Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 13 › Conversation 013-089

Nixon phone call with Perk on Cleveland mayoral election

Wednesday, November 3, 1971 · 9:25 AM–9:26 AM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Perk, Ralph J.Conversation013-089 on Tape 13 (tape position 03:16:50–03:18:15)StartWednesday, November 3, 1971 at 9:25 AMEndWednesday, November 3, 1971 at 9:26 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 013-089 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon telephoned newly elected Cleveland Mayor Ralph J. Perk to offer his congratulations on Perk's electoral victory. The two discussed their mutual desire to establish a productive working relationship between the White House and the municipal government. Additionally, Perk expressed his appreciation for a recent invitation to attend church services at the White House.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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).
Mayor Ralph Perkins, Mr. President.
Hello.
Hello.
Mr. Mayor?
Yes, Mr. President.
Well, I hope I didn't get you up.
I know you were up late.
No, I've been up and the television cameras are here.
Right.
The newspaper photographers were here.
Well, I want to congratulate you.
The paper's here.
I didn't learn that I came in around 1230 last night.
I was giving a dinner for the Prime Minister of Australia and
And my political man said, looks like Ralph Burke has upset him.
And I said, great, because I knew you'd taken a crack at it before, and now you came true.
And you have my congratulations.
And also, I want you to know that...
We always want to work with the mayor of a great city, and we will be glad once you get your congratulatory notes all answered to work with you on the problems of the city.
Thank you, Mr. President, and also let me thank you for inviting me just recently to the White House to attend the church services.
I was very much impressed, and I looked up to heaven and folded my arms in prayer, and I think God answered our prayers.
Well, let me say that we were delighted to have you, but believe me, it really did our hearts good here this morning to see, well, Ralph made it.
Thank you very much.
Well, good luck to you now.
Fine.
Thank you, sir.
Goodbye.

NARA Description

On November 3, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Ralph J. Perk talked on the telephone from 9:25 am to 9:26 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 013-089 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 013-089

Date: November 3, 1971
Time: 9:25 am - 9:26 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Ralph J. Perk.

[See Conversation No. 301-7G]

     Perk's schedule
           -Media

     President's schedule
           -William McMahon dinner

     Perk's election

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

     Perk's future relations with the White House
           -Assistance

     Perk's schedule
           -White House church service

Also recorded on November 3, 1971

  • 013-081 8:55 AM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 8:55 am.
  • 013-083 9:00 AM · 10 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:00 am and 9:11 am.
  • 301-007 9:00 AM · 3 hr 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 9:00 am to 12:14 pm.
  • 013-084 9:12 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Frank L. Rizzo talked on the telephone from 9:12 am to 9:13 am.
  • 013-085 9:13 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:13 am and 9:16 am.
  • 013-086 9:16 AM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 9:16 am.
  • 013-087 9:16 AM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:16 am and 9:19 am.
  • 013-088 9:19 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 9:19 am.

All 67 conversations from November 3, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 013-089, November 3, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/013-089 (accessed September 30, 2026).