Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 19 › Conversation 019-034

Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on William C. Lewis

Thursday, January 20, 1972 · 1:29 PM ET · White House Telephone · 11 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation019-034 on Tape 19StartThursday, January 20, 1972 at 1:29 PMEndThursday, January 20, 1972 at 1:29 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 019-034 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon attempted to reach William C. Lewis via a phone call placed through the White House operator. Upon learning that Lewis was out to lunch and unavailable, the President instructed the operator to leave a message. The conversation concluded with a brief exchange regarding the expected time of Lewis's return.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Hello.
Mr. President, Mr. Bill Lewis is out to lunch.
He didn't leave word where he was going to eat.
They expect him back around 2.
Shall I leave word?
All right, sir.

NARA Description

On January 20, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 1:29 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 019-034 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 19-34

Date: January 20, 1972
Time: 1:29 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The White House operator talked with the President.

[See Conversation No. 652-3C]

     William C. Lewis’s location
          -Return call

Also recorded on January 20, 1972

  • 652-002 1:17 PM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:17 pm and 1:22 pm.
  • 019-032 1:22 PM · 33 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:22 pm and 1:29 pm.
  • 019-033 1:22 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:22 pm and 1:29 pm.
  • 652-003 1:22 PM · 11 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, Alexander P. Butterfield, unknown person(s), and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:22 pm and 1:33 pm.
  • 652-004 1:29 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:29 pm and 1:33 pm.
  • 652-005 1:33 PM · 37 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Clark MacGregor, Charles W. Colson, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:33 pm to 2:15 pm.
  • 652-006 2:20 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:20 pm and 2:30 pm.
  • 652-007 2:20 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:20 pm and 2:30 pm.

All 39 conversations from January 20, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 019-034, January 20, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/019-034 (accessed September 19, 2026).