Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 15 › Conversation 015-072

Nixon phone call with Bible on Birthday greetings and Camp David

Saturday, November 20, 1971 · 11:02 AM–11:05 AM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Bible, AlanConversation015-072 on Tape 15 (tape position 01:58:50–02:01:17)StartSaturday, November 20, 1971 at 11:02 AMEndSaturday, November 20, 1971 at 11:05 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 015-072 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 417190989 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon initiated this phone call to Senator Alan Bible to offer birthday greetings, noting the connection to First Lady Pat Nixon's roots in Nevada. The conversation transitioned into a discussion of the President's upcoming plans at Camp David and his recent appearance before the AFL-CIO convention. Bible commended Nixon for his composure during the event, prompting the President to share a supportive telegram he received from Eleanor Gehrig regarding his interaction with George Meany.

Audio

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NARA Description

On November 20, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Alan Bible talked on the telephone from 11:02 am to 11:05 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 015-072 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 15-72

Date: November 20, 1971
Time: 11:02 am - 11:05 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Alan Bible.

[See also Conversation No. 621-28B]

     Birthday greetings
          -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon

     The President's schedule
          -Meeting with John B. Connally
          -Camp David

*****************************************************************

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 06/20/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[015-072-w001]
[Duration: 10s]

       The President’s schedule
              -Camp David
                     -Football game
                            -University of California–Los Angeles [UCLA]
                            -University of Southern California [USC]

*****************************************************************

     The President’s schedule
          -Football games
               -Secret Service

     Mrs. Nixon
          -Birthplace, Ely, Nevada

     The President's speech to American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial
           Organizations [AFL-CIO] convention
          -Reception
          -Telegram to the President from Mrs. Lou Gehrig
                -George Meany
                -Henry Louis (“Lou”) Gehrig

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.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).

I'm not calling you about any business, but something much more important.

I just found that my old friend from the Senate days has just had a birthday.

Well, that's true.

Is that right?

That's right.

Well, I want to wish you the best and just hope you have many happy returns.

Well, thank you, Mr. President.

Coming from the President of the United States, that's high on.

Well, you know, after all, you're the senator from my wife's state, and she would never forgive me unless I called you.

Oh, you're wonderful.

How are you feeling?

Are you taking care of your health?

Right.

As a matter of fact, today I'm here in the office.

You know, a lot of stuff piles up, but I get all the odds and many things done.

I've just had a long meeting with Carmel and various things.

And I'll go up to Camp David this afternoon.

You know, when you go to it, it's too much of an effort for those poor folks who have to cover you.

Well, I appreciate your calling me, and it's very kind of you.

I count on myself, and we are very proud of the fact that you've got a wonderful little wife who comes from a great old eastern area.

So that's great.

Mr. President, I appreciate it a great deal.

I want to say just one other thing.

Sure, sure.

in front of that AFL-CIO, and even though I'm not of your same faith, people admire a guy that goes into the lion's den.

Some discourtesies.

If I were to vote, I would say you came out topside on that one.

They didn't bother me.

Thank you.

You know, I had an interesting thing that just came in.

I just saw something here.

Here's a call.

You know, they've had 1,002 wires already, but it's an interesting one from Mrs. Lou Gehrig.

And she says, Your admirable courage toward the rudeness of Mr. Meany and followers was wonderful to see on TV today.

It's a tough ballgame.

Keep slugging.

Isn't that interesting?

That's it.

I've never met Mrs. Gehrig, but that's the other nice thing.

Well, you saw her husband play baseball.

Oh, boy, and he was a great one.

Well, Mr. President, thank you very much for calling me.

Good to talk to you.

Okay.

Thank you.

Also recorded on November 20, 1971

015-069 10:50 AM · 28 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Julie Nixon Eisenhower talked on the telephone from 10:50 am to 10:51 am.
015-070 10:52 AM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Seymour Halpern talked on the telephone from 10:52 am to 10:54 am.
621-027 10:52 AM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Seymour Halpern met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:52 am to 10:54 am.
015-071 10:57 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, Tricia Nixon Cox, Stephen B. Bull, and Julie Nixon Eisenhower talked on the telephone from 10:57 am to 11:01 am.
621-028 10:57 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Tricia Nixon Cox, Stephen B. Bull, Julie Nixon Eisenhower, Rose Mary Woods, and Alan Bible met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:57 am and 11:10 am.
621-029 11:05 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Julie Nixon Eisenhower, and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:05 am and 11:10 am.
621-030 11:10 AM · 55 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:10 am and 11:13 am.
621-031 11:13 AM · 47 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Julie Nixon Eisenhower, David N. Parker, unknown person(s), Rose Mary Woods, Stephen B. Bull, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:13 am to 12:00 pm.

All 40 conversations from November 20, 1971 →

Nixon, Meany & Butterfield on Camp David and AFL-CIO January 27, 1972
Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on Birthday greetings November 23, 1971 · 2 min
Nixon phone call with Woods on Press relations and George Meany September 13, 1971 · 4 min
Nixon phone call with Colson on AFL-CIO and George Meany November 16, 1971 · 11 min
Nixon phone call with Haldeman on George Meany and Presidential travel November 17, 1971 · 2 min
Nixon phone call with Colson on George Meany and AFL-CIO November 17, 1971 · 3 min

Cite this conversation

Conversation 015-072, November 20, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417190989). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/015-072 (accessed November 1, 2026).