Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 15 › Conversation 015-114

Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on Birthday greetings

Tuesday, November 23, 1971 · 11:56 AM–11:58 AM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation015-114 on Tape 15 (tape position 03:35:52–03:37:53)StartTuesday, November 23, 1971 at 11:56 AMEndTuesday, November 23, 1971 at 11:58 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 015-114 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon called Congressman Chalmers P. Wylie to offer birthday greetings and express appreciation for his legislative support. During the call, the two discussed the political fallout surrounding labor leader George Meany and praised the effectiveness of John B. Connally’s recent press conference. Additionally, Nixon requested that Wylie convey his personal congratulations to a group of Boy Scouts scheduled to meet at the Congressman’s home for merit badge examinations.

Audio

Download MP3 · 2.8 MB

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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).
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.

NARA Description

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.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 15-114

Date: November 23, 1971
Time: 11:56 am - 11:58 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with the White House operator.

     Chalmers P. Wylie

The President talked with Wylie.

[See also Conversation No. 623-6C]

     Birthday greetings
          -William E. Timmons

     George Meany
          -Labor reaction

     John B. Connally's press conference
          -Meeting with the President

     Wylie's schedule
          -Boy Scouts of America
                -The President as honorary chairman

Also recorded on November 23, 1971

  • 015-110 11:40 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:40 am and 11:43 am.
  • 623-004 11:40 AM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:40 am and 11:43 am.
  • 015-111 11:43 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and William Brock talked on the telephone from 11:43 am to 11:47 am.
  • 623-005 11:43 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William Brock met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:43 am to 11:47 am.
  • 015-112 11:47 AM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:47 am and 11:56 am.
  • 015-113 11:47 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:47 am and 11:56 am.
  • 623-006 11:47 AM · 27 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, and Chalmers P. Wylie met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:47 am to 12:20 pm.
  • 015-115 12:20 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:20 pm and 12:30 pm.

All 49 conversations from November 23, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 015-114, November 23, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/015-114 (accessed October 1, 2026).