Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 278 › Conversation 278-030
Nixon & Ehrlichman on Presidential Library and Real Estate
Sunday, September 12, 1971 · 5:15 PM–5:31 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 8 min
AI Summary
President Nixon and John Ehrlichman discuss the handling of potential scrutiny regarding Nixon's real estate dealings, specifically the acquisition of federal property for his presidential foundation and museum. Nixon expresses a desire to proactively disclose information to shut down false rumors or investigative interest, noting that he wants to avoid the level of press intrusion experienced by the Lyndon B. Johnson administration. Additionally, the pair briefly touches upon political strategy for the current congressional session, emphasizing a push for legislative action on health and environmental programs to pressure Congress.
- Presidential Library
- Real Estate
- Financial Disclosure
- Public Relations
- Congressional Relations
- Lyndon B. Johnson
Audio
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
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Well, you can see what a lawyer can do when he becomes a minister.
You know, he's got a very, very effective style, you know, and so, indeed, sir, that's the way he always is with the priesthood.
Just have him about briefly, which we have discussed tonight.
Well, absolutely.
We are to be wise.
You remember Johnson for so much, he...
and what the hell, we'll put a foot here then.
After the election, we did that.
And after you lose, then we'll put a foot here and just let it go.
You know, we don't make that much difference.
We don't do it.
And if you don't lose, then we'll do what we want.
And it won't matter.
But I just feel, it just occurred to me that there's a...
I'm trying to take federal property away from the services, building a foundation there, and double the value of the property.
I don't want any trouble.
And what they're trying to do, something that occurred to me was that gets the question,
to hand them a release to put out and say, this was the president's position.
See this growth, and there has been no change, period.
You can say, that is a total disclosure, and there is no change.
And because that's quite true, is it not?
I have inquired any more property, you know,
And so we sold the damn thing.
We'd say, you put everything into real estate.
This was it.
This was everything.
That answers all questions.
And if they have any, it goes beyond that.
They say, that's the answer to the question.
For example, they'd ask for an interview with me, the answer to the question.
They said, they didn't know whether or not I was in certain deals with Smatter, whether I was in Coca-Logo,
Well, of course, I'm not any of those things.
There's never been anything to do with Snyder in my life.
But the point is, we shouldn't even bar some stuff from Nancy.
And where they were after Johnson is a hell of a lot different thing.
I mean, they have a lot of stuff there.
They didn't go after him even while he was president, you know.
They left him alone.
Now, in this case, I think we should play a goddamn tough one on them.
That is the fact, and we will just, we will just restrict, and we suggest anything will be totally false.
And I'll just add, so it will be a God's truth, because all that I know, even though I haven't looked, except for a brief conversation with Mark, at the slightest idea of what's happening, what I'm saying.
I mean, just hold the property up there, figures and stuff will do.
And then I let the foundation community say they want to get going.
So, yeah.
Yes, I'm part of the museum.
That leaves it open.
We might still be considering being part of the property that I'm on.
It still could be.
I'm not too close to that.
It's occurred to me that if you start to do that congressional process, some smart guys
Some guys are bound to go on to, let's say, take it away from the Marines.
We're going to take it away from the poor people.
All sorts of things to say.
Another thing, these presidential libraries do not appeal to me as much as some others.
This idea of building a monument doesn't appeal to me as much.
We will have more history back into even four years, and we expect it to be longer, but even poorer than anybody else's.
And if you compare the Johnson years to ours, well, it's gone.
So I won't look home.
The congressional years are not uninteresting.
As a matter of fact, the congressional years are more interesting than many presidencies.
So I just sort of put everything in the back for him.
I talked to DeMarco at Combox, and I've asked him, I don't want to break down his name, but he said, you know, the will is in New York.
And I thought we'd have to win it.
DeMarco made a very important item on real life.
He said it on the tax side.
The rat rather than others is his point of view and the value of what I understand now under the law and the law now allowed.
So, uh, at least, uh, at least some of the personal notes that we don't want from some of those people.
Except the writing of the will, and frankly a will, and we've got to tie it to the, or maybe the way we handle it is entrusted to them, if we get them to control how they can put them out, and how many years, and that sort of thing.
There are lots of things that come down to the cabinet's destination.
Is it really important for John to get Henry stuck?
Is it really important for John to get Henry stuck?
Is it really important for John to get Henry stuck?
Is it really important for John to get Henry stuck?
Is it really important for John to get Henry stuck?
Is it really important for John to get Henry stuck?
There can be no given liberal side.
On the other hand, there is some appeal, in my opinion.
Nice and good.
I think we've got this situation, and I was talking to him earlier, and I've asked for an action this session.
I said, action this session.
We are going to do an action this session.
He's ready to make a decision here in the Congress.
He can pick up a health program right there, the strike legislation.
Are there any ecology things that they do?
And then I think we get those speakers and let them go out across the country and say, let the Congress act this session.
Let it act.
I think this idea that the rule and purposes of land use, I think it's pretty much on their back now.
We're doing something that has to be a little bit more careful.
Thanks.
Bye.
NARA Description
On September 12, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:15 pm to 5:31 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 278-030 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 278-30 Date: September 12, 1971 Time: 5:15 pm - 5:31 pm Location: Executive Office Building The President talked with John D. Ehrlichman. ********************************************************************** [Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 04/04/2019. Segment cleared for release.] [Personal Returnable] [278-030-w002] [Duration: 1m 20s] [See Conversation no. 008-100-w002] ********************************************************************** ********************************************************************** [Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 04/04/2019. Segment cleared for release.] [Personal Returnable] [278-030-w001] [Duration: 3m 4s] [See Conversation no. 008-100-w001] **********************************************************************
Also recorded on September 12, 1971
- 008-096 5:02 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:02 pm and 5:08 pm.
- 008-097 5:02 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:02 pm and 5:08 pm.
- 008-098 5:08 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods talked on the telephone from 5:08 pm to 5:14 pm.
- 278-029 5:08 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:08 pm to 5:14 pm.
- 008-099 5:14 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 5:14 pm.
- 008-100 5:15 PM · 17 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman talked on the telephone from 5:15 pm to 5:31 pm.
- 008-101 5:31 PM · 38 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:31 pm and 5:33 pm.
- 008-102 5:31 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:31 pm and 5:33 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 278-030, September 12, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/278-030 (accessed October 9, 2026).