Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 1 › Conversation 001-027

Nixon, Rebozo & Sanchez on Southeast Asia and Vietnam War

Wednesday, April 7, 1971 · 10:38 PM–10:45 PM ET · White House Telephone · 5 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Rebozo, Charles G. ("Bebe"); Sanchez, ManoloConversation001-027 on Tape 1 (tape position 01:03:42–01:08:31)StartWednesday, April 7, 1971 at 10:38 PMEndWednesday, April 7, 1971 at 10:45 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 001-027 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with his close associate Charles G. "Bebe" Rebozo to gauge public reaction to his recent televised address regarding the war in Southeast Asia. The discussion highlighted the effectiveness of the President's personal anecdote about young Kevin Taylor and the utility of using visual charts to demonstrate his progress in ending the conflict. Rebozo advised Nixon to set a firm deadline for the Paris peace negotiations, an idea the President indicated he intended to pursue within the coming months.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Yeah.
Mr. Raposo, sir.
There you are.
Hello, B.B.?
Mr. President, how are you feeling?
How are the common folks?
Did you see them?
Well, you should see them real good.
How do the folks feel?
I mean, the people of...
I'll tell you, they're just great.
They're just great.
Middle America, yeah?
I think that, you know, I really think that that little summation was great, and it's described later.
It was not in the written speech, which I'm glad for.
But that story about that Sergeant Taylor...
That's a wonderful, wonderful little boy, Kevin, who's beautiful.
Beautiful, beautiful.
It's kind of nice, wasn't it?
Beautiful.
And the use of it.
You know, when that little kid did that, when I was at that ceremony, I broke up.
I just couldn't go on to the next ceremony, really.
Beautiful.
Yeah, but it came across, did it?
Yes, sir.
No question about it.
I think that it was all great, but I think that highlighted the human touch.
Now, tell Manoa that he's here.
Tell him what you're thinking.
And see if you can tell any Spanish words.
Use those charts, too.
That chart was great.
Okay, here's Manuela.
Time the truth now.
Okay.
I won't be listening.
All right.
But you felt good about it, did you?
Oh, Mr. President, I just think that the whole presentation was good.
There's no way they could find anything wrong.
I thought that your very casual reference to his analysis was very well put.
And I think that the charting is always good.
I think it really makes a difference.
The fact that...
The chart shows that you've done more than you said you were going to do.
The next step that I would suggest, instead of the deadline on ending the war, would be a deadline on the Paris negotiation.
Oh, I'm going to do that in about two months.
Knock all those goddamn things.
If they don't talk, screw them.
That's right.
That's exactly right.
Why waste everybody's time?
That's right.
That's right.
But I really, I really, really, you did it in a very concise manner.
You put your finger on the whole thing, and there's no way, there's no way they can take this apart.
I don't see how people could not have been moved to about the reference to Kevin Taylor, you know, the little boy, when he saluted, good God, and read me up.
That was just beautiful.
That really was just beautiful, and that, I think, is something that, it was a beautiful way to wind it up.
Yeah.
Okay, boy.
Very good.
What are you going to do now?
Well, I'm just taking it easy.
I was talking to John earlier tonight.
Yeah, all right.
I'm having a good time.
Yeah, all right.
Well, don't do anything that I wouldn't do, and that means everything.
Okay, boy.
All right, good night.

NARA Description

On April 7, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Charles G. ("Bebe") Rebozo, and Manolo Sanchez talked on the telephone from 10:38 pm to 10:45 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 001-027 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 1-27

Date: April 7, 1971
Time: 10:38 pm - 10:45 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo.

     President's previous speech on Southeast Asia
           -Popular reaction
           -Karl Taylor
           -Kevin Taylor

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

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 02/12/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[001-027-w001]
[Duration: 2m]

Manolo Sanchez talked with Rebozo at an unknown time between 10:38 pm and 10:45 pm.

     Manolo Sanchez speaks to Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo in Spanish

The President talked with Rebozo at an unknown time between 10:38 PM and 10:45 PM

     President requests translation

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

     President's previous speech on Southeast Asia
           -Charts
           -Deadline on Paris negotiations
           -Reaction
           -Kevin Taylor
     Rebozo's schedule
         -Conversation with John N. Mitchell

Also recorded on April 8, 1971

  • 001-023 10:28 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods talked on the telephone from 10:28 pm to 10:32 pm.
  • 001-024 10:34 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 10:34 pm.
  • 001-025 10:34 PM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone from 10:34 pm to 10:35 pm.
  • 001-026 10:35 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 10:35 pm to 10:37 pm.
  • 001-028 10:45 PM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 10:45 pm.
  • 001-029 10:45 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 10:45 pm.
  • 001-030 10:45 PM · 2 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 10:45 pm.
  • 001-031 10:46 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 10:46 pm to 10:48 pm.

All 67 conversations from April 8, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 001-027, April 8, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/001-027 (accessed October 6, 2026).