President Nixon and Attorney General John Mitchell discuss strategies to manipulate public perception regarding a security breach, specifically emphasizing the need to manufacture a narrative that links the incident to a church. The participants focus on orchestrating a leak or public disclosure to discredit their opponents rather than merely pursuing a standard legal or technical investigation. Nixon commends Mitchell’s tactical approach, signaling approval for these deceptive information operations.
On June 15, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and John N. Mitchell met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 6:35 pm to 6:38 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 261-008 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 261-8 Date: June 15, 1971 Time: 6:35 pm - 6:38 pm Location: Executive Office Building The President talked with John N. Mitchell [See Conversation No. 5-86]
This 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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.