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Conversation 672-003

TapeTape 672StartTuesday, February 15, 1972 at 12:47 PMEndTuesday, February 15, 1972 at 12:56 PMTape start time03:40:53Tape end time03:46:35ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Ehrlichman, John D.Recording deviceOval Office
AI Summary

President Nixon and John Ehrlichman met to discuss administrative coordination, specifically reviewing recent interactions between John Connally, Arthur Burns, and George Shultz. The discussion touched on personnel management and the strategic handling of upcoming statements, particularly concerning busing and welfare reform. Nixon emphasized the need for clear accountability within his staff to ensure key policy objectives were effectively communicated.

John ConnallyArthur BurnsGeorge ShultzBusingWelfare ReformAdministrative Policy
AudioNARA Description

On February 15, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:47 pm and 12:56 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 672-003 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 672-3

Date: February 15, 1972
Time: Unknown between 12:47 pm and 12:56 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President talked with John D. Ehrlichman.

     The President’s schedule
          -Camp David

John B. Connally
     -Talk with Ehrlichman
          -Connally’s comments
          -Meeting
                -Arthur F. Burns
                -Notes
                      -George P. Shultz
                           -Meeting
     -Burns
          -Meeting with the President
                -Purpose

Donald H. Rumsfeld

Shultz

Connally

Welfare reform

Busing
     -Statement
     -William H. Brown, III
           -Equal Employment Opportunity Commission [EEOC]
     -Daniel P. (“Pat”) Moynihan
     -Charles W. Colson
           -Memoranda
     -Constitutional amendment
           -Chief Justice [Warren E. Burger]
           -Howard H. Baker, Jr.
           -Burger
           -“Nixon Court”
           -Judges opinions

The President’s schedule
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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

The last part is the soil conservation .
Well, you don't have to do it, I'm not so sure, but maybe it is worth it.
If so, what do they do?
They go home.
Say, well, they were in my house there at the White House.
I have some good loyalists.
I can shoot them.
They'll get mad at me in my house.
That's why they're here.
They're running meters in some group.
You don't get any credit for that, and it's no good as far as the little black kids are concerned.
They don't know anybody else.
They've done a lot.
They've done a lot for people who come through there.
The district stuff is bullshit, I believe.
It just should not that often agree.
And it doesn't mean anything we've done in the district.
Uh, John, did you have anything you wanted to, uh, go over before... Yeah, I understand now.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
How'd you get along?
Did you have a good talk with Colin?
Yeah.
You reassured him.
You told him about the conversations.
He rather surprised him, so it was, it was really, not really, it was, it was, he had no reason to come and talk to me.
But what did John say about it, though?
Before he did, you know, and then, yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
Good.
Good.
But he didn't see that Arthur was just coming in.
I think Arthur was coming in for her father.
That's what I didn't hear.
Yeah.
Well, he used it for the purpose of getting them to keep loose.
That's good.
I get it.
I think it was, I never saw so much crap.
Yeah, yeah.
What about the run spells?
Is that nothing to do with that?
Now the thing to do is George should have a responsibility so that he realizes he's not doing it.
He's in charge there, so now that you've worked out the deal with Conner, he can do it.
I think the real thing is to just get a hell of a good statement.
That's the only approach we have.
Yeah.
All right, so they look big now.
Yeah, yeah.
He's smart, too.
Yeah.
Yeah.
What is their answer?
Just leave them as they are.
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