Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 401 › Conversation 401-005

Nixon & Hope on Television ratings and Media appearances

Tuesday, January 9, 1973 · 2:30 PM–2:39 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 6 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Hope, Lelsie T. ("Bob")Conversation401-005 on Tape 401StartTuesday, January 9, 1973 at 2:30 PMEndTuesday, January 9, 1973 at 2:39 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 401-005 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and entertainer Bob Hope engaged in a informal, wide-ranging conversation that covered television ratings for Hope's past Christmas specials and brief administrative tasks. The discussion included lighthearted banter regarding personal projects and media appearances, as well as a request for Hope to contact Leonard Grinde to facilitate a specific professional matter. The call concluded with the President acknowledging receipt of information and directing coordination through his staff.

Audio

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NARA Description

On January 9, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Lelsie T. ("Bob") Hope met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:30 pm to 2:39 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 401-005 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 401-5

Date: January 9, 1973
Time: 2:30 pm - 2:39 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Leslie T. (“Bob”) Hope.

[See Conversation No. 35-108]
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                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 2 minutes of this recording (about 25% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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?
Hello?
Well, I didn't pay for that wedding in the commercial.
I was hired to...
I want to tell you that I noticed a very interesting thing when I was writing this work.
It was something about the Super Bowl respect for the audience.
They expect a 47 rating, and the article said that the only, the only rating that even approached that, that was that high was your rating of your Christmas show in 71, which was 46.
Isn't that something?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, but what I meant is, isn't that something?
That the biggest rating on television, except for the Super Bowl, the rating of your Christmas show,
What time is your, uh, well, this was number one.
No, well, what I meant is, wasn't this article sitting, was it yours, wasn't it?
Well, it was last year.
Right, right, right, right.
Well, that was a, I don't remember celebrating anything a lot of the time.
You're 60, I heard you were 15, 18.
Yeah, even though I'm not with you today, it's not my fault.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah?
Yeah, I'm just fine.
I'm just fine.
I'm visiting for the few things done.
Right.
Oh, boy.
All right.
I got it.
Well, I'll tell you today, there's actually a great career event.
When this thing is settled, which I'm hoping is my point, it'll be because of what they did for me.
And, you know, that's what you have to do.
It's only a blank piece that I have to hand on.
Exactly.
Just because I grow old, they do as soon as it's purchased.
But wait a minute.
Just as with, well, I don't have any interest in some of the work, for instance, if it's for all time.
Right.
Okay.
Okay.
The more time I watch their shit, the more I see those things come back.
You've got to be sure that it's coming along.
It's coming along.
And, uh, we don't know what I say.
Come on, I don't mean to say that everybody knows the report, except that we're talking.
And I'm talking very tough right now.
Very serious.
Very serious.
Tell me this, uh, how are you feeling?
How's it going?
That's how you take it.
That's how you take it.
I've been trying to get you to take that call.
It's been going well overnight.
All right, I'll take it.
That's quiet, of course.
Yeah, but I'm gonna turn on your part.
I'm gonna turn on the other part.
Okay.
Bye.
Hey, Bernie, just, uh, do me a favor, because you've got one.
Yes, because I'm a 10-year-secretary of the Senate, and you've got several, and I'm ready to apply.
See you.
Please watch.
Please have the president, Joey, have the problem.
We can do that.
And believe me, I will watch it.
And I still want to go back to the house, but I forget these things because I don't usually watch television.
All right.
Send me the bill.
Or no, send it.
Send it over to, uh, what's that other bill?
The first and bigger bill.
All right.
I mean, uh, the, not the big, but the, uh,
You know the guy who always puts the pickles in the spa?
That's right.
Jack, man, I even love it that you got him an apron.
Just send me the wire or send it to the building.
Tell them, tell them that I attached it to the building.
Fair enough.
It'll be the best day of the week.
That was funny.
Frank.
So, I'll tell you what you do after that, so that I can put it at your second turn.
In this case, send a note to your god to, if you can remember, Leonard Darnley.
Leonard Darnley, G-R-I-N-D-E.
I mean, he's in charge of whatever comes up.
And the state, the great guy, he said, well, then you give him a call on the phone.
He's a wonderful guy.
He said he was just a fellow partner.
He's a great, one of the best saxophones in the world.
So you call him and tell him to do it.
Tell him what I said.
Yeah.
I'll tell you what.
I'll have the White House border action closed.
What's that?
All right.
Good to talk to you, Mr. Hunter.
Good night.

Also recorded on January 9, 1973

  • 035-108 2:30 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Lelsie T. ("Bob") Hope talked on the telephone from 2:30 pm to 2:38 pm.
  • 035-110 2:39 PM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 2:39 pm.
  • 401-006 2:39 PM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 2:39 pm.
  • 401-007 2:39 PM · 15 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:39 pm to 2:53 pm.
  • 035-111 2:53 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:53 pm and 2:56 pm.
  • 401-008 2:53 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 2:53 pm and 2:56 pm.
  • 035-112 2:56 PM · 13 sec — the White House operator and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at 2:56 pm.
  • 035-113 2:56 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:56 pm and 3:02 pm.

All 45 conversations from January 9, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 401-005, January 9, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/401-005 (accessed November 4, 2026).