Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 276 › Conversation 276-013

Nixon, Haldeman & Ehrlichman on Attica State Prison riot and Prison reform

Monday, September 13, 1971 · 7:43 PM–7:47 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 50 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Ehrlichman, John D.Conversation276-013 on Tape 276 (tape position 02:05:06–02:06:11)StartMonday, September 13, 1971 at 7:43 PMEndMonday, September 13, 1971 at 7:47 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 276-013 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon, H. R. Haldeman, and John D. Ehrlichman discussed the public perception and press coverage surrounding the recent uprising at Attica State Prison. The participants characterized the situation as a racially charged conflict, specifically noting the division between black inmates and white guards. The conversation focused on interpreting the political implications of the event within the broader context of American racial tensions.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Hello?
Uh, Bob?
Well, how was the, uh, New York, uh, incident play, you know?
Was it a lot?
Well, if you get out the back of it, it's basically a black match.
That's right.
That's right.
That's right.
One amusing thing, when you didn't know I was talking to Pat, you said this to him.
I don't know.

NARA Description

On September 13, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and John D. Ehrlichman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 7:43 pm to 7:47 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 276-013 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 276-13

Date: September 13, 1971
Time: 7:43 pm - 7:47 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.

[See Conversation No. 8-115]

     Attica State Prison riot
           -Press coverage
                 -New York
                 -Blacks
                 -Guards
                      -Whites
**********************************************************************

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 04/04/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]                                     Conv. No. 276-18/278-33 (cont.)
[276-013-w001]
[Duration: 13s]

[See Conversation No. 008-115-w001]

**********************************************************************

The President talked with John D. Ehrlichman.

     Federal prisons

Also recorded on September 13, 1971

  • 008-115 7:43 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and John D. Ehrlichman talked on the telephone from 7:43 pm to 7:47 pm.
  • 008-116 7:47 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:47 pm and 7:51 pm.
  • 008-117 7:51 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods talked on the telephone from 7:51 pm to 7:54 pm.
  • 276-014 7:51 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 7:51 pm to 7:54 pm.
  • 008-118 7:54 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 7:54 pm.
  • 008-119 7:55 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 7:55 pm to 7:58 pm.
  • 276-015 7:55 PM · 29 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 7:55 pm to 7:58 pm.
  • 276-016 7:58 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 7:58 pm and 8:50 pm.

All 26 conversations from September 13, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 276-013, September 13, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/276-013 (accessed October 9, 2026).