Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 454 › Conversation 454-003
Nixon, Haldeman & Ehrlichman on Inflation and Media coverage
Friday, February 19, 1971 · 4:59 PM–5:08 PM ET · Oval Office
AI Summary
President Nixon met with H. R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman, and Stephen Bull to discuss the administration's frustration with media coverage of inflation statistics and to coordinate the upcoming Quadriad meeting. Nixon expressed concern over inconsistent reporting between outlets regarding economic data and emphasized the importance of ensuring John Connally's dominant role in his economic team. The discussion also briefly touched upon a recent attack involving a Soviet diplomat's vehicle.
- Inflation
- Media coverage
- John B. Connally
- Economic policy
- Quadriad
- Soviet relations
Audio
Download MP3 (part 1) · 167.0 MB ·Download MP3 (part 2) · 168.3 MB ·Download MP3 (part 3) · 166.0 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 00:07:10 into the tape and ends around 00:15:22.
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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.
NARA Description
On February 19, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, John D. Ehrlichman, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:59 pm to 5:08 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 454-003 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 454-3
Date: February 19, 1971
Time: 4:59 pm - 5:08 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
Inflation rate
-Press stories
-Washington Star
-Administration policies
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 8s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
******************************************************************************
-Accuracy
-Haldeman’s figures
-New York Times
-National Broadcasting Company [NBC]
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-Washington Post
-CBS
-Charles W. Colson
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 2m 42s ]
[The President talked with John D. Ehrlichman at an unknown time between 4:59
Conv. pm454-3
No. and 5:08
(cont.)
pm]
[Conversation No. 454-3A]
[End of telephone conversation]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
******************************************************************************
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 4:59 pm
The President’s schedule
-John B. Connally
-Forthcoming meeting
Bull left at an unknown time before 5:08 pm
Quadriad
-Connally
-Role
-Arthur F. Burns
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 2m 8s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
******************************************************************************
Attack on car of Soviet diplomat
-News story
President’s schedule
-QuadriadAlso recorded on February 19, 1971
- 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.
- 454-002 4:54 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:54 pm and 4:59 pm.
- 454-004 5:08 PM · 1 hr 39 min — President Richard M. Nixon, George P. Shultz, Paul W. McCracken, Arthur F. Burns, John B. Connally, Ronald L. Ziegler, Rose Mary Woods, the White House photographer, and members of the press met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:08 pm to 6:34 pm.
- 454-005 6:34 PM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 6:34 pm and 6:46 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 454-003, February 19, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/454-003 (accessed September 18, 2026).