Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 16 › Conversation 016-068

Nixon phone call with Jonas on Birthday greetings and Willis Smith, Jr.

Thursday, December 9, 1971 · 11:33 AM–11:35 AM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Jonas, Charles R.Conversation016-068 on Tape 16 (tape position 02:24:49–02:27:07)StartThursday, December 9, 1971 at 11:33 AMEndThursday, December 9, 1971 at 11:35 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 016-068 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon telephoned Representative Charles R. Jonas to extend birthday greetings and maintain political rapport. The conversation pivoted to the recent death of Willis Smith, Jr., a prominent supporter of the President, in a plane crash. Nixon committed to contacting the Smith family, including the grieving mother and widow, to offer his condolences for their loss.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Hello.
Mr. President, Congressman Charles Jonas.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello.
I didn't want my old friend from North Carolina to get a day older without my congratulating you, Charlie.
I bet you'd forgotten it was your birthday.
Well, no, my friends don't let me forget.
That's right.
They don't pretend I'm getting older.
You know, the other day, Pat had seen Chet Holyfield coming back from Ms. McCormick's funeral.
And he had said that, you know, that he was, I had called him because, you know, he's an old friend from California and he's done some awfully good jobs for us in reorganization.
So I called him on his birthday.
And she said, you know, he said, the best thing, the nice thing, he said, even my wife had forgotten it was my birthday.
So anyway, you're no older as far as I'm concerned.
You're still a young childer and marcher.
Well, wonderful for you.
And I wish, I just want to be sure we've always got a Jonas in the Congress, and you know what I mean.
Yeah.
Or anything else, okay?
We had a great blow down there.
You heard about Willie Smith Jr.'s death.
No, what happened?
He and Charles, you know, were...
I know, I saw them at the Billy Graham thing.
He was killed in an airplane crash Saturday.
Oh, my God.
Is his mother still living?
Yes.
I'll give her a call.
Well, he's his wife or his mother.
Well, you knew his mother.
I knew his mother.
Well, of course, you knew Willis.
Charles.
Oh, well, that's your campaign.
Oh, listen, he's a wonderful, wonderful boy.
I just.
Yeah.
I guess I didn't hear it.
I was gone over the weekend.
I think a letter.
Well, a letter for sure, but I'll also give him a call.
Well, do that.
But his wife, his mother is still living?
Yes, she's not well, but she is up and about in her home.
But his wife is?
His wife is there, too.
Okay.
Now, that would be wonderful if you would do it.
I know they would keep him there.
Well, anyway.
He went out on a limb, you know, for you.
Oh, I know he did.
I know he did.
Yeah, yeah.
Well, thanks a million.
Well, anyway, we appreciate your friendship, Charlie, and go home tonight and celebrate.
Well, thank you.
Okay.
Thank you.
Bye.
Bye.

NARA Description

On December 9, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles R. Jonas talked on the telephone from 11:33 am to 11:35 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 016-068 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 16-68

Date: December 9, 1971
Time: 11:33 am - 11:35 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Charles R. Jonas.

[See Conversation No. 633-11A]

     Birthday greetings to Jonas

     Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
          -Harriet McCormack funeral
               -Chet Holifield

     Holifield
          -President’s call
                -Reorganization
                -Birthday greetings

     Jonas
             Chowder and Marching Society

     Willis Smith, Jr.
          -Death
                -[Forename unknown] Charles
                -William F. (“Billy”) Graham
                -Accident
          -Mother
                -President’s acquaintance
          -President’s campaign
                -Charles
          -Family
                -Possible letter and call from the President
                       -Mrs. Willis Smith, Sr. [Anna Lee Smith]

Also recorded on December 9, 1971

  • 633-008 11:16 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:16 am and 11:22 am.
  • 633-009 11:22 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Christine Wilde, Jon M. Huntsman, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:22 am to 11:23 am.
  • 633-010 11:23 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 11:23 am and 11:25 am.
  • 633-011 11:25 AM · 2 hr — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Charles R. Jonas, White House operator, Anna Lee Smith, Henry A. Kissinger, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:25 am to 1:27 pm.
  • 016-069 11:35 AM · 25 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:35 am and 11:53 am.
  • 016-070 11:53 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Walter Scheel talked on the telephone from 11:53 am to 11:55 am.
  • 016-071 11:55 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:55 am and 2:38 pm.
  • 634-001 11:55 AM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:55 am and 2:38 pm.

All 44 conversations from December 9, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 016-068, December 9, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/016-068 (accessed October 12, 2026).