Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 302 › Conversation 302-015

Nixon & Ehrlichman on Nelson Rockefeller and Political strategy

Friday, October 29, 1971 · 3:06 PM–3:08 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 33 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ehrlichman, John D.Conversation302-015 on Tape 302 (tape position 00:32:04–00:32:43)StartFriday, October 29, 1971 at 3:06 PMEndFriday, October 29, 1971 at 3:08 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 302-015 ↗

President Nixon consulted with John Ehrlichman regarding an upcoming interaction with New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller to prepare for potential requests for financial assistance. Ehrlichman agreed to monitor the situation and screen future communications to manage Rockefeller's expectations. The discussion focused on maintaining administrative control over the President's engagement with the Governor.

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Yeah.
Yeah.
I wondered if there was anything you had on the fire with Rockefeller.
He has to call in for me, and I'm wondering if I should guard up in case he's after some money or something.
I'll play some calls with him.
And if you'd like to call in about the maintenance, I'll be sure to...
I'll take that off.

On October 29, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:06 pm to 3:08 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 302-015 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 302-15

Date: October 29, 1971
Time: 3:06 pm - 3:08 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with John D. Ehrlichman.

[See Conversation No. 13-34]
  • 013-032 2:58 PM · 27 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods talked on the telephone from 2:58 pm to 2:59 pm.
  • 013-033 2:59 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:59 pm and 3:06 pm.
  • 302-014 3:05 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:05 pm and 3:06 pm.
  • 013-034 3:06 PM · 50 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman talked on the telephone from 3:06 pm to 3:08 pm.
  • 013-035 3:08 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:08 pm and 3:10 pm.
  • 302-016 3:08 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:08 pm and 3:10 pm.
  • 013-036 3:10 PM · 10 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Nelson A. Rockefeller talked on the telephone from 3:10 pm to 3:20 pm.
  • 302-017 3:10 PM · 10 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Nelson A. Rockefeller met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:10 pm to 3:20 pm.

Conversation 302-015, October 29, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/302-015 (accessed September 30, 2026).