President Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman discuss shifting federal management of water resource projects from the Department of the Interior to NASA, aiming to leverage NASA's technical and management expertise for broader social applications. The President expresses frustration with the current bureaucracy and advocates for utilizing modern scientific approaches over traditional departmental methods. Additionally, the participants coordinate a legislative strategy involving Congressman F. Edward Hébert regarding land use at Camp Pendleton and address ongoing concerns related to New York police issues and J. Edgar Hoover.
On May 26, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, John D. Ehrlichman, and Rose Mary Woods met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:21 pm and 3:12 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 253-013 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 253-13
Date: May 26, 1971
Time: Unknown between 2:21 pm and 3:12 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President talked with John D. Ehrlichman; Rose Mary Woods can be heard in the
background
Police shooting in New York , New York
-John N. Mitchell
-Richard S. Schweiker
-Bobby G. Seale
-Black Panthers
-Washington, DC, New York, New York
-Deceased
-Police Benevolent Association [PBA]
-J. Edgar Hoover
-Hoover, Mitchell, Ehrlichman
An unknown man
President’s schedule
-A 5:00 event
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
Water
-Memo from John C. Whitaker
-Water shortages
-Department of Interior
-Funds
-Compared with National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NASA]
-A possible study
-Rogers C. B. Morton
-William T. Pecora
-Interest
-NASA
-Moon shots
-Possible proposal to Congress
-Effect on Department of Natural Resources
Camp Pendleton
-Congressional action
-F. Edward Hébert of Louisiana
-Forthcoming conversations with President, Ehrlichman, Clark MacGregor
-Unknown persons’ position on a beach
-Officers’ Club
-Oceanside, California beach property
-San Clemente
-President’s action
-Public interest
-California, Texas
-Use of applied science
-Moon shots
-Interior Department’s role
-Morton
-Research
-NASA’s role
-Compared with Interior Department, Bureau of Reclamation
An unknown man
-Ehrlichman’s forthcoming meeting
-Possible recommendation
President’s call to Haldeman
President’s meeting with EhrlichmanThis transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.