Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 289 › Conversation 289-020

Nixon & Ehrlichman on White House scheduling and Budget policy

Thursday, October 14, 1971 · 12:30 PM–2:30 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ehrlichman, John D.Conversation289-020 on Tape 289 (tape position 00:06:20–00:09:02)StartThursday, October 14, 1971 at 12:30 PMEndThursday, October 14, 1971 at 2:30 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 289-020 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and John Ehrlichman met to discuss the President’s upcoming schedule and strategic adjustments to his administrative agenda. The conversation touched upon personnel matters, specifically the President’s interactions with Bebe Rebozo and H.R. Haldeman, alongside an evaluation of current budget options. Nixon emphasized his openness to alternative political strategies and programs, signaling a willingness to defer specific actions until the following year.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Uh, you got a chance to talk to, uh, Pete Hedrich, and, uh, correct me if I'm wrong.

Oh, fine.

You'll be up here soon.

As I take your schedule, I don't want you to come back or something.

Fine, fine.

I think my recollection is pretty clear.

I'm, uh, you know, the three of you are right.

Okay.

Is he... What's working him up?

Probably more of a personal attack.

What kind of stuff is he arming me with?

On me, or on him, or both?

Yeah, because I certainly want to .

Yeah.

That's right

Well, I'm not concerned about the wild.

I just want you to understand, when I said race race, I thought that was the only option.

But there's another option on stage.

All right.

Fine.

Let me tell you, I'm totally open to anything, John.

I'm not going to pretend.

Maybe it should be nothing.

Maybe it should be for next year, but I mean, do something once you're felled, Connor.

Oh, that we're working on.

Here's our program.

Good.

All right.

You know, that's why you're open, I'm sure.

NARA Description

On October 14, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 289-020 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 289-20

Date: October 14, 1971
Time: Unknown between 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with John D. Ehrlichman.

     The President's schedule
          -Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo
               -Conversation with Ehrlichman
          -[Unintelligible]
          -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
          -Budget options
               -The President’s position

Also recorded on October 14, 1971

289-001 12:30 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm.
289-002 12:30 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm.
289-003 12:30 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm.
289-004 12:30 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm.
289-005 12:30 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 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm.
289-006 12:30 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm.
289-007 12:30 PM · 1 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 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm.
289-008 12:30 PM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm.

All 42 conversations from October 14, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 289-020, October 14, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/289-020 (accessed September 28, 2026).