Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 33 › Conversation 033-090

Nixon phone call with Ehrlichman on Second term reorganization

Saturday, November 18, 1972 · 12:12 PM–12:13 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ehrlichman, John D.Conversation033-090 on Tape 33StartSaturday, November 18, 1972 at 12:12 PMEndSaturday, November 18, 1972 at 12:13 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 033-090 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and John Ehrlichman discuss the potential retention of Peter G. Peterson during the administration's second-term reorganization. Nixon expresses a softened stance on Peterson's value, suggesting he may be useful in the Commerce Department despite previous reservations. Ehrlichman is tasked with consulting George Shultz during a scheduled meeting to determine if offering Peterson the Commerce position is a viable bargaining strategy.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I have Mr. Ehrlichman now for you, Mr. President.
Yeah.
Thank you.
Bye-bye, sir.
Thank you.
Hello.
John.
Yes, sir.
I've been thinking some more about the Peterson thing.
I haven't, you haven't heard from Schultz today, have you?
No, I'm going to see him at 1 o'clock.
Yeah.
On reflection, you know, considering the ability that fell on the rest.
Maybe we're, maybe I'm being a little too hard, and that's respect.
I mean, you know, hard.
I mean, ability and imagination is hard to come by.
And the guy does have a hell of a contribution to make.
Do you think we should let Schultz have as a backup position the—all right, commerce if he'll take it under the circumstances that we've suggested?
It's entirely up to you.
It's a question of what you'd be comfortable with, I think.
Well, if I don't have to see them.
I understand.
That's the point, you see.
That had occurred to me with the reorganization.
That's true.
That's true.
Well, let me do this.
George and I are going to get together at 1, and let me visit with him about it.
He's undoubtedly talked to him some more, and we'll have a better feel of what the market is, so to speak.
Because even if he is going to be out there, he isn't in a place in commerce that he could do any harm particularly.
He can contribute in this whole east-west thing and the rest and very generally in ways that many others simply wouldn't have any understanding.
Okay.
Well, let me indicate to George that that's a possibility.
Possibility that he can have that as a bargaining point.
Right-o.
Fine.
Good.

NARA Description

On November 18, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman talked on the telephone from 12:12 pm to 12:13 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 033-090 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 33-90

Date: November 18, 1972
Time: 12:12 pm - 12:13 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with John D. Ehrlichman.

       Second term reorganization
            -Peter G. Peterson
                  -Ehrlichman’s forthcoming meeting with George P. Shultz
                  -President's judgment
                  -Commerce Department
                        -Meetings with the President
                  -Ehrlichman forthcoming meeting with Shultz
                  -Commerce Department
                        -Contributions
                               -East-West relations
                               -Trade
                                             - 93 -

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY

                                                            Conversation No. 33-114 (cont’d)

Also recorded on November 18, 1972

  • 033-088 11:57 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Leonard Garment talked on the telephone from 11:57 am to 12:01 pm.
  • 033-089 12:02 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 12:02 pm to 12:08 pm.
  • 033-091 12:13 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:13 pm and 12:15 pm.
  • 033-092 12:15 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 12:15 pm to 12:20 pm.
  • 033-093 12:20 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:20 pm and 12:21 pm.
  • 033-094 12:21 PM · 27 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman talked on the telephone from 12:21 pm to 12:22 pm.
  • 033-095 12:22 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:22 pm and 12:25 pm.
  • 033-096 12:25 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 12:25 pm.

All 50 conversations from November 18, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 033-090, November 18, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/033-090 (accessed October 12, 2026).