Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 344 › Conversation 344-004

Nixon & Ehrlichman on School busing and Detroit

Tuesday, June 20, 1972 · 4:14 PM–4:35 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ehrlichman, John D.Conversation344-004 on Tape 344 (tape position 00:06:27–00:08:56)StartTuesday, June 20, 1972 at 4:14 PMEndTuesday, June 20, 1972 at 4:35 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 344-004 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and John Ehrlichman discussed the administration’s strategy regarding a pending Detroit busing court decision and the controversial use of the pesticide DDT. The President sought to navigate political sensitivities by limiting his public commentary on active legal proceedings while weighing his stance on Environmental Protection Agency policies. Ultimately, the two reached an understanding on how the President should address these sensitive issues to maintain administrative alignment without committing to premature public positions.

Audio

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Position in tape: 00:06:27 – 00:08:56

part A, 6:25

344a.mp3
344b.mp3
344c.mp3

NARA Description

On June 20, 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 4:14 pm and 4:35 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 344-004 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 344-4

Date: June 20, 1972
Time: Unknown between 4:14 and 4:35 pm
Location: Old Executive Office Building

The President talked with John D. Ehrlichman.

     Detroit busing decision
          -Proposal
          -President's comments
          -Busing issue

     Environment
          -Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane [DDT]
          -President's position
                -Environmental Protection Agency [EPA]

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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And now, with regard to that Creighton suit,
You see no objection to my comment on this point.
You see, it's different from a decision where it's different, for example, where it's appealed.
I have not commented upon trial court decisions.
Yeah.
Yeah.
No, no, no, no.
Yeah, I wanted to say I'm not going to comment on it, but of course, we'll do it.
But yeah, and also just a comment on the higher-ranking program.
So we want to bring up customers and all of that.
And we'll rely on it.
Second point, I was going to say, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Second, on DDT, if it's a serious question, we'll give it a thought about it.
I agree with it.
Well, should I say that I stand with that one?
That's the point I'm concerned about.
I can simply say that it's a very close one.
I don't know if I understand.
I don't know if I understand.
I don't know if I understand.
I don't know if I understand.
I don't know if I understand.
That's the administration bill.
But not supportable yet.
Ah, I see.
It allows me.
Yeah, it is something very pretty.
I don't know.
Fine, John, thank you.

Also recorded on June 20, 1972

  • 025-086 3:30 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:30 pm and 3:33 pm.
  • 025-088 3:33 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:33 pm and 4:09 pm.
  • 344-001 3:33 PM · 3 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 3:33 pm and 4:09 pm.
  • 344-002 3:33 PM · 16 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 3:33 pm and 4:09 pm.
  • 025-089 4:09 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Patrick J. Buchanan talked on the telephone from 4:09 pm to 4:16 pm.
  • 344-003 4:09 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Patrick J. Buchanan met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:09 pm to 4:14 pm.
  • 344-005 4:14 PM · 2 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 4:14 pm and 4:35 pm.
  • 344-006 4:35 PM · 35 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:35 pm to 5:25 pm.

All 56 conversations from June 20, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 344-004, June 20, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/344-004 (accessed November 14, 2026).