Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 9 › Conversation 009-135

Nixon phone call with Mahon on Birthday greetings and Golf

Wednesday, September 22, 1971 · 7:03 PM–7:04 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Mahon, George H.Conversation009-135 on Tape 9 (tape position 04:39:53–04:40:58)StartWednesday, September 22, 1971 at 7:03 PMEndWednesday, September 22, 1971 at 7:04 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 009-135 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon initiated this brief call to George H. Mahon to extend personal birthday greetings and relay well wishes from the First Lady to Mrs. Mahon. The conversation touched upon lighthearted topics, including Mahon’s golf game as referenced by Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird. The call concluded with a brief exchange expressing mutual support regarding the challenges of the presidency and national affairs.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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).
Yeah.
Congressman Mahon, Mr. President.
Hello.
Mr. President.
George.
Yes, sir.
I just learned from one of my spies that you had a birthday today, and I wanted to send my best to you, and Pat sends her best to Helen.
Oh, that is great.
Right.
And I'll tell you this.
You're one of the few guys I know that can shoot your Asian golf.
I wish I could.
No, I...
I'm working at it.
Laird tells me you do very well.
I'm working at it.
Right.
Well, it's so wonderful of you to call me.
Well, I didn't want to miss it.
And I...
You know, you have many problems these days, and I wish you all the luck in the world.
There are no easy answers.
For the good of the country, it'll work out.
For the good of the country, we've got to work this thing out.
And it will, it will.
I think we're going to have pretty good support.
We're making some progress.
Yes, sir, and keep up the good work, and if I can help, let me know.
Well, of course you always have, but let me say on this occasion, apart from politics or anything, because you don't want to bother you with affairs of the state, just have a good time, right?
Thank you so very much, Mr. President.
You're wonderful to call.
Good to call you.
I appreciate you too.
Bye.
Bye.

NARA Description

On September 22, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and George H. Mahon talked on the telephone from 7:03 pm to 7:04 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 009-135 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 9-135

Date: September 22, 1971
Time: 7:03 pm - 7:04 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with George H. Mahon.

[See Conversation No. 279-49]

     Birthday wishes
          -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
                -Helen Mahon
          -Golf
                -Melvin R. Laird

     The President's job

     Mahon's birthday

Also recorded on September 22, 1971

  • 009-134 6:57 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:57 pm and 7:03 pm.
  • 279-048 6:57 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:57 pm and 7:03 pm.
  • 279-049 7:03 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and George H. Mahon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 7:03 pm to 7:04 pm.
  • 009-136 7:04 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:04 pm and 7:06 pm.
  • 279-050 7:04 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 7:04 pm and 7:06 pm.
  • 009-137 7:06 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 7:06 pm to 7:09 pm.
  • 279-051 7:06 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 7:06 pm to 7:09 pm.
  • 279-052 7:09 PM · 30 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 7:09 pm and 7:56 pm.

All 84 conversations from September 22, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 009-135, September 22, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/009-135 (accessed October 12, 2026).