Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 6 › Conversation 006-165

Nixon phone call with Rebozo on People's Republic of China

Tuesday, July 20, 1971 · 7:53 PM–7:57 PM ET · White House Telephone · 4 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Rebozo, Charles G. ("Bebe")Conversation006-165 on Tape 6 (tape position 03:57:08–04:01:06)StartTuesday, July 20, 1971 at 7:53 PMEndTuesday, July 20, 1971 at 7:57 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 006-165 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 417189221 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and his close associate Bebe Rebozo discuss the overwhelmingly positive public and media reception to the recent announcement of the President's initiative toward the People's Republic of China. The two men attribute the success of the announcement to the element of surprise and the administration's ability to maintain total secrecy until the revelation. Additionally, the conversation touches upon logistical planning for the President's upcoming California vacation and various personal matters, including Rebozo's personal schedule and a private bet between the two.

Audio

Download MP3 · 5.5 MB

NARA Description

On July 20, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles G. ("Bebe") Rebozo talked on the telephone from 7:53 pm to 7:57 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 006-165 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 6-165

Date: July 20, 1971
Time: 7:53 pm - 7:57 pm
Location: White House Telephone

Charles G. ("Bebe") Rebozo talked with the President.

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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 05/02/2023.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[006-165-w001]
[Duration: 17s]

     Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo’s trip

     The President’s schedule
          -Forthcoming August 20, 1971-September 4, 1971 California trip
                -Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo

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     President's People's Republic of China [PRC] initiative
           -John S. (“Jack”) Knight
           -Reaction

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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 05/02/2023.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[006-165-w003]
[Duration: 23s]

     Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo’s schedule
          -Meeting with unknown man

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     The President's PRC initiative
          -Reaction

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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 05/02/2023.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[006-165-w002]
[Duration: 1m 37s]

     Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo’s conversation with Julie Nixon Eisenhower, July 20, 1971
          -Boat idea

     The President's forthcoming vacation
          -H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman's idea
          -Time spent on vacation
               -Lyndon B. Johnson, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy
          -Mexico
          -August 18, 1971

     Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo’s bet with the President

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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.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).

Yeah, what do you find?
These characters don't know what to do with it, do they?
Even Jack Knight likes it.
I know, I know.
When I see you, I'll talk to you about it.
It's unreal.
Really?
It really is.
Where do you find it from, baby?
What kind of piece?
Everywhere.
Everywhere.
I haven't heard anything other, anything contrary.
It's the element of surprise, in addition to the sudden start to realization that, you know, why the hell didn't we all think this way before?
You know, when you've got a quarter of a million people...
The whole thing was kept under wraps.
It was unreal.
You can't get away with it.

Also recorded on July 20, 1971

  • 006-162 6:19 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 6:19 pm.
  • 006-164 6:41 PM · 31 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Manolo Sanchez, and Charles G. ("Bebe") Rebozo talked on the telephone at 6:41 pm.
  • 263-014 6:43 PM · 32 sec — unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:43 pm and 6:46 pm.
  • 006-166 7:57 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:57 pm and 8:07 pm.
  • 006-167 8:07 PM · 36 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Tricia Nixon Cox talked on the telephone from 8:07 pm to 8:08 pm.
  • 006-168 8:09 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 8:09 pm.
  • 006-169 8:10 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 8:10 pm.
  • 006-170 8:11 PM · 24 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Stewart Stout talked on the telephone from 8:11 pm to 8:12 pm.

All 42 conversations from July 20, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 006-165, July 20, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417189221). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/006-165 (accessed October 30, 2026).