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Conversation 646-004

TapeTape 646StartWednesday, January 12, 1972 at 4:30 PMEndWednesday, January 12, 1972 at 4:34 PMTape start time00:30:31Tape end time00:34:26ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Ehrlichman, John D.;  Manarin, RosemaryRecording deviceOval Office
AI Summary

President Nixon and John Ehrlichman met to coordinate an upcoming presentation by HUD Secretary George Romney regarding an urban revitalization initiative. They strategized on how to manage Romney's proposal by routing it through a Domestic Council meeting to solicit broader Cabinet feedback, thereby shielding the President from an immediate decision. Additionally, they discussed Romney's resistance to a proposed regionalization plan for Federal Executive Boards and made arrangements to secure publicity for a Soviet cultural group’s visit with First Lady Pat Nixon.

Urban revitalizationDomestic CouncilGeorge W. RomneyFederal Executive BoardsPublicity
AudioNARA Description

On January 12, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, John D. Ehrlichman, and Rosemary Manarin met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:30 pm to 4:34 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 646-004 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 646-4

Date: January 12, 1972
Time: 4:30 pm - 4:34 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with John D. Ehrlichman.

     Forthcoming meeting with George W. Romney, Ehrlichman and John C. Whitaker
          -Briefing the President
                -Cities
                      -Revitalization
                           -Competition for funds
                                 -Winners
                                      -Office of Management and Budget [OMB]

                                      -Romney's views
                                  -Domestic Council meeting, January 14, 1972
                                      -Romney's presentation
                                      -The President’s request for recommendations from
                                            Cabinet
                                            -Department budgets

     Federal Executive Board heads

[The President talked with an unknown person [Rose Mary Woods?] at an unknown time
between 4:30 pm and 4:34 pm.]

[Conversation No. 646-4A]

*****************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 6s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

*****************************************************************

     Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon's schedule
          -Soviet cultural group tour and tea
               -Ronald L. Ziegler
                     -Publicity

[End of telephone conversation]

     Federal Executive Board
          -Regionalization
               -George P. Shultz's and Frank C. Carlucci's suggestion
                     -Romney's objection
                           -Cabinet meeting

     Whitaker

           -Departure from forthcoming meeting

Ehrlichman left at 4:34 pm.
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

with about 200 cities to completely revamp their cities.
And then that would be narrowed down to 40.
And then again, it would be narrowed down to 20 other winners who would use the balance of the $650 that was left after the full planning process to do this job in their cities.
OMB and our guys have insisted this on and they have 20 wills like the reason why it's a bad idea.
They've told you?
They've told me.
And so we have insisted on pitching you on this.
In order to screen you against the necessity of giving him a yes or no, we have set up a Semester Council meeting on Friday where he's going to present this, where people will be called on to comment.
And then we have said that you have asked for individual recommendations from members of the Council who will attend this meeting on Friday.
If other departments are involved, they'll have to get through it out of their budgets to make this thing happen and so forth.
So he knows that he's coming in simply to post you on there.
Then there's another issue.
That is, whether or not the heads of the federal executive board...
It says that she's having a cultural group here tomorrow for a tour of tea.
Is that the Soviet cultural group?
Let me know.
If so, I want to get it to the sailor so that he can give it a bigger publicity.
If it's okay.
You should appoint the chairman of the federal executive boards in the federal regions.
Romney is the only member of the cabinet who takes the charge.
He sees this as the White House preempting his control over his regional directors.
And so he's going to make an issue of this.
We told him he ought to air that at the cabinet meeting tomorrow, and he will do so.
Tell him you still have an opening.
All right.
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