Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 39 › Conversation 039-096

Nixon, Timmons & Buzhardt on Congressional relations and Republican leadership

Tuesday, June 5, 1973 · 5:27 PM–5:29 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsWhite House operator; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Timmons, William E.; Buzhardt, J. Fred, Jr.Conversation039-096 on Tape 39StartTuesday, June 5, 1973 at 5:27 PMEndTuesday, June 5, 1973 at 5:29 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 039-096 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with William E. Timmons to discuss the effectiveness of a recent meeting with Republican Congressional leadership. Nixon explained that his earlier critical stance toward Timmons and his staff was a deliberate tactical move to address the concerns of Congressional members. The President expressed his full appreciation for the hard work of Timmons, Thomas C. Korologos, and the Congressional relations team, instructing Timmons to relay this gratitude to his staff.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

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Mr. President, I just talked to Jerry Ford.

He said that he was very pleased with that meeting this morning.

And he told me that in his talk afterwards with you that maybe that the boys were sort of being critical of your operation.

What I was doing, trying to do, Bill, was to sort of make it appear that you and all the other guys, my golly, we're, you know, we're rooting around there.

I know that every paper that comes in, heck, there wasn't a thing they mentioned you haven't done.

No.

Not one thing?

Yeah, I thought it was a waste of your time, frankly.

Well, no, I'm talking about that kind of stuff.

But, you know, Bill, that's what they want to talk about.

I know.

And so don't you worry about a waste of my time, but I just wanted you to be sure that you and Carl Lucas and the rest of it

I was perfectly aware of the fact, you know, I had to be the devil's advocate just a little bit.

Yeah, I know.

I really thought it went pretty good.

Well, they were expecting a lot worse, frankly.

Of course, we'd get it every day, you know.

I know.

It's a shame.

I just didn't want them to do that with you.

Well, don't you worry about that.

Tell the boys I appreciate what they're doing, okay?

Great.

Come in, Fred.

Thank you.

NARA Description

On June 5, 1973, White House operator, President Richard M. Nixon, William E. Timmons, and J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. talked on the telephone from 5:27 pm to 5:29 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 039-096 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 39-96

Date: June 5, 1973
Time: 5:27 pm - 5:29 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The White House operator talked with the President.

       Incoming telephone call

The President talked with William E. Timmons.

[See also Conversation No. 441-22]

       Republican Congressional leadership meeting
             -President’s previous conversation with Gerald R. Ford
                    -Support for Timmons
             -President’s role
                    -Timmons, Thomas C. Korologos
             -Timmons’ assessment
                    -Compared to daily interaction with Congressional leaders
                            -President’s role
             -President’s appreciation
                    -Timmons, Korologos, and Congressional relations staff

The President conferred with J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. at 5:29 pm.

[Begin conferral]

[See Conversation No. 441-23]

[End conferral]
                                              -76-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Also recorded on June 5, 1973

039-093 5:21 PM · 4 min — White House operator, President Richard M. Nixon, and Gerald R. Ford talked on the telephone from 5:21 pm to 5:25 pm.
441-019 5:21 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Gerald R. Ford met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:21 pm to 5:25 pm.
441-020 5:25 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:25 pm and 5:27 pm.
039-094 5:26 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at 5:26 pm.
039-095 5:26 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:26 pm and 5:27 pm.
441-021 5:26 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:26 pm and 5:27 pm.
441-022 5:27 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William E. Timmons met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:27 pm to 5:29 pm.
441-023 5:29 PM · 1 hr 41 min — President Richard M. Nixon, J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr., unknown person(s), and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:29 pm to 7:14 pm.

All 48 conversations from June 5, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 039-096, June 5, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/039-096 (accessed September 18, 2026).