Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 341 › Conversation 341-020

Nixon & Mitchell on Philadelphia schoolchildren petitions and LULAC

Sunday, June 11, 1972 · 10:41 AM–10:54 AM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 9 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Mitchell, John N.Conversation341-020 on Tape 341 (tape position 05:02:47–05:11:32)StartSunday, June 11, 1972 at 10:41 AMEndSunday, June 11, 1972 at 10:54 AMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 341-020 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and John Mitchell discussed potential public relations events and campaign strategy. They considered a photo opportunity with Philadelphia schoolchildren presenting petitions and Tricia Nixon speaking to the League of United Latin American Citizens. Mitchell also relayed John Connally's suggestion for Nixon to hold one-on-one meetings with military service chiefs to break military influence, though Nixon expressed concerns about timing and potential political fallout. The conversation concluded with a discussion of whether Nixon should participate in presidential debates, with Mitchell strongly advising against it based on previous statements and potential risks.

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Position in tape: 05:02:47 – 05:11:32

part B, 1:24:32

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NARA Description

On June 11, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and John N. Mitchell met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 10:41 am to 10:54 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 341-020 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 341-20

Date: June 11, 1972
Time: 10:41-10:54 am.
Location: Old Executive Office Building

The President talked with John N. Mitchell.

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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 05/03/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[341-020-w001]
[Duration: 8m 48s]

[See also Conversation No. 025-038]

[End of telephone conversation]

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was made by an AI model listening to the recording (gemini-3.8-flash) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Speaker names are the model's inference from the voices and the participant list. Words and names can still be wrong — verify against the audio and the finding aid before citing.

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NixonThe one, I think, you should do, though. Uh, the Philadelphia police, one of Remember last year they brought the kids over, and gave you 300,000 signatures?
MitchellYeah. The the petitions, with the Philadelphia schoolchildren. The police came over with them, and they've got 300,000 signatures on petitions supporting law and authority.
MitchellAnd you said to them then, if you go back and get more 400,000 next year, you know? And, well, they did.
MitchellAnd, so they got 400,000 now. And Rizzo wants to come over with them, and good public photo op. And I think we ought to do it. But it'll be, it's little kids, you know? Pretty, and a good picture they'd make.
NixonAll they need to do is care about there, well, as much as anything else, to get it run in Philadelphia. That's our plan. Yeah.
MitchellThat would be a nice thing, because Rizzo's can come over with quite obviously, with Rizzo and the kids. And we can do it on the 18th.
MitchellThe attorney general, uh, although they may, you want to consider him, right? Uh, the League of United Latin American Citizens, which are meeting in Texas, on June 29th, you could stop there on the way out to California, if you want to make an appearance there. That's, it's LULAC, you know, it's the
Mitchelloldest Mexican-American organization.
MitchellAnd, no president has ever been there. They've been cooperative, and our Mexican people, the Sanchez group, feel pretty strongly about the involvement, and think it would be a big thing. They've expanded their scope to housing and employment.
MitchellYounger members are pushing for more and more active role, and the common leadership is struggling to hold on.
NixonThat's one reception he can get, I think. I don't think you should be going. I think you're going to get hit next.
MitchellWell, that's one. I'd like to take a stab at, and getting Tricia to do it. She could do it, because she'd get a hell of a reception, and with no presidential politics.
NixonWell, I think she told me she was going to do something for Latin Americans, speak to them in Spanish.
MitchellWell, that this may be the one, they're Well, that's the one she should do, and she can work She could speak to them in Spanish.
NixonThey've talked to Tricia about it, so that's probably That's it. That's great.
MitchellThat's good. That's Never mind who goes, and tell them that she can do it, so. Yeah.
NixonI don't know why, somehow it just seems to me Tricia is gonna just be a marvel in this campaign.
MitchellThey can't be as rough on her as they could on-
MitchellConnally said he may have raised with you, uh, a thing about the Service Chiefs. And, have them in for Well, one at a time. He raised the point that you should be alone with each of the Service Chiefs,
Mitchellprivate, one-to-one meeting, uh, without anybody else there, including, without Kissinger, without Laird, without Moorer, and just talk with them on the basis of what their views and their department ought to be,
Mitchelland weapons, manpower, weapon load, not on programs, budget, on what the, how the programs, but their general view on the structure and all that. His point is, you got to do this to break the military grip.
MitchellI think, and, uh, he says he's reassurred with Henry and with Laird, and they all feel it's good, and you should be, and this is Connally's view. I don't know who's-
NixonI would agree. I don't know what I don't know what it does. The problem is- I don't think I can do it without getting into programs, budget. The timing-
Mitchellis is bad right now, and I just don't know how it can be done. Laird will scream, and Moorer will scream, and they'll go right up to the Hill.
NixonI just I can do it after the election, I could, but after the election, I think, in that period before the inauguration, some of that time frame, you ought to call them all It is not the time-
Mitchell[crosstalk] not right now, but I think that-
MitchellHe didn't say, didn't really talk about, did he, the
Mitchelltiming, about whether it should be done? He thought that it would be good to-
MitchellI know Laird would be upset, and Moorer would be upset.
Mitchell[unintelligible] They're trying to get something drafted on the debate, or on an answer for senior Mitchell or for Mitchell or for you. Now, Mitchell has has hit it. He's said he can't foresee any reason why the president should debate. He strongly advised you not to,
Mitchelland he cited all the proper reasons in the proper way. You know that it would be unwise, and all that. Bryce, trying to put something together, doesn't come up with anything that that answers. He makes the point it's unwise, unnecessary, and
Mitchellsilly.
MitchellUnwise because of for the obvious reasons. Unnecessary because the president's positions are thoroughly known, and they're on the record, totally, and, uh, and plainly, so there's not a need for making under the campaigning. And, uh, that it's silly because it's just candidates theatrics to devise the way of seeking the proper debate anyway.
MitchellDoesn't that grow and build, and all the views humanize and all form. Yeah.
MitchellThe problem we've got to deal with is is uh your article in the Saturday Evening Post, where you said debates were pretty devastating here.
MitchellYou said, "Public debates were not designed to serve the candidate for office; they were designed to serve the public." "On chain, on my, they are essentially the where our less costly and more thoughtful campaigns, whether Kennedy was right, or whether Johnson was wrong."
Mitchell"Strongly study the name candidate for a 30-day campaign."
MitchellAnd now, "our Some who oppose debates argue they would not be in the best interest in the country, because they have so much knowledge, so must keep information." President Kennedy obviously did not share this view, and when I was vice president, I also did not share this view. Although I did to all they had stopped secretly. I cannot see how a presidency he debates if receipt in any way can have the effect
Mitchellof compromising them.
NixonThat's right. I know that.
MitchellThat's why I think that this can be, Bryce'll do it. I think he's gotta say, well, the-
NixonNow that the debates are in progress, everybody'll understand. It's a question of time.
MitchellWell, that was eight years ago, too. Many things change.
MitchellAnd, they had a different format for the debates, too, you know? Bryce's view is that that he shouldn't answer the thing publicly. The Mitchell position is the right thing to do, and let's hang out on against it and all that. But if we answer it from the White House, it'll order you,
NixonYeah.
MitchellYou just give them something to write on on why won't you debate.
NixonWhat did they think I should say?
MitchellJust say you're not going to discuss anything of that sort until after the convention, like you've always said.
MitchellSaid the campaign feels the same way. The Press Doctor,
Mitchellsay, "I've said, consistent, I'm not going to engage in any discussion of politics."
NixonYou know, that uh that position, that answers, that takes care of it. Well, yes.
MitchellSure can't solve all our problems, by the way. You just ride that right on right on through till September.
MitchellThen, September, you can decide what you want to say, and say, "Congress might be too busy." [laughter]
NixonYou're right about Mitchell open to the question.
MitchellMitchell had it. He had it in his press conference the other day, and he answered it very well. That's where you got to leave it. Didn't say he had talked to you about it. He said, well, his advice to you would be that you shouldn't.
Nixon[unintelligible]
MitchellWell, well, I would certainly hope you wouldn't without any debate on it, certainly not yet.
MitchellHow could you debate the honorable McGovern? The debate, well, that, I know.

Also recorded on June 11, 1972

  • 025-038 10:41 AM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John N. Mitchell talked on the telephone from 10:41 am to 10:54 am.
  • 025-039 10:54 AM · 9 sec — unknown person(s) talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:54 am and 2:30 pm.
  • 341-021 10:54 AM · 13 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 10:54 am and 2:38 pm.
  • 341-022 10:54 AM — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 10:54 am and 2:38 pm.
  • 341-023 10:54 AM — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 10:54 am and 2:38 pm.
  • 341-024 10:54 AM · 2 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 10:54 am and 2:38 pm.
  • 341-025 10:54 AM · 26 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 10:54 am and 2:38 pm.
  • 341-026 10:54 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 10:54 am and 2:38 pm.

All 38 conversations from June 11, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 341-020, June 11, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/341-020 (accessed November 14, 2026).