Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 282 › Conversation 282-018

Nixon & Ehrlichman on Busing and Constitutional Amendment

Wednesday, October 20, 1971 · 3:43 PM–4:05 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ehrlichman, John D.Conversation282-018 on Tape 282 (tape position 01:08:21–01:11:49)StartWednesday, October 20, 1971 at 3:43 PMEndWednesday, October 20, 1971 at 4:05 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 282-018 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and John Ehrlichman discussed political strategies regarding the issue of school busing, evaluating the potential for a constitutional amendment to leverage political advantage against rivals like Edward Kennedy, Edmund Muskie, and Henry Jackson. Nixon emphasized the importance of aligning with the powerful education lobby and explored linking busing to broader education policies, including aid to parochial schools. The pair aimed to capitalize on the busing controversy as a significant electoral issue by appealing to specific interest groups.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I wonder what progress you're making on the busing, the busing issue.
I've talked to, you know, Sam Irvin, the legislature, but we may just have to go with the constitutional amendment and the final analysis might even do it, but I'm convinced, based on what I've seen, that it's
real sleeper as far as I'm concerned.
Well, good.
Well, we've got kids.
It's not a bad issue for us now because we've got Teddy on the other side.
We've got Muskie on the other side.
And Jackson, even.
All right.
You well understand.
All right.
Now, of course, you did mention in the last of our conversations yesterday that we might be even part of the total package on the other side.
What do you mean?
The way you care for Europe.
You're enduring, I'm sure.
Consider the Muslim issue itself enduring.
Isn't that, in handling it that way, I'm sure.
that broke his school and gave his handle as part of a larger education that I think is the way to get by the Billy Graham group of students.
Yeah.
Right.
Is it?
The other point that occurred to me, John, which I think is, you know, you talk about law, and Odor Oren once told me many years ago, and it's pretty much the same, in terms of the election,
to the strongest lobby of the country.
We get this, I mean, if we go for this, that really ought to get them ring a bell with amputations.
And so we could really be one of the few times when we thought first we'd get something even more important.
Reverend Sherry helped us with a certain kind of people, but it didn't really help with, it helped with basically special interest people, mayors, mayors, but I was thinking that the education would be a very great, okay, bye.

NARA Description

On October 20, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:43 pm to 4:05 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 282-018 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 282-18
Date: October 20, 1971
Time: 3:43 pm - 4:05 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with John D. Ehrlichman.

     Busing issue
          -The President's conversation with Sam J. Ervin, Jr.
                -Legislative proposal
          -Constitutional amendment
          -Edward M. Kennedy
          -Edmund S. Muskie
          -Henry M. ("Scoop") Jackson
          -Previous discussion
          -Education
                -Parochial schools
                -William F. (“Billy”) Graham
                -Earl Warren
                      -Education lobby
                      -Revenue sharing
                           -Special interests

Also recorded on October 20, 1971

  • 012-005 3:39 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:39 pm and 3:40 pm.
  • 012-006 3:40 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon talked on the telephone from 3:40 pm to 3:42 pm.
  • 012-007 3:42 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:42 pm and 3:43 pm.
  • 282-015 3:42 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:42 pm to 3:43 pm.
  • 012-008 3:43 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 3:43 pm.
  • 282-016 3:43 PM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 3:43 pm.
  • 282-017 3:43 PM · 11 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 3:43 pm and 4:05 pm.
  • 282-019 3:43 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:43 pm and 4:05 pm.

All 83 conversations from October 20, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 282-018, October 20, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/282-018 (accessed September 28, 2026).