Conversation: 712-001
Prev:  711-021 Next: 712-002Start Date: 18-Apr-1972 3:56 PM
End Date: 18-Apr-1972 4:56 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ehrlichman, John D.; Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:02:01
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:02:42
NARA Description:
On April 18, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:56 pm to 4:56 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 712-001 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 712-1 Date: April 18, 1972 Time: 3:56 pm - 4:56 pm Location: Oval Office The President met with John D. Ehrlichman. Greetings Busing -Ehrlichman's approach -Article by Alexander M. Bickel in New Republic -Constitutionality -Impact on Congress -Circulation among opinion makers -Robert H. Bork -Press conference in Washington -Press conference -Necessity -Controversy -Irene McCabe -Intended action -Position -National Action Group -Pontiac, Michigan -Publicity -Article in National Journal -Reprints -Circulation -Authority -McCabe -Article -Rally -Timing -Analysis -Topics 2 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 7/07) Conv. No. 712-1 (cont.) ***************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1 [Personal returnable] [Duration: 1m 48s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1 ***************************************************************** -Bickel -Liberalism -Opposition -Bork -Ivy League background -[Charles A. Wright] -Texas -Willingness to speak out -Southerners -Mobilization -Disbandment of bi-racial committees -Edward L. Morgan -Court cases -Reopening -Impact -Richard G. Kleindienst -Moratorium -Passage in Congress -Congress -The President's opposition to busing -Publicity -Difference from George C. Wallace -Sympathy for blacks -Political benefits -Support of middle-of-the-roaders -Challenge to Congress -Moratorium -Constitutional amendment -Political advantages -Political support 3 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 7/07) Conv. No. 712-1 (cont.) -Answer -Ehrlichman's draft -Patrick J. Buchanan -Burden on Congress -Problems for children -Article in National Journal -Quality of article -List of cities -Detroit -Indianapolis -Denver -Richmond -Suburbs -Administration interventions -Publicity -Trips to communities -L[ouis] Patrick Gray, III -Grand Rapids, Michigan -Ehrlichman -Morgan -Value -Arrangements -Gray -Kleindienst -Publicity -Ehrlichman's trip -Statement -Bork -Legal arguments -Wright -Texas lawyer -Joseph T. Sneed -Duke University -Support for the President -Recruitment -Judgeship positions -Attorney General 4 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 7/07) Conv. No. 712-1 (cont.) International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT] case -Debates -Advantages -Peter M. Flanigan testimony Busing -National Journal article -The President's review -Analysis of congressional voting records -Changes -Administration opposition -Impact on communities -Divisiveness -Supporters of busing -Liberals -Time -Reasons -Attacks on white middle class suburbanites -Children's schools -Investigation of journalists -Results -Use in press conference -Journalists -Residences -Suburbs -Compared to Washington, DC -Robert P. Novak -Kleindienst -Children's schools -Democratic candidates -Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson -Children in public school -Children -Schools -Publicity Crime -Washington Post -Ehrlichman's briefing -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman -Time 5 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 7/07) Conv. No. 712-1 (cont.) -Publicity -Business leaders in Washington, DC -Meeting -Impact of crime -Washington, DC -Level -1968 campaign -Decline -Credit for administration -The President's law and order policies -Criticism -Law Enforcement Assistance Administration [LEAA] -Funds for Washington, DC -Funds for localities -Uses -Illegal drugs -Issue for Vice President Spiro T. Agnew -Campaign ***************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2 [Privacy] [Duration: 18s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2 ***************************************************************** -Political benefits -Law enforcement and rehabilitation -Pushers 6 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 7/07) Conv. No. 712-1 (cont.) ***************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3 [Privacy] [Duration: 9s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3 ***************************************************************** -Fact sheet -Drafts -Distribution -Agnew -Discussion and publicity -Republicans -Material for speeches -Publicity -Arrangements Economy -Latest figures -Inventory -Backlog of demand -Release -Progress -Staff meeting -Herbert Stein -Ezra Solomon -Optimism -Consumer Price Index [CPI] -Last month's figures -Wholesale food prices -Food prices -Political issue -Life magazine -Meat -Cheaper cuts -Chicken 7 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 7/07) Conv. No. 712-1 (cont.) -Complaints from consumers -Complaints -Substance -Inevitability -Depression of 1930's -Publicity -Life -Timing -Decline -Jawboning -Summer decline -Earl L. Butz -Policies -Trip to Soviet Union -Statements -Criticism -Future statements -Benefits for Farm Belt -Work with administration -Political sensitivities -Kenneth R. Cole, Jr. -Ehrlichman -Work with farmers -Success -Ehrlichman’s trip to Denver -Article -Butz’s talk with the President -Complaints -Current mood -Improvement -Cattlemen -Prosperity -Milk producers -Jawboning -John B. Connally -Price Commission -Dr. C. Jackson (“Dan”) Grayson, Jr. -Benefits -Shoe prices -Jawboning by Peter G. Peterson -Level 8 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 7/07) Conv. No. 712-1 (cont.) -Price of hides -Scarcity -Jawboning -Jawboning -Timing with election -Effectiveness -Food prices -Decline -Market chains -Safeway -Ads -Fear of controls -World War II -Cattle growers Other issues -Crime -Drugs -Busing -Prices Taxes -Property taxes -School funding -Advisory Committee on Intergovernmental Relations [ACIR] -Ehrlichman's meeting with Connally -Option paper -Connally's advice -Debt ceiling -Testimony -Connally, George P. Shultz and Stein -Loopholes -Connally -Wilbur D. Mills -Hearings on Health bill -Tax bill -Ways and Means Committee -Revenue sharing -House Resolution [HR] 1 -Location in Congress -Senate Finance Committee 9 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 7/07) Conv. No. 712-1 (cont.) -Confusion -Republicans -Meeting at White House -Caucus -Opposition to Russell B. Long's changes -Long's proposals -Costs -Criticism of the President by Long ITT case -Flanigan testimony -Conditions -Samuel J. Ervin, Jr.’s reaction -Long's reaction -Reasons Revenue-sharing -Senate Finance Committee -Passage -Likelihood to be defeated -Shultz and Mills -The President's efforts -Appreciation by local officials Taxation -Treasury Department -Connally -White Paper -Opposition to property taxes -Populism -Congressional resistance -Tax reform -Democratic voting records -Publicity -Connally as spokesman -Speeches -Policy of administration -Property tax relief and relief for parochial schools -Value-added tax [VAT] -Administration credit -Alternatives 10 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 7/07) Conv. No. 712-1 (cont.) -Administration study -Wallace telegram -Connally's answer -Challenge for answers -Loopholes -Connally's views -Abolition -Problems -Mortgage deductions -Charitable exemptions -Capital gains -Abolition -Impact -Mortgage deductions -Edmund S. Muskie's position -Hubert H. Humphrey -Democratic opposition -Charity, home and family deductions -Gas tax deduction -Sales tax deduction -US tax system -Tax inequities -Congressional responsibility -Candidates -Wallace ***************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4 [Personal returnable] [Duration: 3m 18s] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4 ***************************************************************** Budget -Frank L. Rizzo -Federal money for Philadelphia -Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger 11 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 7/07) Conv. No. 712-1 (cont.) -Defense funds -Telephone call from the President -Federal money -Law enforcement -Narcotics control -Child care -Benefits for Rizzo ***************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5 [Personal returnable] [Duration: 8m 39s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5 ***************************************************************** Jews -Golda Meir -Israelis Edward M. Kennedy -Bill on Chappaquiddick -Staff work -Political prospects -Bill on Chappaquiddick -Chappaquiddick -Press reports -Denver -Conviction -Driver's license -Grand Jury proceedings -Public interest -First reports -The President's location -Ehrlichman's location -Kennedy's speech 12 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 7/07) Conv. No. 712-1 (cont.) -The President's and Ehrlichman's locations -Failure -Richard N. Goodwin -Public disbelief -Compared with Checkers Speech -Failure -Lack of validity ***************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7 [Personal returnable] [Duration: 22s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7 ***************************************************************** Busing -Administration position -Approach -The President's daughters -Integrated schools -Sidwell Friends -The President and Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon -Integrated schools -Whittier schools -Quaker tradition -Smith and Finch Colleges -Julie Nixon Eisenhower -The President's decision -Publicity -Ways to improve education -Parental discretion -George H. Gallup poll results -Opposition -Blacks -Opposition 13 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 7/07) Conv. No. 712-1 (cont.) -Candidates' supporters -Wallace, Nixon, Muskie -Views on busing -Regional breakdown -Public response -Wide agreement on opposition -Experts -Uncertainty about benefits -Parental discretion -Racialism -Parents versus courts and sociologists -Administration position -Experts Ehrlichman left at 4:56 pm.