Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 230 › Conversation 230-001

Nixon phone call with Ehrlichman on Personnel management

Tuesday, November 21, 1972 · 7:55 PM–7:58 PM ET · Camp David Hard Wire · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ehrlichman, John D.Conversation230-001 on Tape 230StartTuesday, November 21, 1972 at 7:55 PMEndTuesday, November 21, 1972 at 7:58 PMRecording deviceCamp David Hard WireSourceNixon Library record for 230-001 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and John Ehrlichman discuss the management of an individual referred to as "Bill" to mitigate political fallout in Milwaukee. The two consider whether to adopt a "hardline" approach regarding his potential exit or transition. They conclude that the situation requires firm handling to ensure the individual understands his position and complies with the administration's goals.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Yeah, hi.
Fine, good.
Well, we'll try to get Bill down and sort of gracefully now.
Provided he doesn't build up some sort of a backfire with you.
But he's got to understand it and do it.
He's getting Milwaukee excited.
That's what's happening right now.
You have nothing, you don't know really what the hell Obi-Wan is.
My own view is that I have thought that what you really want to do is just to say, you know, master the Italy, give it the time to make the change, and so forth.
It may be that the other possibilities
Yeah, he has not indicated anything.
He really hasn't been too well or anything.
What you're feeling, we ought to be hardlining him, don't you think?
Huh?
Yeah, that's right.
Yeah, good.
Thanks, that's good work.

NARA Description

On November 21, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 7:55 pm to 7:58 pm. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 230-001 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 230-1

Date: November 21, 1972
Time: 7:55 pm - 7:58 pm
Location: Camp David Hard Wire

The President talked with John D. Ehrlichman.

       [See Conversation No. 155-27; one item has been withdrawn from this conversation.]

Also recorded on November 22, 1972

  • 155-027 7:55 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman talked on the telephone at Camp David from 7:55 pm to 7:58 pm.
  • 230-002 7:58 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 7:58 pm on November 21, 1972 and 10:52 am on November 22, 1972.
  • 230-003 7:58 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 7:58 pm on November 21, 1972 and 10:52 am on November 22, 1972.
  • 230-004 7:58 PM · 5 min — Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon and United States Secret Service agents met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 7:58 pm on November 21, 1972 and 10:52 am on November 22, 1972.
  • 230-005 7:58 PM · 13 sec — Unknown person(s) met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 7:58 pm on November 21, 1972 and 10:52 am on November 22, 1972.
  • 230-006 7:58 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 7:58 pm on November 21, 1972 and 10:52 am on November 22, 1972.
  • 230-007 7:58 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 7:58 pm on November 21, 1972 and 10:52 am on November 22, 1972.
  • 230-008 7:58 PM · 14 sec — Julie Nixon Eisenhower and President Richard M. Nixon met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 7:58 pm on November 21, 1972 and 10:52 am on November 22, 1972.

All 18 conversations from November 22, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 230-001, November 22, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/230-001 (accessed October 9, 2026).