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Conversation 322-052

TapeTape 322StartSunday, March 12, 1972 at 8:35 PMEndSunday, March 12, 1972 at 9:25 PMTape start time03:27:23Tape end time03:30:33ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Ehrlichman, John D.;  Nixon, Richard M. (President);  Ehrlichman, John D.Recording deviceOld Executive Office Building
AudioNARA Description

On March 12, 1972, 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 8:35 pm and 9:25 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 322-052 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 322-52

Date: March 12, 1972
Time: Unknown between 8:35 pm and 9:25 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with John D. Ehrlichman.

     Busing speech
          -Draft
               -Raymond K. Price, Jr.
               -Status
               -William L. Safire
                     -First draft
                     -Instructions on distribution
                           -Price
                           -Leonard Garment
               -Difference
                     -Majority
               -Distribution
                     -Elliot L. Richardson
                     -George P. Shultz
               -Changes
               -Constitutional amendment
               -Moratorium
               -Left-right
                     -George C. Wallace
                     -Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

Just from my own guise in terms of time, when do you expect another draft price?
Well, now I've given, just as well anyway, a price draft I can work on any time tomorrow and finish it up.
And it's in pretty good shape anyway, just a question of the odds and ends.
Sapphire to bring me in a first draft tomorrow.
Now I'm not letting him, John, so that you'll know and I won't get asked for it.
I told him that nobody was to see the draft until I had finished because I don't want Price and Garmin in it.
And that, of course, means the rest of the U.S. will let me.
Because this has to be different from the other, you know.
I mean, it will have the same things in it, but it has to be my trust in it.
I have to talk basically to the majority in this case.
I don't have to have all the protests and the offenses and the exceptions, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.
But this has got to be more declaratory.
But I'll let you people look at it before I deliver tonight.
I don't tend to circumvent it around that, because then I've got to get it to Richardson, I've got to get it to Shelton, all that stuff.
Only one person can write a speech.
Anybody can write a statement.
Fair enough?
Everything's going all right for everyone, I think.
How about the changes?
Do they work out all right, or what?
Well, if we do, we do.
I mean, it still has a chance for constitutionality.
I agree, I agree.
Don't talk or anything.
The great problem here is that we cannot satisfy the extremists on the left.
We must not lose the extremists.
not the extremists, but the center and the rightists.
And that's what I really feel we've got to be clear with the message that I gave tomorrow night so that we can't, so that we don't leave a hell of a lot of room on the Wallace right and the now Jackson right so that they can all just chop the hell out of us and say that we can't come and see.
Okay.
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