Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 6 › Conversation 006-054

Nixon phone call with Frink on Valedictory speech and Patriotism

Wednesday, June 30, 1971 · 2:43 PM–2:44 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Frink, CynthiaConversation006-054 on Tape 6 (tape position 01:05:19–01:06:48)StartWednesday, June 30, 1971 at 2:43 PMEndWednesday, June 30, 1971 at 2:44 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 006-054 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon initiated this call to personally congratulate Cynthia Frink on her valedictory speech, which he praised for its patriotic sentiments and the positive reception it received. During the brief exchange, Nixon inquired about Frink's family background and learned she would be attending Smith College, the same institution attended by his daughter, Julie Nixon Eisenhower. The President concluded the conversation by offering well wishes and advising Frink to maintain her high principles throughout her college career.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Hello.
Mr. President, I have Miss Cynthia Frank for you now.
Yes.
There you are.
Hello.
Hello.
Is this Cynthia?
Yes, it is.
Well, how are you?
Fine, thank you.
I was calling to tell you that one of your friends in Manchester, as a matter of fact, one of the readers of the paper, sent me a copy of your speech that you made, your valedictory speech, and I just thought it was great.
I want to congratulate you on first a fine speech, second on being the valedictorian of your class, and third on expressing sentiments about this country that we need to hear.
And I was so pleased to note that you got a big ovation at the end.
Everybody stood up.
Yes.
Tell me, I noticed that your father is not living.
No.
I see.
But your mother was there.
Do you have brothers and sisters?
Yes, I do.
I've got four brothers.
Four brothers, older, younger.
One's older and three are younger.
Three are younger.
Fine.
You going to college?
Yes, I'll be going to Smith.
You're going to Smith?
Yes.
Oh, well, I wish you well there.
One of my daughters went there.
Yes.
Julie did.
Well, that's just great.
Well, I wish you the best, and you just, when you get down to Smith, and you hear a lot of ideas expressed, but just keep to your high principles.
Thank you.
Okay, hon.
Okay.
Bye.
Bye.

NARA Description

On June 30, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Cynthia Frink talked on the telephone from 2:43 pm to 2:44 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 006-054 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 6-54

Date: June 30, 1971
Time: 2:43 pm - 2:44 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Cynthia Frink.
[See Conversation No. 532-23D]

     Frink's valedictory speech
          -Content and response

     Frink's family
          -Father, mother
          -Brothers

     Smith College
          -Julie Nixon Eisenhower

Also recorded on June 30, 1971

  • 006-049 2:31 PM · 22 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 2:31 pm.
  • 006-051 2:32 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Leonard Garment talked on the telephone from 2:32 pm to 2:36 pm.
  • 006-052 2:36 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:36 pm and 2:40 pm.
  • 006-053 2:40 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John S. Davies talked on the telephone from 2:40 pm to 2:42 pm.
  • 006-055 2:44 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:44 pm and 2:52 pm.
  • 006-056 2:44 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:44 pm and 2:52 pm.
  • 006-057 2:52 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and John S. Davies talked on the telephone from 2:52 pm to 2:53 pm.
  • 006-058 2:53 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:53 pm and 3:08 pm.

All 66 conversations from June 30, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 006-054, June 30, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/006-054 (accessed October 21, 2026).