Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 2 › Conversation 002-116

Nixon phone call with Green on Vietnam War and Partisan politics

Friday, May 7, 1971 · 10:46 AM–10:49 AM ET · White House Telephone · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Green, EdithConversation002-116 on Tape 2 (tape position 04:10:13–04:12:46)StartFriday, May 7, 1971 at 10:46 AMEndFriday, May 7, 1971 at 10:49 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 002-116 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 417188191 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon called Congresswoman Edith Green to thank her for her public support regarding the Vietnam War, acknowledging her courage in speaking out against partisan rhetoric. Green affirmed her support and offered her assistance in toning down the partisan aspects of the war debate, noting her weariness with political rhetoric and her own past vote against the Vietnam resolution.

  • Vietnam War
  • Partisan politics
  • Congressional support
  • Public statements
  • Presidential thanks

Audio

Download MP3 · 5.8 MB

This clip of the conversation was cut from the tape by the National Archives (catalog record ↗).

Listen to the full tape segment it comes from

Position in tape (archivists' log): 04:10:13 – 04:12:46

part C, 4:56

002a.mp3
002b.mp3
002c.mp3

NARA Description

On May 7, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Edith Green talked on the telephone from 10:46 am to 10:49 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 002-116 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 2-116

Date: May 7, 1971
Time: 10:46 am - 10:49 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Edith Green.

[See Conversation No. 495-4]

[A transcript of the following portion of this conversation was prepared under court order from
December 1978 through March 1979 for Special Access 8, Ronald V. Dellums, et al. v. James M.
Powell, et al., No. 71-2271. The National Archives and Records Administration produced this
transcript. The National Archives does not guarantee its accuracy.]

[End of transcript]

     Vietnam War
          -Partisan aspects

     Green's schedule

Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was made by an AI model listening to the recording (gemini-3.8-flash) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Speaker names are the model's inference from the voices and the participant list. Words and names can still be wrong — verify against the audio and the finding aid before citing.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).

NixonYeah.
OperatorI have Congresswoman Green on the line, sir.
NixonYeah.
OperatorGo ahead, please.
NixonHello?
GreenGood morning, Mr. President.
NixonMorning. I understand you're on your way to Puerto Rico.
GreenI am, indeed.
NixonI just wanted you to know that I noted in my news summary that you had stood up on the floor and said some things about some of our little friends that were here, and I thought it took a lot of courage. And I want to thank you very much.
GreenWell, Mr. President, I just wanted you to know that you have my support in what you're trying to do. I am—
NixonWell, we're coming along, and that let me say that I was I was talking to some of our other friends, you know. I mean, matter of fact, Jerry last night, a few others and and a couple of my Democratic friends, and I said, "You know, look, some of you are taking a lot of heat now, but I think you're going to look better later. That's all. You know, we just trying trying to do the right thing."
GreenThat's right. No problems these days are very easy of solution.
NixonThat's right.
GreenWell, I had indicated to Charlotte Reid and to Margaret Heckler—
NixonRight.
Greenthat if I can be of assistance in stopping some of this nonsense, I will do everything that is possible.
NixonWell, I appreciate it, and I know that it I know that, too, it it's difficult because we we, of course, we try to I'm doing it we're trying to keep this out of the partisan arena, and, frankly, without the support of many of our Democratic friends, we couldn't make it at all. But I do appreciate it, and I I actually think that
Nixonthat that these that our our police people and the rest, they had to they had to they had to, of course, keep the city going, but I think really rather than getting a few slams from people, they deserve some commendation for being you know, they had restraint, and yet they were firm.
GreenI completely—
NixonDon't you think so?
GreenYes, I just absolutely agree. Let me also say to you, if I may without being presumptuous—
NixonYeah. Sure.
GreenI really at this point have no particular political ambitions at all, and I have said many on many occasions that I'm getting a little bit weary of the partisan rhetoric. A war that you did not inherit. I voted in '65 against the resolution that was earmarked for Vietnam.
NixonOh, yeah.
GreenAnd if I can be help in this regard, in trying to tone down the partisan aspects, I'm willing to do it. You can tell Jerry Ford or—
NixonWell, that's I appreciate it, and we'll I won't We will call on you, though, only if we have to. [Laughs] But I know you—
GreenWell, I— At all times, I you know, if a Democrat can be of honest assistance.
NixonSure. Oh, more more than some of our friends on the other side. [Laughter] Have a good time down there.
GreenThank you, and it was most gracious of you to call.
NixonI'm fine. I hope I didn't interrupt your flight. I understand you're at Friendship.

Also recorded on May 7, 1971

  • 002-114 10:40 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:40 am and 10:46 am.
  • 002-115 10:40 AM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:40 am and 10:46 am.
  • 495-001 10:40 AM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:40 am and 10:46 am.
  • 495-004 10:46 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Edith Green met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:46 am to 10:49 am.
  • 002-117 10:49 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:49 am and 10:52 am.
  • 002-118 10:49 AM · 28 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:49 am and 10:52 am.
  • 495-005 10:49 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:49 am and 10:52 am.
  • 495-006 10:49 AM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:49 am and 10:52 am.

All 48 conversations from May 7, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 002-116, May 7, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417188191). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/002-116 (accessed November 2, 2026).