Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 15 › Conversation 015-063

Nixon phone call with Connally on AFL-CIO and George Meany

Saturday, November 20, 1971 · 10:24 AM–10:27 AM ET · White House Telephone · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator; Connally, John B.Conversation015-063 on Tape 15 (tape position 01:45:07–01:47:57)StartSaturday, November 20, 1971 at 10:24 AMEndSaturday, November 20, 1971 at 10:27 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 015-063 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 417190971 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Secretary of the Treasury John Connally discussed the positive public perception of the President's recent television appearance and his attendance at a Classical Khmer Ballet performance. Connally praised Nixon's composed reaction to a hostile reception from George Meany at the AFL-CIO convention, encouraging the President to capitalize on the moment. The two also strategized on confronting Meany regarding recent pay increases for union leadership, with Nixon agreeing to make the issue a focal point and considering a potential 90-day wage freeze should labor representatives withdraw from the Pay Board.

Audio

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NARA Description

On November 20, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and John B. Connally talked on the telephone from 10:24 am to 10:27 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 015-063 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 15-63

Date: November 20, 1971
Time: 10:24 am - 10:27 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with the White House operator.

     John B. Connally

Connally talked with the President.

[See also Conversation No. 621-18G]

     Television
          -The President's appearance in Florida
          -The President's return to Washington, DC
                -Attendance at Classical Khmer Ballet
                     -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon

     Reaction to George Meany's reception of the President
          -Treasury Department
          -Idanell (“Nellie”) Connally
          -Press reports
                -The President's reaction
                -Washington Post and Washington Star
                -Associated Press [AP] story

     The President's return to Washington, DC
          -Classical Khmer Ballet
               -Cambodian Ambassador

     George P. Shultz
          -Conversation with Connally
          -Pay Board
               -American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations
                     [AFL-CIO]
                     -Pay increases for Meany and [Joseph] Lane Kirkland
               -Possible resignations
               -Possible freeze

     The President's speech at AFL-CIO convention

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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Hello.
Secretary Connolly, sir.
Hello.
Mr. President?
Yeah, hi.
How are you?
I just want to tell you that I thought television last night, you came through great.
And particularly, I thought your decision to come back to Washington and go to the Chimer dance performance with Ms. Nixon.
Yeah.
The stories that appeared there in the pages here, at least, the Washington papers about
You were warm.
You were friendly.
You were greeting all the people.
You appeared to be relaxed.
I think it was a very wise decision.
And in talking here, I have talked to many people this morning, but a half a dozen, primarily here in Treasury.
Their reaction was the same as Nellie's and mine last night.
that they're one of anger at Meany and what they did.
Just real anger at him.
And frankly, that you came through saying that
with you or without you, we're going to make it work.
Well, that's great courage.
I appreciate that.
It's nice of you to mention it.
As a matter of fact, some of the press tried to indicate that I was mad and disturbed and so forth about a reception.
My God, I'd have been cooler in my life.
You ought to look at the tape of that thing.
It didn't come through that way on TV, did it?
no no i was just tough as hell with them oh no it came through that you were tough that you were fair that you were not angry that you were not upset and i i didn't see any of that i don't know where you saw that but it certainly wasn't in the post of the star that i saw when i read everything in it some of the i think was the ap uh well the ap story that i saw uh was an excellent it was just one of the understand i didn't care about it except that that's the kind of thing that they try to try to put out
Believe me, I came back for the dancers because my wife said the poor Cambodian ambassador invited everybody.
Nobody was going to come except her, and he was nice as well.
By God, we're supporting Cambodia, and I'm going to come back and show it.
Boy, the crowd was terrific.
I figured that's why you came back.
Well, the whole thing, though, I thought blended in with your performance yesterday and left the right tone and the right feel for it.
I thought it was excellent.
Now, one thing George and I have been talking about this morning, I think we've got to get this payboard.
You cite Meany and the FLCIO for giving him and Lane Kirkland these enormous increases in violation of the guidelines.
Make that an issue.
Make that an issue.
I couldn't agree more.
No later than Monday morning, and let's follow up on it.
That's right.
Hit it right.
I couldn't agree more.
And then we have to be prepared.
If they walk out of the payboard, you may have to...
reconstitute the cost of living council as your wage group until we can... Well, why not another freeze?
People kind of like the freeze.
Let's have another freeze for 90 days.
We can do that.
Yes, sir.
Okay.
Well, it's awful good of you to call.
No, I'm quite serious, and you ought to be proud because I think... You'd have had fun if you'd been there.
I had a few good lines I didn't use.
Okay.
All right, sir.

Also recorded on November 20, 1971

  • 015-060 10:23 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 10:23 am.
  • 015-061 10:23 AM · 12 sec — the White House operator and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:23 am and 10:24 am.
  • 015-062 10:23 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:23 am and 10:24 am.
  • 015-064 10:27 AM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:27 am and 10:45 am.
  • 015-065 10:45 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:45 am and 10:50 am.
  • 015-066 10:45 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:45 am and 10:50 am.
  • 015-067 10:45 AM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:45 am and 10:50 am.
  • 015-068 10:45 AM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:45 am and 10:50 am.

All 40 conversations from November 20, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 015-063, November 20, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417190971). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/015-063 (accessed November 1, 2026).