Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 811 › Conversation 811-001

Nixon & Ehrlichman on Executive reorganization and Department of Justice

Wednesday, November 1, 1972 · 3:01 PM–3:04 PM ET · Oval Office · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ehrlichman, John D.Conversation811-001 on Tape 811StartWednesday, November 1, 1972 at 3:01 PMEndWednesday, November 1, 1972 at 3:04 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 811-001 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and John Ehrlichman met to discuss the potential reorganization of the executive branch and the status of leadership within the Justice Department. The conversation focused on the tenure of FBI Director L. Patrick Gray and Attorney General Richard G. Kleindienst, specifically addressing their performance and the political ramifications of their potential retention or resignation. Ehrlichman provided updates on congressional and press reactions, while the two weighed the impact of a departmental overhaul on these personnel decisions.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Let's see how we can just see if it turns out.

I'll be sure it's good enough.

Let's see if we hit that five.

Let's see if that shows up.

Now that doesn't work quite.

I don't know where we can create something.

The other thing I can do is to just clean up the whole top.

I start over and they all squeal.

I don't just, you know, there aren't any good choices in this.

I guess that's the problem.

They'll either squiggle it wholesale or retail, you know, a little bit or a lot.

Yeah.

Yeah, the way it is, you can't have the lease today.

You're present.

It's a solution to keep the career going, you know.

He's turning out all right.

He's turning out fair.

I'll tell you who the hell is all right.

Some of you will agree.

I'm saying it's a long trade point.

Yeah.

But he's all right with that.

And...

I think you have to have a relationship with him that anytime you want him to get his resignation, I think he goes his way.

Even after he's confirmed.

I think he seems to be pretty well-received.

He's doing a lot with the press and the Congress, playing these cards.

He's attracting trouble.

Yeah.

Clint Eastwood's high.

Clint Eastwood now wants to stay the worst way.

And he's got, uh, what's his name, Haruska made the turn for him.

Why should he stay?

Well, I mean, that's what's happening.

I mean, that's the reason, that's the reason, that's the reason that he wanted to stay, obviously, is to, for a while, forever.

However, I mean, not beyond the, sort of, the possibilities indicated, so he's in a good turn.

I'm not suggesting to you that that's what should happen.

I'm just reporting to you what I'm hearing.

I see a problem with him.

You know what I mean?

Well, if it's in the total context of a major overhaul, I don't think there would be quite that problem, you know?

Right.

Okay.

Yes, sir.

I don't know.

NARA Description

On November 1, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:01 pm to 3:04 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 811-001 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 811-1

Date: November 1, 1972
Time: 3:01 pm-3:04 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with John D. Ehrlichman.

[The conversation was in progress when the recording began.]

       Second term reorganization
            -Unknown conversation
                   -Leak
            -Justice Department [?]
                   -Leaks
            -Justice Department
                   -L[ouis] Patrick Gray, III
                         -Retention
                         -Possible resignation
                               -Confirmation
                         -Confirmation
                         -Press and Congressional relations
                         -Richard G. Kleindienst’s view
                   -Kleindienst
                         -Retention
                               -Support from James O. Eastland
                               -Roman L. Hruska
                               -Duration
                               -Departmental “overhaul”

       Henry A. Kissinger
            -Greetings by Ehrlichman

Ehrlichman and the President left at 3:04 p.m.
                                             -2-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Also recorded on November 1, 1972

391-005 2:10 PM · 48 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John D. Ehrlichman, and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:10 pm to 2:57 pm.
391-006 2:57 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:57 pm and 4:12 pm.
391-007 2:57 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:57 pm and 4:12 pm.
811-002 3:04 PM · 23 sec — Henry A. Kissinger and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:04 pm and 3:08 pm.
811-003 3:04 PM · 1 hr 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, John Cardinal Krol, White House photographer, Stephen B. Bull, Manolo Sanchez, and James McGettigan met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:04 pm and 4:07 pm.
811-004 4:07 PM · 1 min — United States Secret Service agents met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:07 pm and 11:59 pm.
391-008 4:12 PM · 10 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Raymond K. Price, Jr., Henry A. Kissinger, and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:12 pm to 4:23 pm.
032-121 4:23 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 4:23 pm.

All 58 conversations from November 1, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 811-001, November 1, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/811-001 (accessed October 5, 2026).