Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 17 › Conversation 017-007

Nixon phone call with Hughes on Grambling College Band and Liberia

Friday, December 24, 1971 · 1:48 PM–1:49 PM ET · White House Telephone · 54 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Hughes, James D. ("Don")Conversation017-007 on Tape 17 (tape position 00:11:11–00:12:04)StartFriday, December 24, 1971 at 1:48 PMEndFriday, December 24, 1971 at 1:49 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 017-007 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with Major General James D. Hughes regarding a request for the Grambling College Band to travel to Liberia for an inauguration. Despite concerns about setting a precedent for such transportation, Nixon determined the trip should proceed as a political decision. He instructed Hughes to coordinate with press secretary Ronald Ziegler to ensure the administration received maximum favorable publicity for the gesture.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I have a call from Bill Timmons that Congressman Passman has been asked to get the Grambling College Band, that's that colored college, sir, down in his territory, over to Liberia.
They've been invited to the Liberian inauguration.
The reason we're bothering you with this is that under ordinary circumstances, I would have turned it down because of the precedent we've established and so forth.
I think we should do it on this.
It should be a political decision.
I think it is, and I think it should be done.
All right, sir.
We'll send a C-141.
Very nice touch.
All right, we'll take it.
Be sure it gets to Ziegler and the rest, and that we get a massive...
Yes, sir, I understand.
So that we don't get the credit.
Okay, Don.
Yes, sir.
All right, thanks, Don.
Bye.
Merry Christmas, sir.

NARA Description

On December 24, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and James D. ("Don") Hughes talked on the telephone from 1:48 pm to 1:49 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 017-007 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 17-7

Date: December 24, 1971
Time: 1:48 pm - 1:49 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Maj. Gen. James D. (“Don”) Hughes.

[See Conversation No. 309-6]

     Hughes called by William E. Timmons
         -Otto E. Passman
         -Grambling College Band

                -Invited to Liberian inauguration
          -Political decision
          -Ronald L. Ziegler
          -Christmas greetings

Also recorded on December 24, 1971

  • 017-006 1:46 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:46 pm and 1:48 pm.
  • 309-004 1:46 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:46 pm and 1:48 pm.
  • 309-005 1:46 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:46 pm and 1:48 pm.
  • 309-006 1:48 PM · 30 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and James D. ("Don") Hughes met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:48 pm to 1:49 pm.
  • 309-007 1:49 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 1:49 pm.
  • 017-008 1:50 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 1:50 pm.
  • 017-009 1:50 PM · 49 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and James D. ("Don") Hughes talked on the telephone from 1:50 pm to 1:51 pm.
  • 309-008 1:50 PM · 33 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and James D. ("Don") Hughes met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:50 pm to 1:51 pm.

All 54 conversations from December 24, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 017-007, December 24, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/017-007 (accessed October 2, 2026).