{"conversationCode":"451-001","tapeNumber":451,"conversationNumber":1,"identifier":"37-wht-conversation-451-001","startDateTime":"1971-02-18T14:47:00.000Z","endDateTime":"1971-02-18T14:52:00.000Z","startDate":"18-Feb-1971","startTime":"9:47 AM","endDate":"18-Feb-1971","endTime":"9:52 AM","dateCertainty":"certain","timeCertainty":"certain","participants":"Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ehrlichman, John D.; Butterfield, Alexander P.;","description":"On February 18, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, John D. Ehrlichman, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:47 am to 9:52 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 451-001 of the White House Tapes.","locationCode":"OVAL","recordingDevice":"Oval Office","latitudeEstimated":38.8974,"longitudeEstimated":-77.0374,"chronCode":1,"chronRelease":"First Chronological Release","chronReleaseDate":"5-Oct-1999","aogpRelease":null,"aogpSegment":null,"lastModified":"2015-07-27T17:04:10.235Z","findingAid":"Conversation No. 451-1\n\nDate: February 18, 1971\nTime: 9:47 am - 9:52 am\nLocation: Oval Office\n\nThe President met with John D. Ehrlichman\n\n     Soviet Union\n          -European security conference\n\n     Economic forecast\n         -Commerce Department\n               -Maurice H. Stans\n                    -Efforts\n                    -Ehrlichman’s conversation with Stans\n\nAlexander P. Butterfield entered at 9:50 am\n\n           -American business\n               -Cooperation with administration\n           -Media coverage\n\n     Ehrlichman’s schedule\n\nEhrlichman and Butterfield left at 9:52 am","filename":["451-001.mp3"],"tapeStart":"00:00:59","tapeEnd":"00:06:17","participantsList":["Nixon, Richard M. (President)","Ehrlichman, John D.","Butterfield, Alexander P."],"prevCode":"450-026","nextCode":"451-002","transcript":[{"start":17.09,"end":25.72,"text":"I don't know what the hell..."},{"start":40.41,"end":49.53,"text":"John, uh..."},{"start":55.11,"end":79.69,"text":"Four days."},{"start":79.72,"end":80.42,"text":"Just got to get a hold of this guy."},{"start":80.44,"end":80.52,"text":"One."},{"start":80.54,"end":81.64,"text":"I don't know if he's going to make it out of this city."},{"start":81.66,"end":82.76,"text":"I don't know if he's going to make it out of this city."},{"start":82.78,"end":83.88,"text":"I don't know if he's going to make it out of this city."},{"start":83.9,"end":85,"text":"I don't know if he's going to make it out of this city."},{"start":84.98,"end":108.96,"text":"It's not a plan, but I mean, I don't actually, we're trying to make a smart decision in the art of our economic forecast, and that says the Commerce Department and Berkshire County disagree with it."},{"start":108.98,"end":109.9,"text":"About that, we're just not going to have that."},{"start":109.92,"end":111.34,"text":"You know, I mean, they disagree, but I don't like all those situations."},{"start":111.36,"end":112.72,"text":"There's not an economic position that's part of the economic system."},{"start":112.7,"end":132.42,"text":"We don't stand a chance of, you know, threatening to go ahead and have a guy that, I don't think he's going to have fun with us."},{"start":132.44,"end":133.5,"text":"I mean, I don't think he's going to have fun with us."},{"start":133.52,"end":134.59,"text":"I mean, I don't think he's going to have fun with us."},{"start":134.6,"end":135.51,"text":"I don't think he's going to have fun with us."},{"start":135.49,"end":146.31,"text":"I don't care what it is."},{"start":148.55,"end":152.8,"text":"We're going to have to fight this environment."},{"start":152.82,"end":158.49,"text":"I've gone as far as to say to a group of businessmen that are cooperating, look, we're not..."},{"start":158.47,"end":181.25,"text":"... ... ... ... ..."},{"start":181.24,"end":202.32,"text":"This is a waiting car."},{"start":202.34,"end":202.66,"text":"It's a car sign."},{"start":202.69,"end":203.39,"text":"And I don't know if you can see it."},{"start":203.41,"end":203.73,"text":"It's a car sign."},{"start":203.75,"end":204.07,"text":"It's a car sign."},{"start":204.09,"end":204.41,"text":"It's a car sign."},{"start":205.75,"end":231.91,"text":"I did a good job."},{"start":231.93,"end":232.27,"text":"I did a good job."},{"start":232.29,"end":232.63,"text":"I did a good job."},{"start":232.65,"end":232.99,"text":"I did a good job."},{"start":232.97,"end":244.91,"text":"Well, I don't think there's anything special about this person."},{"start":244.93,"end":246.23,"text":"I've had a lot with him this week, and I'll talk to him about it."},{"start":246.25,"end":247.09,"text":"I'll see if you ever cross paths with him."},{"start":247.12,"end":248.3,"text":"If you're tired of his skills, I'll tell you about it then."},{"start":248.32,"end":249.92,"text":"Or if he's just got a real hard day and can't come home without a glass of milk."},{"start":249.9,"end":262.68,"text":"to put out a flag like that."},{"start":262.7,"end":263.8,"text":"So we have to go out and say this is what I want to do."},{"start":263.82,"end":264.43,"text":"And I agree with that program."},{"start":264.45,"end":265.03,"text":"And I'm certainly what it is."},{"start":265.05,"end":265.75,"text":"I don't know why it doesn't happen."}],"aiSummary":{"text":"President Nixon met with John Ehrlichman and Alexander Butterfield to address internal disagreements regarding economic forecasts provided by the Commerce Department. The discussion centered on aligning departmental output with administration messaging and ensuring cooperation from the American business community. Nixon emphasized the need to combat unfavorable media narratives and maintain strict control over the administration’s economic platform.","topics":["Economic policy","Commerce Department","Public relations","Corporate relations","Internal administration dissent"],"generatedAt":"2026-04-06T20:52:57.975Z"},"topicSlugs":["economic-policy","commerce-department","public-relations","corporate-relations","internal-administration-dissent"],"audioDurationSec":319,"audioFiles":[{"file":"451-001.mp3","bytes":7651786,"durationSec":318.75,"bitrate":192044,"missing":false}],"audioIsShared":false,"audioProbedAt":"2026-09-18T02:19:47.662Z","audio":["https://nixon.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/audio/451-001.mp3"],"url":"https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/451-001","nixonLibraryUrl":"https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/white-house-tapes/451/conversation-451-001","license":"Public domain (U.S. Government work). AI-generated fields (transcript, aiSummary) are provided as-is without warranty."}