Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 650 › Conversation 650-004

Nixon & Ehrlichman on West Coast dock strike and Harry Bridges

Tuesday, January 18, 1972 · 10:09 AM–10:14 AM ET · Oval Office · 6 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ehrlichman, John D.Conversation650-004 on Tape 650 (tape position 00:33:21–00:41:30)StartTuesday, January 18, 1972 at 10:09 AMEndTuesday, January 18, 1972 at 10:14 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 650-004 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and John Ehrlichman discussed administrative strategy regarding the West Coast dock strike, emphasizing the need for a firm stance against Harry Bridges to avoid public relations issues. The President also requested an options paper by early the following week concerning federal policy on school busing, specifically seeking legislative or constitutional alternatives to pending court decisions. Nixon underscored his desire to clarify his position on the busing issue for the upcoming State of the Union address, directing Ehrlichman to ensure the message was drafted and ready for review.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

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Are you ready to talk with that doctor again?
Yeah?
Yeah.
The only thing we have to do, though, John, is that we've got to discontinue.
And I know this will run against George's brain.
There's a piece of land that has to do with our part.
It's got to be a hard hit.
I mean, we can't crap around with this thing if they open back.
Do you understand?
Right.
They understand that.
That's my view.
We're not going to screw around and say, well, let's be nice to Bridges and maybe he'll work out when it comes to cutting off a problem and so forth.
Right now, it's our problem.
It's public relations problems.
Oh, hell, it doesn't mean it's not important to share it anyway.
I mean, it doesn't have to, you know, it doesn't have to happen again.
It's new.
Christ sent it up tomorrow.
I mean, I think it's sent up.
I think that would be a good thing for the day.
I mean, it's an old idea.
I mean, the only thing is, you've got practice in it.
Let's don't go around it.
All right, OK, figured it.
But John, the other one I keep working on, I've got to have now the crimes, unfortunately, those are the original decision, and the others are pending.
I've got to have an option thing at the very first next week on the busing thing.
But you'll understand, I'm not so interested in court.
a very high visibility.
And I don't want to play a, you know, I'm much as I was referred to as sort of the
Basically, the government and the British in line.
I can't do that.
I mean, you know how strong I feel on this issue.
Now, I've got to have some legislation.
I mean, if we decide and everybody rules out a constitutional amendment, well, then let's get out the legislation thing.
I mean, I've got to have something.
You know, the boys are not there, but they're not yet ready for anything or not.
Pray the peace.
Others have been set fire to themselves already.
I mean, I'm happy to come out and make some decision.
You know, even when you find that the DevOps like that will be in that direction, that's something to see.
Yeah, I understand.
We have to look at the direction of the decision.
What's he saying?
No comment because it's in the courts.
Are you watching that?
I'm leaving the Richmond without it.
I was letting it be back.
What about the legislation on that?
Are you moving that out, too?
What, what legislation?
Yeah.
Yeah, we're trying to get it signed.
Now, but I was thinking, I was thinking, uh, there's that, uh,
I understand.
I don't want to rule out the constitutional amendment thing, but I just wanted to do something in terms of the whole problem.
That people will understand the difficulty is that they're just a couple of us that don't understand where I stand on the issue.
Well, I strengthened that last time.
Yeah.
Would you put a, what the code is?
.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
If you could, uh, if you could have your legal events reported.
Put a better sentence on that, and I'll consider trying.
I've got it.
It's a little late, and I've got this.
I've got to have the very last thing in.
You'll have to get to him by 2 o'clock because I've ordered him to get it in by 4 to come to Hiller High Water so that I can finish tonight because I've got to be working tomorrow.
Okay?
Yes, sir.
Bye.

NARA Description

On January 18, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:09 am and 10:14 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 650-004 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 650-4
Date: January 18, 1972
Time: Unknown between 10:09 am and 10:14 am
Location: Oval Office

The President talked with John D. Ehrlichman.

     West Coast Dock strike
          -Forthcoming meeting
                -George P. Shultz
                -Harry Bridges
          -Possible legislation
                -Forthcoming State of the Union speech
                      -Public relations effect

     Richmond court decision
         -Option paper
         -Busing
              -Pending court decision
              -As issue
              -Leonard Garment
              -Elliot L. Richardson
              -Options
                    -Constitutional amendment
                    -Legislation
              -Responses to issue
                    -Hubert H. Humphrey
                    -Demagogues
                    -Ronald L. Ziegler
                          -Administration reaction
                                -Federal government responsibilities
         -De facto cases
              -Legislation
                    -Amendment to Higher Education Act
         -Busing
              -The President’s stand on issue
                    -Misunderstanding
              -The President’s schedule
              -State of the Union speech
                    -Raymond K. Price , Jr.’s draft
                          -Portion on busing
              -The President's schedule

Also recorded on January 18, 1972

  • 650-001 9:25 AM · 23 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:25 am and 9:48 am.
  • 650-002 9:48 AM · 12 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:48 am to 10:05 am.
  • 650-003 10:07 AM · 35 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:07 am to 10:09 am.
  • 018-098 10:14 AM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 10:14 am.
  • 650-005 10:14 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at 10:14 am.
  • 650-006 10:17 AM · 1 hr 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, Rose Mary Woods, unknown person(s), White House operator, and William L. Safire met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:17 am to 11:27 am.
  • 018-099 10:23 AM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:23 am and 10:55 am.
  • 018-100 10:55 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William L. Safire talked on the telephone from 10:55 am to 10:58 am.

All 30 conversations from January 18, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 650-004, January 18, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/650-004 (accessed September 29, 2026).