Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 1 › Conversation 001-036

Nixon phone call with Lewis on Southeast Asia and Troop withdrawals

Wednesday, April 7, 1971 · 11:12 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Lewis, Hobart D.Conversation001-036 on Tape 1 (tape position 01:21:11–01:23:03)StartWednesday, April 7, 1971 at 11:12 PMEndWednesday, April 7, 1971 at 11:12 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 001-036 ↗

AI Summary

President Richard Nixon and Hobart D. Lewis discuss the public and personal reception of Nixon’s recent televised address regarding troop withdrawals in Southeast Asia. Lewis commends the President for departing from his prepared text to share a personal anecdote about a soldier, which he found highly effective. The conversation concludes with a lighthearted exchange regarding gifts Lewis received from the President following a trip to Caneel Bay.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Mr. Hobart Lewis, sir.
Hello.
President?
How are you?
I tried to get through to you a little earlier, but you had too many admirers.
Oh, well.
Say, I'd like to come down and shake your hand.
Well, that's very nice of you.
It's very terrific for you to hold the line that way, I think.
It's just wonderful.
You had to do it.
That's right.
Of course.
And the conclusion of that speech was the most moving thing I ever heard in my life.
Well, it had to be done.
I wrote that out myself about two nights ago, and I didn't tell anybody that it was going to be done.
It wasn't in the text.
I noticed you put the text aside.
That's right.
Just terrific.
And it was true, too.
That's exactly what happened.
When this little kid saluted me, I broke up, you know, and there was no press there at the time.
I would think so.
But it was just the right time and place to tell that story, too.
I must say that you were bleeding from strength there with 265,000 men out and another 100,000 to go and that terrific record.
It's the most convincing story in the world.
Yeah, well, these people that are trying to bug out without regard to the cost, what the hell.
But when you've got that terrific record behind you, you've got an awful lot of confidence.
Yeah, all right.
Okay, I'll keep the faith.
Hey, Mr. President, we just got back from Caneel Bay, where we were... You must have had a wonderful time.
Isn't that a marvelous place?
That's a great spot.
Hope you didn't get stuck by any of those bugs that are out there.
Well, there were a few up and down there, yeah.
And when we got back, we found a great big box full of ash trees and...
And matches and glasses with your signature.
You got the glasses?
Oh, yeah, that's right.
So we've been drinking your health.
That's only for just our friends.
Well, isn't that wonderful?
That's great.
Okay, Hope.
Thank you so much.
Don't give up now.
Don't you, sir.
Bye.
Good night.

NARA Description

On April 7, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Hobart D. Lewis talked on the telephone at 11:12 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 001-036 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 1-36

Date: April 7, 1971
Time: 11:12 pm
Location: White House Telephone

Hobart D. Lewis talked with the President .

     President’s previous speech on Southeast Asia
          -Lewis’ reaction
           -Conclusion
           -Kevin Taylor
           -Troop withdrawals

     Lewis’ schedule
          -Trip
          -Gifts from President

Also recorded on April 8, 1971

  • 001-037 11:13 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 11:13 pm to 11:14 pm.
  • 001-038 11:14 PM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:14 pm and 11:21 pm.
  • 001-039 11:14 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:14 pm and 11:21 pm.
  • 001-040 11:14 PM · 2 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:14 pm and 11:21 pm.
  • 001-041 11:14 PM · 30 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:14 pm and 11:21 pm.
  • 001-042 11:14 PM · 2 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:14 pm and 11:21 pm.
  • 001-043 11:14 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Freeman F. Gosden, Jr. talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:14 pm and 11:21 pm.
  • 001-044 11:14 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:14 pm and 11:21 pm.

All 67 conversations from April 8, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 001-036, April 8, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/001-036 (accessed October 12, 2026).