Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 16 › Conversation 016-127
Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on Arthur F. Burns
Sunday, December 19, 1971 · 8:02 PM ET · White House Telephone · 7 sec
AI Summary
President Nixon initiates a request to the White House operator to place a telephone call to Arthur F. Burns, the Chairman of the Federal Reserve. This brief interaction serves as the preliminary administrative step required to connect the President with Burns for a private consultation. No substantive policy discussion occurs during this operator-assisted connection request.
Audio
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
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NARA Description
On December 19, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 8:02 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 016-127 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 16-127
Date: December 19, 1971
Time: 8:02 pm
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with the White House operator.
Request for a call to Arthur F. BurnsAlso recorded on December 20, 1971
- 016-124 7:44 PM · 11 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William F. ("Billy") Graham talked on the telephone from 7:44 pm to 7:55 pm.
- 016-125 7:55 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 7:55 pm.
- 016-126 7:55 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John B. Connally talked on the telephone from 7:55 pm to 8:01 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 016-127, December 20, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/016-127 (accessed October 16, 2026).