Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 21 › Conversation 021-009

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

Tuesday, March 7, 1972 · 10:57 AM–10:58 AM ET · White House Telephone · 42 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Elbourne, Timothy G.Conversation021-009 on Tape 21 (tape position 00:34:46–00:35:25)StartTuesday, March 7, 1972 at 10:57 AMEndTuesday, March 7, 1972 at 10:58 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 021-009 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon calls Timothy G. Elbourne to formally express appreciation for his extensive 48-day work assignment supporting the recent presidential trip to the People's Republic of China. Nixon acknowledges the logistical challenges faced by Elbourne and his colleagues, lightheartedly noting the positive impression they left on their Chinese counterparts. This brief exchange serves as a gesture of presidential recognition for the staff involved in the mission's successful execution.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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).
Mr. Elborn, sir.
Hello.
Jim, I just wanted you to know that after talking to Ron and the boys, they were saying that...
that you, along with coffee, deserve, I don't know, the Purple Heart.
We can't give you that.
For 48 days in China, that must be a record.
So we want you to know we appreciate it, and we hope you've recovered.
Mr. President, thank you very much.
I certainly appreciate it.
Well, you had a great experience, and they tell me that the Chinese all think you're half Chinese, and that proves you did the right job.
Well, thank you so much.
We had a marvelous time doing it, and I hope it worked out fine.
Yeah, it was as best as possible under the circumstances.
Good.
Thank you a lot.
Thank you.
very much

NARA Description

On March 7, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Timothy G. Elbourne talked on the telephone from 10:57 am to 10:58 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 021-009 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 21-9

Date: March 7, 1972
Time: 10:57 am - 10:58 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Timothy G. Elbourne.

[See Conversation No. 679-8A]

     President’s trip to People’s Republic of China [PRC] trip
          -Elbourne’s work
                -Ronald L. Ziegler
                -Vernon C. Coffey

Also recorded on March 7, 1972

  • 021-008 9:58 AM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:58 am and 10:57 am.
  • 679-002 9:58 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. Allen Smith, Clark MacGregor, and William E. Timmons met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:58 am to 10:02 am.
  • 679-003 10:02 AM · 30 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:02 am and 10:05 am.
  • 679-004 10:07 AM · 39 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:07 am to 10:48 am.
  • 679-005 10:48 AM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:48 am to 10:49 am.
  • 679-006 10:49 AM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield, Bennett Applegate, Ruth Huenemann, Jacqueline Johnson, Josephine Martin, John F. Murphy, Dale Farnell, Edward Schwartzkopf, Cola D. Warson, Roger Whitcomb, Richard E. Lyng, Edward J. Hekman, Herbert D. Rorey, Russell H. James, White House photographer, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:49 am to 10:57 am.
  • 679-007 10:57 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at 10:57 am.
  • 679-008 10:57 AM · 1 hr 31 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Timothy G. Elbourne, John D. Ehrlichman, Henry A. Kissinger, Stephen B. Bull, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Patricia Haig, Barbara E. Haig, Alonzo Fox, John K. Andrews, Jr., John V. Brennan, Vernon C. Coffey, Jr., Sarah Coffey, Karen Coffey, Vernon C. Coffey, III, Craig Coffey, Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:57 am to 12:31 pm.

All 43 conversations from March 7, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 021-009, March 7, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/021-009 (accessed September 18, 2026).