Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 3 › Conversation 003-035

Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on John W. Byrnes and Congress

Wednesday, May 12, 1971 · 5:52 PM ET · White House Telephone · 9 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation003-035 on Tape 3 (tape position 00:39:55–00:40:07)StartWednesday, May 12, 1971 at 5:52 PMEndWednesday, May 12, 1971 at 5:52 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 003-035 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to coordinate a follow-up communication with Congressman John W. Byrnes of Wisconsin. Upon learning that the Congressman was traveling home, the President instructed the operator to leave a message at Byrnes's residence. This exchange served as a logistical effort to facilitate a pending political conversation.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I find that Congressman John Burns of Wisconsin is en route home.
Should I leave word at the residence?
Yes, you can call.
All right, sir.
Thank you.

NARA Description

On May 12, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 5:52 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 003-035 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 003-035

Date: May 12, 1971
Time: 5:52 pm

       Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542

Location: White House Telephone
The White House operator talked with the President.

[See Conversation No. 499-002/498-001H]

     John W. Byrnes
          -Location
          -Return call

Also recorded on May 12, 1971

  • 498-001 5:33 PM · 21 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Frank T. Bow, Stephen B. Bull, White House operator, John B. Connally, and Wilbur D. Mills met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:33 pm and 6:03 pm.
  • 003-028 5:34 PM · 48 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Edward P. Boland talked on the telephone from 5:34 pm to 5:36 pm.
  • 003-030 5:37 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:37 pm and 5:41 pm.
  • 003-031 5:37 PM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:37 pm and 5:41 pm.
  • 003-032 5:41 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John B. Connally talked on the telephone from 5:41 pm to 5:45 pm.
  • 003-033 5:45 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Wilbur D. Mills talked on the telephone from 5:45 pm to 5:48 pm.
  • 003-034 5:48 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:48 pm and 5:52 pm.
  • 003-036 5:52 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:52 pm and 7:10 pm.

All 37 conversations from May 12, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 003-035, May 12, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/003-035 (accessed September 28, 2026).