President Nixon met with his personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, to discuss political strategy and potential nominees for the Supreme Court. The conversation included a review of press criticism regarding Nixon's personal finances and an evaluation of various political figures, including comparisons between Nixon and former President Lyndon B. Johnson. They specifically focused on the vetting process and potential political advantages of appointing a woman to the Court, weighing candidates such as Mildred L. Lillie against the complexities of Senate confirmation.
On October 12, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 10:32 am and 11:19 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 288-018 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 288-18
Date: October 12, 1971
Time: Unknown between 10:32 am and 11:22 am
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with Rose Mary Woods.
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 4s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
**********************************************************************
The President's announcement
-Wording
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 53s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
**********************************************************************
Supreme Court appointments
-George S. McGovern
-Robert C. Byrd
-Edmund S. Muskie
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-Press reports
-John Kenneth Galbraith
Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo
-Mike Royko’s newspaper column
-John F. Kennedy and the President
-Comparisons
-Kennedy
-Compared with Nixon
-People's Republic of China [PRC]
-Cuba
-Charles W. Colson
-Column distribution
-Muskie
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 44s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
**********************************************************************
George A. Smathers
The President's political fortune
-Newsday article
-The President finances
-The President’s view
-The press
-Press
-Liberals
-Berlin Summit
-Edward M. Kennedy
-W. Averell Harriman
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Relations with Soviet Union
-Humphrey
-William F. Buckley, Jr.
-Newspaper report
-Supreme Court
-Pay Board
-Lyndon B. Johnson
Supreme Court appointments
-White House staff
-Leak of Byrd name
-Jews
-Possibility of appointment
-Edward H. Levi
-University of Chicago
-Leonard Garment
-William L. Safire
-Advice
-Political support
-Israel
-Garment
-Bernard J. ("Bunny") Lasker
-Kissinger
-Warren E. Burger
-Affiliations
-Clement F. Haynsworth, Jr.
-Procedures and timing
-Woman appointee
-Woods schedule
-Liz Carpenter
-Johnson
-Mr. and Mrs. Abe Fortas
-Mildred L. Lillie
-Ronald W. Reagan
-Samuel W. Yorty
-Former chief Thomas Reddin
-Evelle J. Younger
-Experience
-Superior Court judge
-Appeals Court judge
-Age
-Religion
-Political affiliation
-Record with California Supreme Court
-Compared with Burger
-Husband's ethnic background
-Gail Patrick Jackson
-Endorsement
-Possibility of Senate confirmation
-Yorty
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 2m 42s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
**********************************************************************
Woods left at an unknown time before 11:22 am.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.