Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 330 › Conversation 330-004

Nixon & Andrews on Education policy and Speechwriting

Wednesday, April 5, 1972 · 9:00 AM–9:10 AM ET · Old Executive Office Building

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Andrews, John K., Jr.Conversation330-004 on Tape 330 (tape position 00:02:59–00:12:23)StartWednesday, April 5, 1972 at 9:00 AMEndWednesday, April 5, 1972 at 9:10 AMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 330-004 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with speechwriter John K. Andrews, Jr. to refine a draft of a major speech on education policy. The discussion focused on balancing the President's commitment to non-public school assistance and neighborhood schools against the reality of severe constitutional and legislative constraints. Nixon directed Andrews to revise the text to emphasize the administration's sincere commitment to these issues while avoiding the creation of false expectations regarding immediate solutions.

Audio

Download MP3 (part 1) · 112.0 MB ·Download MP3 (part 2) · 111.8 MB ·Download MP3 (part 3) · 91.7 MB

This conversation has not yet been cut into its own clip, so the player above contains the full tape segment shared with neighbouring conversations. It begins about 00:02:59 into the tape and ends around 00:12:23.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

· Timestamps are positions within the full tape recording.
3:10I think this is...
3:40We have limited funds for education.
3:55We should put those funds in better institutions.
4:09I uh
4:40It might sharpen it up and put it to sense.
4:42We have a good response.
4:48A good response to a better education.
4:49And it's more clear that they're at an education.
4:53In barrier schools.
4:54Rather than at home.
4:56The more bustling the children are with.
5:01They get it.
5:03They get it on the school line too.
5:06Then...
5:10I have a thought here where we can probably sharpen up just a little.
5:12As you know, Greece would be into their delivery.
5:25Buzzing here is the reason why they've tied it down.
5:27This is some of the most important things in the system.
5:34That's the most important thing.
5:35Why?
6:07But, as everyone who has studied this problem knows, there are very great constitutional problems.
6:13There are very serious constitutional questions that arise when state legislatures or the federal government try to divide aid into non-public schools.
6:30There is also the problem of getting action from the conference.
6:39I didn't want any attacks from the military.
6:40I did not raise any money.
6:40I didn't have any excuse for damage.
6:41I thought it was a good idea to have a practical problem with this.
7:04And then go into the business of your studies, for example.
7:12And then say, I... You should know my commitment to the solution.
7:20But I did not come here to make you work this around.
7:29I am not...
7:29I am not...
7:32I'm not going to make promises that I can't keep.
7:37I'm not going to create hopes where it might be damaged or dissipated among people, dedicated people who are so desperate to be equal this time.
7:58But I made that become part of the last of it.
8:01But this
8:02This I will say.
8:03But I am committed to these.
8:05I am committed to these propositions.
8:07America needs non-public schools.
8:09Non-public schools need help.
8:12We must find ways to provide that help.
8:15And then go on into the other things.
8:18I don't know if that's something we've done here.
8:20I'm sure you've been committed to the preservation of non-public schools in America.
8:32I am directing all of this to the developer, which will serve that agenda.
8:40I'm just suggesting all of this as a way for you to take that page and play around with it, and see if you can get something that's a little more bitey.
8:56put across more strongly.
8:57Basically, to put in the commitment, and also to be put in first, if I say one, it's a very difficult problem, and I know that I'm not doing any crap, you know, to the effect that I can solve it.
9:07I'm not promising something I can't do, but I will tell you what I will do.
9:13I will tell you what I will do, and I'm ready for a solution.
9:19And you say, I, we, we,
9:25Maybe you could do that.
9:26Or you could say, after you've gone through that stuff on the page, take some notes on the page, and so forth.
9:48And then you're in action.
10:26Take those thoughts and see if there's a line that should go in.
10:32If this is an election year, let it recognize that this is not an issue.
10:38An issue divided by party.
10:42Any more than an issue divided by religion.
10:47Occasionally.
10:50Workshops as well.
10:55I think those are the only thoughts that I have, but it's all shaping up into good form, I think.
11:19And, uh,
11:25I have something.
11:54It's fine.

NARA Description

On April 5, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and John K. Andrews, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 9:00 am to 9:10 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 330-004 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 330-4

Date: April 5, 1972
Time: 9:00 am - 9:10 am
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with John K. Andrews, Jr.

       Greetings

Speech on education
     -Draft
           -Revisions
                 -Cuts
           -Limited education funds
                 -Change in text
           -Busing
           -Additions
           -Education
                 -Busing
                 -Neighborhood schools
           -Cuts in text
     -Busing
           -Additions to text
     -Constitutional problems to busing
           -State legislatures
                 -Non-public schools
     -Congressional action
           -Problems
                 -Tax cuts
     -The President's solution to problems
           -False hopes
           -Statement
                 -Place in speech
     -Non-public schools
           -Assistance
           -Wording
                 -Changes
           -The President's commitment
                 -False hopes
                 -Solutions
           -Constitutional problems
     -Text of speech
           -Additions
                 -Partisan issue
                 -Religious issue
           -Changes by Andrews

                        -John D. Ehrlichman's advice
             -Another meeting on speech
                  -Time
                  -Final copy

Andrews left at 9:10 am.

Also recorded on April 5, 1972

  • 330-001 8:33 AM · 55 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 8:33 am and 8:45 am.
  • 330-002 8:33 AM · 31 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 8:33 am and 8:45 am.
  • 022-078 8:45 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 8:45 am.
  • 330-003 8:45 AM · 51 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 8:45 am.
  • 330-005 9:10 AM · 1 min — 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 9:10 am and 9:16 am.
  • 330-006 9:10 AM · 50 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 9:10 am and 9:16 am.
  • 022-079 9:16 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:16 am and 9:27 am.
  • 330-007 9:16 AM · 36 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, White House operator, Henry A. Kissinger, and Adm. Thomas H. Moorer met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 9:16 am to 9:55 am.

All 54 conversations from April 5, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 330-004, April 5, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/330-004 (accessed October 1, 2026).