pm to 5:55 pm.

All 81 conversations from July 26, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 027-092, July 26, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/027-092 (accessed September 18, 2026).