Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 33 › Conversation 033-027

Nixon phone call with Dole on 1972 Presidential Election and Kansas politics

Saturday, November 4, 1972 · 10:41 AM–10:44 AM ET · White House Telephone · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Dole, Robert J.Conversation033-027 on Tape 33StartSaturday, November 4, 1972 at 10:41 AMEndSaturday, November 4, 1972 at 10:44 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 033-027 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon called Senator Robert Dole while the latter was in Kansas to offer campaign support and well wishes to Republican candidates Morris Kay and Chuck McAtee. The discussion focused on bolstering the GOP ticket in Kansas, specifically emphasizing the importance of securing a win for the gubernatorial race. Nixon expressed his appreciation for Dole's national campaigning efforts and agreed to reach out to former Governor Alf Landon as a gesture of party unity.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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).
Senator Dole, Mr. President?
Yeah.
All right.
Hey.
You are.
Hello.
Yes, how are you?
Are you in Kansas?
I'm in Kansas.
I left there this morning to get out here to receive a phone call from the president of the United States.
Yeah, well, I just called for the reasons that you know, to wish you the very best.
I think you've got Jim Pearson there with you, haven't you?
Jim couldn't be here.
I've got our next governor, Morris Kahn, a new congressman, and Chuck McAtee.
They're both with me.
Well, you give both of them my best.
Tell them that, as I am saying in all of my talks today and yesterday, we support our whole ticket.
Let me say that in your case, your splendid work at the national level has taken you away from Kansas more than you would like.
We greatly appreciate it.
I think if we can have that old dual fight there in Kansas, that close race for governor, we've got our chance.
I know Jim Pearson is way ahead.
Now, Jim is in a waltz.
Cakewalk.
Mr. President, about 200 people are likely to respond and greet you if you've got a second.
Sure.
Bob, I want to say, too, that while I could not get to Kansas during the campaign, that I am well aware of the fact that Kansas is one of our banner states in every election.
I've just been looking at the statistics here.
I also remember, will never forget my visit to Kansas State, you know, when I wore the purple.
And I want you to tell the folks there in the room,
that i hope to get to kansas in the next four years and get to the university of kansas so we play both sides equally if that's fair enough and i think i think football fits pretty well here because i noticed morris k is a football
player, a star, which I was not.
I was on the bench.
But I know he's on a TV blitz, and that's going to close that gap, and he's going to win.
And Chuck McAtee, who's standing on my right, is a former FBI man, a highly qualified man, who will make our Kansas delegation again nonpartisan.
That means all Republican.
That's right.
Well, that's great.
And give Charles my very, very best.
I've written both of them letters, of course.
And
I back it up with what I'm saying to you today.
Well, we very much appreciate your call, Mr. President.
We know you have a busy day, and we're happy to have your support.
And if, among all the other many people that you speak to today in Kansas, if you would mind giving Alf Landon a call and tell him that I will always appreciate the fine things he said at the convention.
Alf may be here.
He's probably on horseback riding, Mr. President.
We appreciate it very much, and I'll send your best wishes to Jim Pearson.
Yes.
And we're all for the present here for four more years, and we thank you very much.
Okay.
Good luck, Bob.
Bye-bye.

NARA Description

On November 4, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Robert J. Dole talked on the telephone from 10:41 am to 10:44 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 033-027 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 33-27

Date: November 4, 1972
Time: 10:41 am - 10:44 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Robert J. Dole.

[See Conversation No. 389-12A]

       Greetings

       Dole's location
             -Kansas

*****************************************************************

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift during
chronological review 2007-2013]

       1972 election
            -Dole's campaign
            -James P. Pearson
                   -Location
                                            - 30 -

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY

                                                             Conversation No. 33-114 (cont’d)

            -Morris Kay
            -Charles (“Chuck”) McAtee
                  -The President's best wishes
            -Republican ticket
            -Dole's effort outside of Kansas
            -Kansas campaigns
                  -Pearson
            -The President's supporters

[Applause in background]

      1972 election
           -The President's schedule
                  -Kansas
                       -Importance
                             -The President’s view
                       -Kansas State University
                             -School colors
                       -The President’s possible visit
                       -University of Kansas

[Applause in background]

            -1972 election
                  -Kay
                        -Football
                              -The President’s athletic career
                        -Television [TV]
                  -Chuck McAtee
                        -Background
                              -Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
                  -Republicans
                  -Kay and McAttee
                        -Letters from the President
            -Alfred M. Landon
                  -Possible call from Dole
                        -Republican National Convention
                  -Location
                        -Horseback riding
            -Pearson
                                            - 31 -

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY

                                                             Conversation No. 33-114 (cont’d)

*****************************************************************

Also recorded on November 4, 1972

  • 033-023 10:28 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and James A. McClure talked on the telephone from 10:28 am to 10:29 am.
  • 033-024 10:30 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Margaret Chase Smith talked on the telephone from 10:30 am to 10:33 am.
  • 033-025 10:34 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Howard H. Baker, Jr. talked on the telephone from 10:34 am to 10:36 am.
  • 033-026 10:36 AM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:36 am and 10:41 am.
  • 389-012 10:36 AM · 14 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John D. Ehrlichman, Robert J. Dole, William Mills, Gordon L. Allott, and James D. ("Mike") McKevitt met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 10:36 am and 11:00 am.
  • 033-028 10:45 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William Mills talked on the telephone from 10:45 am to 10:47 am.
  • 033-029 10:49 AM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Gordon L. Allott talked on the telephone from 10:49 am to 10:54 am.
  • 033-030 11:00 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 11:00 am.

All 59 conversations from November 4, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 033-027, November 4, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/033-027 (accessed September 19, 2026).