Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 46 › Conversation 046-071

Nixon phone call with Price on Campaign Reform and Constitutional Amendment

Tuesday, May 15, 1973 · 6:57 PM–7:01 PM ET · White House Telephone · 4 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Price, Raymond K., Jr.Conversation046-071 on Tape 46StartTuesday, May 15, 1973 at 6:57 PMEndTuesday, May 15, 1973 at 7:01 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 046-071 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with speechwriter Raymond K. Price, Jr. to refine a draft for an upcoming radio address concerning campaign reform. The President instructed Price to adjust the language regarding constitutional amendments, specifically requesting a more neutral framing for the proposal of a single six-year presidential term while maintaining a firm stance on extending terms for the House of Representatives. These revisions were intended to ensure the speech prioritized clear policy positions while downplaying less feasible constitutional changes.

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Transcript (AI-generated)

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sir ray i uh i've got to get busy now on this for tonight but i just i've been looking over this final draft and it's fine i just i made a couple little things the point that i want you to uh that i want to re-examine is the matter of the which i think is rather rather weak in here and just
perhaps raises more questions because I don't have a view about it, is the six-year or eight-year terms for the president.
Let me explain.
The point is that on the four years for the House, this is a matter where I have a strong view.
It's something where there is
where I can express a view, you know what I mean?
And where I do express one.
Then when we get into the business about the six-year term for the president, then we say, I don't have a firm view on that, and so forth and so on.
And there are people that say this or that.
What I would say is this.
I would rather you perhaps just say,
commission is that there's another matter of crucial importance to our election process, which I'm also asking the commission consider.
The Constitution should be amended to change the length of terms of office of the members of the House, of the Senate, or of the President.
And I would say, for example, there are many proponents today, many political scientists or so-called
that the president's term, that consideration should be given to a six-year term, one single six-year term, than the president, for what priority we want to call it.
You see what I mean?
And the...
the commission could well consider the merits of this proposal.
And then go in directly into what we have as far as the House is concerned, stating it unequivocally.
You get my point?
We don't touch the Senate at all.
But I think with the president, I don't want to put in two paragraphs which I think will play much bigger than it ought to in the whole thing.
It's really
less possible.
It's about the least likely thing that's going to happen.
So another way you could do it is to simply say, simply not discuss the term of office of the president and the Senate.
Although we did mention it to the leaders, didn't we?
Yes, we did.
And then they talked about, all right, fine.
Then the thing to do then, if you would just change the language to read along those lines so that we don't put in the argument, for example, many proposals are
Many have proposed recently that a single six-year term rather than two four-year terms would be better.
The Commission should consider the merits of this proposal.
I'll say that on that.
Then go on and discuss the House one exactly as we have.
You get what I mean?
Yes, I do.
Then I'm all set, and I think it's just fine then, and I'll send this copy back over to your office.
All right, sir.
And then is there any special time you want this back?
I'm in no great hurry on it, Ray, because, you see, it's a radio thing, and I can get it, so I suppose it will be back by, I mean, this is final now, and I would not need it until tomorrow.
When do I deliver it?
I don't know.
I think you plan to.
Fine.
I'd have it around 11 o'clock.
How's that?
Good.
That's only major change.
Thank you.
Good.

NARA Description

On May 15, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Raymond K. Price, Jr. talked on the telephone from 6:57 pm to 7:01 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 046-071 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 46-71

Date: May 15, 1973
Time: 6:57 pm - 7:01 pm
                                             -42-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Raymond K. Price, Jr.

[See also Conversation No. 435-42]

     President’s schedule
           -Haile Selassie

     Draft of the President’s speech
           -Campaign reform
                  -Terms of office
                        -President
                        -House of Representatives
                        -President
                        -Constitutional amendment
                              -President
                              -House of Representatives compared to Senate, President
                                    -Bipartisan Congressional leaders meeting
                  -Timing of draft
                        -Radio address

Also recorded on May 15, 1973

  • 046-063 3:44 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone from 3:44 pm to 3:51 pm.
  • 046-064 3:51 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:51 pm and 4:19 pm.
  • 046-065 4:19 PM · 41 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 4:19 pm to 4:20 pm.
  • 046-066 5:01 PM · 8 min — Ronald L. Ziegler and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone from 5:01 pm to 5:08 pm.
  • 046-067 5:21 PM · 14 sec — J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:21 pm and 5:45 pm.
  • 046-068 5:21 PM · 23 sec — J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. and Doug Parker talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:21 pm and 5:45 pm.
  • 046-069 5:21 PM · 52 sec — Doug Parker and J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:21 pm and 5:45 pm.
  • 046-070 6:45 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:45 pm and 6:57 pm.

All 67 conversations from May 15, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 046-071, May 15, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/046-071 (accessed October 1, 2026).