Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 453 › Conversation 453-001
Nixon, Ehrlichman & Shultz
Friday, February 19, 1971 · 3:15 PM–3:59 PM ET · Oval Office · 38 min
Audio
NARA Description
On February 19, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, John D. Ehrlichman, George P. Shultz, John C. Whitaker and Stephen B. Bull and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:15 pm and 3:59 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 453-001 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 453-1
Date: February 19, 1971
Time: Unknown after 3:15 pm until 3:59 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with John D. Ehrlichman, George P. Shultz, and John C. Whitaker
[Recording begins while the conversation is in progress]
Agricultural policy
-“Salute to Agriculture”
-Attendees
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-Clark MacGregor
-Democratic attack
-Rural development
-Administration response
-The President’s report to Congress
-Office of Management and Budget [OMB]
-The President’s trip to Iowa
-”Salute to Agriculture”
-The President’s schedule
-Purdue University
-Frederick L. Hovde
-Clifford M. Hardin
-The President’s visit to Iowa
-Ottumwa
-Purpose
-Possible visits by the President
-Jackson Hole
-Nelson A. Rockefeller
-Logistics
-Purpose
-Farm policy
-Administration efforts
-Farmer mentality
-Nebraska
-Peter G. Peterson
-Des Moines
-Sioux City
-Springfield, Missouri
-Mountain oysters
-President’s visit as a Congressman
-“Salute to Agriculture”Show the rest of the log (114 more lines)
-Media coverage
-Public relations
-Congress
-Murray Spitzer
-Clarence D. Palmby
-[Forename unknown] Loeb
-”Salute to Agriculture”
-Administration policies
-Rural development
-Format
-Farm problems
-Wages
The President’s previous meeting with Fortune magazine
-Peterson
-Economic education
-Wage and price controls
-Value
Agricultural policy
-Farmers
-Government assistance
-Rural development
-Revenue sharing
-Areas of growth
The President’s meeting with Fortune
-Opinion of the President’s economic policy
-Money supply
Consumer Price Index [CPI]
-Food prices
-Hardin’s speech
-Effect on farmer
-Farmers’ income
-Corn supports
-Corn/hog ratio
Peter M. Flanigan
-State Department job
-William P. Rogers
-Position with White House
-Value
Public relations
-Economic policy
-Paul W. McCracken
-The President’s role
-Knowledge
-Compared to foreign policy
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 3:16 pm
The President’s schedule
-George Black, Jr.
-Grandchildren
-Young Republicans reception
Bull left at an unknown time before 3:59 pm
Public relations
-Manpower training and revenue sharing
-Administration efforts
-Vietnam veterans
-Number of jobs
-James D. Hodgson
-Congressional testimony
-Administration’s policies
-Effects
-Funding
-Supersonic Transport [SST]
-Economic value to nation
-Job creation
-Effect on economy
-Manpower training
-Welfare program
-Administration policies
-Effects
-Budget
-Press conference questions
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Manpower training
-Possible White House action
-Letter
Spitzer
-Value and position
Manpower training
-Administration policy
-Blacks
-Veterans
-Aid to ghettos
-Rural poor
-James B. (“Scotty”) Reston’s press story
President’s speech at [Thomas] Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
-Use of speech by Shultz
An unknown man [Stephen B. Bull?] entered at an unknown time after 3:16 pm
-The President’s order
The unknown man [Bull?] left at an unknown time before 3:59 pm
Wilson
-Wilson’s speech
-“Men of thought” versus “men of action”
-As a politician
-Portrait in Cabinet Room
Ehrlichman, et al. left at 3:59 pmTranscript (AI-generated)
No transcript is available yet for this conversation.
Also recorded on February 19, 1971
- 452-015 1:38 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:38 pm and 1:39 pm.
- 452-016 1:38 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:38 pm and 1:39 pm.
- 452-017 1:39 PM · 20 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, and Gerturde King met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:39 pm and 2:25 pm.
- 453-002 3:59 PM · 58 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:59 pm and 4:00 pm.
- 453-003 4:00 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Melia Black, Pamela Southall, Orville Black, Hilary Black, Rosemary Manarin, Betty Fountain, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:00 pm to 4:05 pm.
- 453-004 4:06 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald C. Romas, Linda McQuaig, Glenn Wilson, Jay Morris, Joseph Abate, Robert C. Odle, Jr., and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:06 pm to 4:11 pm.
- 453-005 4:11 PM · 5 min — United States Secret Service agents met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:11 pm and 4:52 pm.
- 454-001 4:11 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, Manolo Sanchez, Ronald L. Ziegler, White House operator, Rose Mary Woods, and John D. Ehrlichman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:11 pm and 4:59 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 453-001, February 19, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417175877). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/453-001 (accessed November 2, 2026).