Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 15 › Conversation 015-145

Nixon phone call with Mitchell on W. Thacher Longstreth

Monday, November 29, 1971 · 11:14 AM–11:16 AM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Mitchell, John N.Conversation015-145 on Tape 15 (tape position 04:08:32–04:10:22)StartMonday, November 29, 1971 at 11:14 AMEndMonday, November 29, 1971 at 11:16 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 015-145 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with John Mitchell regarding whether to reach out to W. Thacher Longstreth following his defeat in the Philadelphia mayoral election. Concerned about the political fallout regarding Frank Rizzo and the importance of Pennsylvania’s Italian American voters, Nixon sought to maintain positive party relations without inciting unwanted publicity. Ultimately, Mitchell advised that a private note of encouragement would be appropriate to preserve future Republican support in the region.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Oh, John, one other thing I wanted to ask you.
Some of the Philadelphia-type Republicans feel that maybe I ought to give a call or either drop my usual note of condolence to Longstreth.
I have not called him or said anything particularly up to this point because I don't want to screw up the Rizzo thing, but...
What's your feeling about that?
What do you recommend?
I, at the moment, would leave... My personal relations with him have always been good.
I could drop him a little personal note, which I, you know, I always, I have done that always when people have lost elections.
I would think in that context, that would be perfectly all right.
You wouldn't make him a call, would you?
I don't know.
That might get all the publicity.
Well, I think he might put it out.
I think a little personal note, just market personal, that I know it's rough to lose him, and he's made a good fight.
All right.
Hope he will continue his work, something like that.
I would think that would be better, more appropriate.
Do you think something should go, or I could get along without anything?
I think a personal note that he would recognize as such would be the appropriate thing, because we'll need that stripe also.
We need everything we can get.
Yes, sir.
I would believe so.
Well, that's the main thing.
We'll keep our...
keep our lives into the italian and that's true but with the island inspector up there now working why he can use the long street branch yeah i'll give a natural note then yes sir all right john right sir

NARA Description

On November 29, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and John N. Mitchell talked on the telephone from 11:14 am to 11:16 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 015-145 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 15-145

Date: November 29, 1971
Time: 11:14 am - 11:16 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with John N. Mitchell.

[See also Conversation No. 625-18]

     William Thacher Longstreth
          -Possible telephone call or note from the President
               -Advice from Philadelphia Republicans
               -Frank L. Rizzo

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

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 06/20/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[015-145-w001]
[Duration: 6s]

       W. Thacher Longstreth
             -Possible telephone call or note from the President
                    -The President’s previous assistance with his campaign fundraising

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

       W. Thacher Longstreth
               -Longstreth's defeat in Philadelphia mayoral election
               -The President's previous practice
                -Pennsylvania Italians
                -Arlen Specter

Also recorded on November 29, 1971

  • 015-143 11:11 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and John N. Mitchell talked on the telephone from 11:11 am to 11:13 am.
  • 015-144 11:13 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:13 am and 11:14 am.
  • 625-017 11:13 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:13 am and 11:14 am.
  • 625-018 11:14 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John N. Mitchell met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:14 am to 11:16 am.
  • 015-146 11:20 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 11:20 am.
  • 015-147 11:20 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:20 am and 11:25 am.
  • 625-019 11:20 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at 11:20 am.
  • 625-020 11:20 AM · 25 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, William Thacher Lonstreth, White House operator, Clark MacGregor, and John J. Rooney met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:20 am and 11:49 am.

All 72 conversations from November 29, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 015-145, November 29, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/015-145 (accessed October 9, 2026).