Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 5 › Conversation 005-169

Nixon phone call with McDonald on Birthday and Personal relations

Monday, June 28, 1971 · 11:55 AM–11:56 AM ET · White House Telephone · 42 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); McDonald, Jack H.Conversation005-169 on Tape 5 (tape position 04:56:00–04:56:42)StartMonday, June 28, 1971 at 11:55 AMEndMonday, June 28, 1971 at 11:56 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 005-169 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Representative Jack H. McDonald engaged in a brief, informal telephone conversation to exchange birthday greetings. During the call, the two men discussed their respective ages and joked about the aging process. The President also suggested that McDonald offer his well-wishes to Representative Donald G. Brotzman, who was celebrating his 49th birthday.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Congressman McDonald, Mr. President.
Hello.
Yes, hello.
Hello, Jack.
Yes.
How are you?
I just wanted to know, just talking to our congressional staff here, and I found that you better celebrate because, boy, when you get to be 40, you're old, boy.
Oh, I'm going to stay 30.
That's right.
I'm still celebrating my 39th.
I just wanted to wish you well.
But thank you very much, Mr. Fed.
Incidentally, you'll be interested to know that Bratzman is 49 today.
So go over and commiserate with him.
Well, I'll tell you, he looks much better on the paddle ball court than I do.
Maybe I've aged too fast.
That's right.
If you stay in the paddle ball court, I'll bring your weight down.
Okay.
Good luck.
Thank you very much.

NARA Description

On June 28, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Jack H. McDonald talked on the telephone from 11:55 am to 11:56 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 005-169 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 5-169

Date: June 28, 1971
Time: 11:55 am - 11:56 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked Jack H. McDonald.

[See Conversation No. 529-23F]

     Greetings

     McDonald's birthday

     Donald G. Brotzman's birthday

Also recorded on June 28, 1971

  • 529-022 11:38 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:38 am and 11:46 am.
  • 529-023 11:39 AM · 1 hr 54 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Donald G. Brotzman, Henry A. Kissinger, White House operator, Peter M. Flanigan, Jack H. McDonald, unknown person(s), John B. Connally, John D. Ehrlichman, and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:39 am to 1:40 pm.
  • 005-165 11:46 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Donald G. Brotzman talked on the telephone from 11:46 am to 11:47 am.
  • 005-166 11:47 AM · 5 sec — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:47 am and 11:50 am.
  • 005-167 11:50 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Peter M. Flanigan, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 11:50 am to 11:51 am.
  • 005-168 11:51 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:51 am and 11:55 am.
  • 005-170 11:51 AM · 3 min — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, Rose Mary Woods, and John B. Connally talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:51 am and 1:40 pm.
  • 006-001 11:51 AM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:51 am and 2:47 pm.

All 69 conversations from June 28, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 005-169, June 28, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/005-169 (accessed October 11, 2026).