On November 23, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone from 11:56 am to 11:58 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 015-114 of the White House Tapes.
Transcript (AI-Generated)This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.
Hello.
Congressman Wiley on the line, Mr. President.
Hello.
Hello, Mr. President.
I know you're back in Columbus, but my friend Timmons told me that you were celebrating your 51st birthday, and I didn't want a guy that had voted with us so often not to hear from the President.
So I'll give my best to those good folks out there.
Oh, I certainly will.
I'll probably see some of our mutual friends over at the Batch tomorrow.
Oh, really?
Going over there.
Well, when you see them, Chalmers, give them my very best and tell them that...
I hope they don't think I'm too hard on Minnie.
Well, I think they'll say you're not being hard enough.
Well, you're pretty tough.
That's sort of my feeling at this point.
But he's not helping himself, at least not around here.
Is that right?
It's an earring to your benefit, really.
Right.
Of course, I hope it continues that way naturally.
Well, did you see what Conley did yesterday?
Yes.
Very effective.
I thought it was beautiful.
I read about it in the paper this morning.
Just magnificent.
I just finished a meeting with him and told him that.
Well, I don't know.
You say it a lot easier than you can.
Right.
Well, he's the one that I shouldn't, of course.
Right.
The television told my story, then let the other.
Uh-huh.
Anyway, we wish you well, Chalmers, and I hope you have a very good rest over the weekend.
Thank you.
Extremely thoughtful gesture.
And don't you do any political meetings tonight, your birthday.
You tell your wife I told her you'd come right home, okay?
I'll tell you what I'm going to do.
Quickly, I'm a counselor for the Boy Scouts on the citizenship merit badge, and I have 36 young men, 12 and 15, coming to my place tonight to take their merit badge examinations.
That's great.
Well, you tell them that I... See, I'm the president of all presidents, or the honorary chairman of the Boy Scouts.
Tell them that I sent my congratulations to each one personally.
Will you do that?
All right.
I certainly will, Mr. President.
All right.
Well, thank you very much.
And we wish you the best.
Okay.
It's wonderful that you called.
Thank you, sir.