Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 28 › Conversation 028-027

Nixon phone call with Mitchell on John L. McClellan and James O. Eastland

Tuesday, August 1, 1972 · 8:31 AM–8:37 AM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Mitchell, John N.Conversation028-027 on Tape 28StartTuesday, August 1, 1972 at 8:31 AMEndTuesday, August 1, 1972 at 8:37 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 028-027 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and John Mitchell discuss strategies to neutralize Republican opposition against influential Democratic senators John McClellan and James O. Eastland. Recognizing the strategic importance of these chairmen to the administration's legislative agenda, Nixon and Mitchell agree to pressure their Republican challengers to withdraw from their respective races. As an incentive, they consider offering qualified candidates alternative government positions to facilitate their exit from the campaigns.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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John McClellan mentioned something that I mentioned to Connolly when he was in yesterday and that I told Connolly that you probably wouldn't want to handle it.
McClellan says he's got a Republican opponent.
He says it's
and Rockefeller indicated that he, Rockefeller, don't give their opponent any money.
McClellan, of course, there's no prayer for the Republican win, but in any event, with McClellan now the chairman of appropriations and so forth, if we could get that guy just to drop out of sight, I mean, McClellan says that just washes the thing out in Arkansas.
He says we'll all work together and so forth.
I think we can get both of them out of there.
We should on the basis that I don't want to be an appearance, John, of opposing the president pro tem or the chairman of appropriations, particularly when they have supported us.
Well, listen, that is not in our interest.
It's not in our interest in terms of winning the states.
That's for darn sure.
Yes, sir, and I'll take care of those other two.
I think we're going to be able to do it in both places.
You do?
Great.
Yes, sir.
Of course, just to say, if we, these fellows that get out, need some positions, why, we can look at that, too.
Yes, sir.
We do that if they're qualified.
Right.
We do it from time to time.
Right.
Right, I've heard that.
Right.
It should be.
Right.
All right, sir.
Okay.
Yes, sir.
Well, take care, John.
We shall.
Bye.

NARA Description

On August 1, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and John N. Mitchell talked on the telephone from 8:31 am to 8:37 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 028-027 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 28-27

Date: August 1, 1972
Time: 8:31 am - 8:37 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with John N. Mitchell.

[See Conversation No. 758-4]

*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 32s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

*****************************************************************

     John L. McClellan
          -The President's talk with John B. Connally
          -Republican opponent
               -Winthrop Rockefeller role
               -Senate Appropriations Committee
                     -McClellans’ position as chairman

               -Withdrawal from race
                     -Eastland’s opponent
                     -Pressure from Mitchell on Republican candidate
                         -James O. Eastland’s opponent
         -Eastland's, McClellan's key roles in the Senate
         -Support for the President's policies

*****************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 32s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

*****************************************************************

    Republican opponents of McClellan and Eastland
        -Possible jobs in government

*****************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 54s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3

*****************************************************************

Also recorded on August 1, 1972

  • 758-001 7:41 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 7:41 am and 8:20 am.
  • 758-002 8:20 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:20 am to 8:22 am.
  • 028-026 8:22 AM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:22 am and 8:31 am.
  • 758-003 8:22 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:22 am and 8:31 am.
  • 758-004 8:31 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John N. Mitchell met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:31 am to 8:37 am.
  • 758-005 8:37 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:37 am and 8:39 am.
  • 758-006 8:39 AM · 21 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Stephen B. Bull, and Charles W. Colson met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:39 am to 10:09 am.
  • 758-007 10:09 AM · 21 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Elliot L. Richardson, Roger O. Egeberg, Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., James H. Cavanaugh, White House photographer, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:09 am to 10:31 am.

All 73 conversations from August 1, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 028-027, August 1, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/028-027 (accessed October 1, 2026).