Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 619 › Conversation 619-021

Nixon, Smith & Buchanan on William H. Rehnquist and Lewis F. Powell Jr.

Tuesday, November 16, 1971 · 12:20 PM–12:22 PM ET · Oval Office · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Smith, Kenneth M.; Buchanan, Patrick J.; Allin, Lyndon K.; Bull, Stephen B.; White House photographerConversation619-021 on Tape 619 (tape position 02:20:35–02:22:57)StartTuesday, November 16, 1971 at 12:20 PMEndTuesday, November 16, 1971 at 12:22 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 619-021 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with Patrick J. Buchanan, Kenneth M. Smith, and Lyndon K. Allin for a brief Oval Office session that included a photo opportunity and gift presentation. The discussion focused on the ongoing Senate confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominees William H. Rehnquist and Lewis F. Powell, Jr. Nixon and his advisors particularly addressed liberal opposition to these appointments, specifically criticizing the double standards of critics like Joseph L. Rauh, Jr. regarding past judicial selections.

Audio

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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President Kemp said that.
Yeah, yeah.
Well, he's still with us, though.
He didn't cross the street, right?
He's over here again, so.
I guess he's got to be a fan of that car, yeah?
Very good, sir.
Yes, sir.
What would you tell them?
What would you tell them?
What would you tell them?
Yeah.
Yeah, I don't think I've ever been in a room like this.
There's been a lot of stuff about why Redwood's being a right-winger.
I think Redwood's a little bit more of a right-winger.
He's a pretty good baseman.
Do you know how to do that?
No, do you know how to do that?
No, I'll tell you.
They are having one hell of a time.
I don't think so, Mark.
I'll let you say it.
I'm like, there is an issue.
But it points up to Harper and Spies, I believe, by now.
I mean, with Powell, they can't take him on, of course.
And, boy, he's a sweeper.
Only the New Yorkers, yeah.
I mean, you know, you know, you know, Powell, you know, you know, that damn American party.
Redwoods, you know, they can't put him in this class.
And Spanford, you know, Green, and Abel, and so on.
So they're against him, why?
Because of what he believes.
Oh, God, yeah.
Did Joe Ralph, where was his voice when they appointed William O. Douglas to the court?
Or Grant to the court?
What was his voice when we appointed Black?
The same as you know, the same as Professor Robinson.
He may turn out to be the strongest man in the world.
He's young enough, healthy enough, smart enough, and tenacious enough to make it.
He'll outwork those other guys.
Sure, I know

NARA Description

On November 16, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Kenneth M. Smith, Patrick J. Buchanan, Lyndon K. Allin, Stephen B. Bull, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:20 pm to 12:22 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 619-021 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 619-21

Date: November 16, 1971
Time: 12:20 pm - 12:22 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Kenneth M. Smith, Patrick J. Buchanan and Lyndon K. (“Mort”) Allin;
Stephen B. Bull and the White House photographer were present at the beginning of the meeting.

     Introductions

     [Photograph session]

     Buchanan

     Allin
             -News summaries
                 -William H. Rehnquist

     Rehnquist
         -Confirmation hearings

     Lewis F. Powell, Jr.
          -Confirmation hearings
               -American Bar Association [ABA]

     Rehnquist
         -Confirmation hearings
               -Joseph L. Rauh, Jr.
                    -William O. Douglas and William J. Brennan, Jr.
                    -Hugo L. Black
               -Liberals

     Presentation of gifts by the President

Smith et al., left at 12:22 pm.

Also recorded on November 16, 1971

  • 619-017 12:15 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:15 pm and 12:16 pm.
  • 619-030 12:15 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:15 pm and 12:16 pm.
  • 619-018 12:16 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, James D. Hittle, John V. Brennan, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:16 pm to 12:18 pm.
  • 619-019 12:18 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Dr. K. Wayne Smith, Henry A. Kissinger, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:18 pm to 12:20 pm.
  • 619-020 12:20 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at 12:20 pm.
  • 619-022 12:22 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at 12:22 pm.
  • 619-023 12:22 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John H. Hogue, William E. Timmons, Clark MacGregor, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:22 pm to 12:25 pm.
  • 619-024 12:25 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at 12:25 pm.

All 90 conversations from November 16, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 619-021, November 16, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/619-021 (accessed October 1, 2026).