Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 1 › Conversation 001-137

Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on Patrick J. Buchanan

Saturday, April 17, 1971 · 4:41 PM ET · White House Telephone · 3 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation001-137 on Tape 1 (tape position 04:18:51–04:18:57)StartSaturday, April 17, 1971 at 4:41 PMEndSaturday, April 17, 1971 at 4:41 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 001-137 ↗

President Nixon contacted the White House operator to place a direct phone call to his speechwriter and aide, Patrick J. Buchanan. The brief exchange served solely as a functional request to connect the President with Buchanan. No further policy discussions or significant substantive developments occurred during this short communication.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yes, please.
Buchanan, please.
Thank you, sir.

On April 17, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 4:41 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 001-137 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 1-137

Date: April 17, 1971
Time: 4:41 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with the White House operator.

     Call to Patrick J. Buchanan
  • 001-130 4:10 PM · 2 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:10 pm and 4:19 pm.
  • 001-131 4:10 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:10 pm and 4:19 pm.
  • 001-132 4:19 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 4:19 pm to 4:21 pm.
  • 001-133 4:21 PM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone from 4:21 pm to 4:22 pm.
  • 001-134 4:22 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 4:22 pm to 4:24 pm.
  • 001-135 4:24 PM · 2 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:24 pm and 4:35 pm.
  • 001-136 4:35 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Patrick J. Buchanan talked on the telephone from 4:35 pm to 4:40 pm.
  • 001-138 4:41 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Patrick J. Buchanan talked on the telephone from 4:41 pm to 4:42 pm.

Conversation 001-137, April 17, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/001-137 (accessed October 12, 2026).