Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 318 › Conversation 318-032

Nixon & Ehrlichman on Tax reform and Political strategy

Wednesday, February 2, 1972 · 3:17 PM–3:25 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 6 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ehrlichman, John D.Conversation318-032 on Tape 318 (tape position 02:44:27–02:50:51)StartWednesday, February 2, 1972 at 3:17 PMEndWednesday, February 2, 1972 at 3:25 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 318-032 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and John Ehrlichman discuss political strategy, focusing on the need to moderate public rhetoric regarding tax reform to avoid it becoming a political liability. The President instructs Ehrlichman to coordinate with a political associate to ensure alignment on administration objectives and to maintain a strong, proactive stance in upcoming policy deliberations. Additionally, the conversation touches upon the status of legal services reform and internal administration morale regarding regional political outreach.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 4 minutes of this recording (about 69% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yeah.
Yeah.
A couple of points, John.
One, on the fact, I have the impression that we may be getting a little bit too far out in terms of advocating, so that it becomes an issue.
We may not do that.
I think I would try to get the lawyers to talk more and say, well, there are a number of different suggestions, but none of them involve increasing taxes.
They're always involved with changing the burden of taxes, you know, or something like that.
I don't know what you do with it, but I noticed the Times was playing up pretty heavily this morning, and the administration there had to be back, and so forth and so on.
I think it's important to do that, and also important
The other one is regard to legal services.
Do I understand that that is now in proper shape or will be?
Oh, really?
Oh.
Oh, boy.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I mean, it's a pretty good time for one of those.
With regard to Elliot now, there's nothing actually to do there.
He's on his own, you see.
Oh, yes.
Yeah.
Yeah, I understand that.
Yes, in the meantime, I suppose we just don't worry about the...
Harry had thought the ratings went well.
I was very glad to, uh, that I picked the guys as it turned out.
We talked, you know, I was awful.
And, uh, I didn't have any, there was an actor with the process, you know, Reagan came through with a fine-chip style.
Rockefeller couldn't have got it, you know, he ran against twice, you know, and all that.
And, uh, and, uh, the other one was just, uh,
Could I ask you to do this?
I want you to call him on the phone and tell him what's in the works here.
If it's possible, we want him to stand up.
I don't know what he's going to say.
The president's position is that the main thing is to get action.
And then you're going to tell him, but let him in on the game.
We've got these guys over there now.
If I get something on the letter, you've got to come out of it, but you are committed to share.
Right.
I think it's a good idea .
Yeah, that's a better way to end it.
Another good point came out last night, which gave me a chance to sort of make the great mistake, my mom would be wrong to write off any section of the country that we're taking into granted, that if you and I hold politics, we're going to have to concentrate on .
But, you know, he is going to play that line with Massachusetts mission.
Yeah.
You give your address to, uh, uh, one other thing.
Uh, were you, uh, do you know what,
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
He's on KO side this time.
Good.
Well, that may have been the ace piece on his fault.
He's already quit.
Can't do that.
Can't do that.
All right.
All right.
Okay.
I get it.
I get it.
I get it.
You're exactly right.
All right.
Good luck.
A lot of snow up there, I'll bet.
But very comfortable, isn't it?
It's a delightful place.
Well, enjoy your dinner.
All right.

NARA Description

On February 2, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:17 pm to 3:25 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 318-032 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 318-32

Date: February 2, 1972
Time: 3:17 pm - 3:25 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with John D. Ehrlichman.

[See Conversation No. 20-32]

Also recorded on February 2, 1972

  • 020-031 3:06 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:06 pm and 3:17 pm.
  • 318-026 3:06 PM · 9 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 3:06 pm and 3:17 pm.
  • 318-027 3:06 PM · 4 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 3:06 pm and 3:17 pm.
  • 318-028 3:06 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 3:06 pm and 3:17 pm.
  • 020-032 3:17 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman talked on the telephone from 3:17 pm to 3:25 pm.
  • 020-033 3:25 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:25 pm and 3:30 pm.
  • 318-033 3:25 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Hobart D. Lewis met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:25 pm and 3:30 pm.
  • 318-034 3:25 PM · 5 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 3:25 pm and 3:30 pm.

All 71 conversations from February 2, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 318-032, February 2, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/318-032 (accessed October 12, 2026).