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Conversation 282-027

TapeTape 282StartWednesday, October 20, 1971 at 5:20 PMEndWednesday, October 20, 1971 at 5:25 PMTape start time02:15:31Tape end time02:19:47ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Ziegler, Ronald L.Recording deviceOld Executive Office Building
AudioNARA Description

On October 20, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:20 pm to 5:25 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 282-027 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 282-27

Date: October 20, 1971
Time: 5:20 pm - 5:25 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.

     Supreme Court nominees
          -Associated Press [AP] story
               -Herschel H. Friday
               -Mildred L. Lillie
          -Timing of announcement
          -New York Times
          -Timing
               -John N. Mitchell
               -Ziegler’s comments
               -American Bar Association [ABA]

Ziegler left at 5:25 pm.
Transcript (AI-Generated)

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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

The AP's going to move the bulletin that reports and informs some of the sources today, saying the president's on the verge of nominating them.
They say he's probably going to move them tomorrow.
Totally loose on it.
I'd let them think that's what's going to happen.
In other words, the way I handle it, the briefing this morning, you do it tomorrow, you do it next week.
I would...
I believe that we may have an announcement tomorrow, but I can't be sure.
But I'm not going to say that.
I'm just going to leave it loose.
Possibly this week.
I'm not going to shoot this report down.
Don't shoot it down.
But I'm not going to... What?
I'm not going to shoot it down.
I'll just leave it there.
Right.
You say, well, I... You're okay.
Just let it be off on that tractor.
Well...
I'll let you know as soon as we're working on it.
I'm practically working on it today.
I'll leave them on that.
I want them to be on that trail, Ron, so I can leave it if you can, a little on that trail if you can.
I'd like to have a service.
Let the Times, the New York Times, indicate the approval of those two.
I hate to be done, but we're on a quarter of a century.
I talked to the Attorney General this morning after our discussion.
You may do it this week.
You may not.
The announcement, although I didn't refer to the list of six, may come to this room this evening.
It may not.
In other words, it's totally money, but in a positive way.
Well, you're going to keep your credibility.
I was thinking of somebody else.
One of our running leaders around here.
Don't you do it.
I want you to do it.
No, I'll do it.
You've got to do exactly what we need to do.
And we can go anywhere we want.
That's exactly what we're going to do, right?
However, if you did, if I went to Marble, if you went to Marble, it would surprise the hell out of me.
Marble?
Well, because, you know, after putting the train down, he left it loose.
But in moving it a little loose, referring to the fact that you thought the ADA report was going to come in over the weekend.
It didn't come in today.
It didn't come in today.
They feel somewhat deflected from what's going to be tomorrow, what's going to be earlier, what's going to be Friday.
Well, you can say at this moment we still don't have the ADA report.
Why should I say that?
Well, that would be a good thing you could accurately say.
Well, I just talked to the president.
And I can also say you have made a decision?
Yeah, you can say that until he gets the ADA report, he has not made a decision.
All right.
President, I just thought I would say at 5.30, just before I come over here, gentlemen, that we have not yet received the ADA report.
Just, that's all you see.
That's your leave for today.
Okay.
See my point?
Yes, sir.
And therefore, yeah.
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