Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 16 › Conversation 016-103

Nixon phone call with Smith on Birthday greetings and Walter Reed

Wednesday, December 15, 1971 · 8:38 AM–9:14 AM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator; Smith, Margaret ChaseConversation016-103 on Tape 16 (tape position 03:42:37–03:44:38)StartWednesday, December 15, 1971 at 8:38 AMEndWednesday, December 15, 1971 at 9:14 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 016-103 ↗

AI Summary

President Richard Nixon contacted Senator Margaret Chase Smith to offer birthday wishes while inquiring about her health during her stay at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The conversation shifted to political matters, with Nixon expressing appreciation for Smith’s legislative support and lamenting the difficulties faced with the continuing resolution. Both parties briefly discussed the exhaustion and partisan maneuvering within Congress, concluding with mutual well-wishes for the upcoming holidays.

Audio

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Go ahead.
Mrs. Smith, Senator Smith.
Yes, sir.
Hello.
Yes, Mr. President, how are you?
Well, how are you?
I just wanted you to know that I was flying back from the Azars yesterday, and I found when I came in this morning that you'd had a birthday.
So the purpose of my call is very brief.
First, not only many happy returns to the birthday, but more happy returns on Election Day for you.
Are you Walter Reed?
Yes, I am.
Oh, I didn't.
I heard that when I called, and I hope everything's going all right.
Yes, it isn't anything very serious.
Oh, good.
It's very light.
Very good.
I'd just like to take this opportunity to tell you what a wonderful, wonderful job you're doing.
I have the greatest admiration.
Well, you certainly, let me say, you've been like a rock down there in these last months.
It's been hard, hasn't it?
Have you sometimes wondered about what our friends on the other side are up to on these things?
You know, that continuing resolution and some of that stuff, we've really had a trouble.
It's been very difficult, I know, for you and others who have tried to be responsible down there.
It's hard to know how that continuing resolution and everything.
It's really strange they're playing that game, isn't it?
Yeah, that's right.
Everybody's tired.
Oh, I think they are.
I think the people generally are with you.
Yeah, well, I appreciate what you've done, and you just take good care out there, and we'll look forward to seeing you after the first year, okay?
Yes, sir, and have a good Christmas.
Okay, thank you.
My love to the family.
I sure will.
Thank you.
Thanks very much, Margaret.
Bye.
Thank you.

NARA Description

On December 15, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Margaret Chase Smith talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:38 am and 9:14 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 016-103 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 16-103

Date: December 15, 1971
Time: Unknown between 8:38 am and 9:14 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with the White House operator.

[See Conversation No. 638-2]

     Request for a call to Margaret Chase Smith

The President talked with Margaret Chase Smith.

     Birthday greetings to Smith

     Smith’s health
          -Location

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

[Previous PRMPA Privacy (D) reviewed under PRMPA regulations 06/12/2019. Segment
cleared for release.]
[Privacy]
[016-103-w001]
[Duration: 20s]

     William C. Lewis, Jr.’s health
          -Heart attack

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

     Margaret Chase Smith’s appreciation for the President

     Legislation
          -Continuing resolution
                -[House Resolution [HR] 1?]

Also recorded on December 15, 1971

  • 638-001 8:38 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:38 am and 8:45 am.
  • 638-002 8:38 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 8:38 am and 8:45 am.
  • 638-003 8:38 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:38 am and 8:45 am.
  • 638-004 8:45 AM · 2 hr 46 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Stephen B. Bull, Alexander P. Butterfield, Henry A. Kissinger, White House operator, Margaret Chase Smith, John B. Connally, Ronald L. Ziegler, John A. Scali, Julie Nixon Eisenhower, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:45 am to 11:30 am.
  • 016-104 9:14 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:14 am and 11:22 am.
  • 016-105 11:22 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Julie Nixon Eisenhower talked on the telephone from 11:22 am to 11:25 am.
  • 638-005 11:33 AM · 12 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:33 am to 11:45 am.
  • 638-006 11:45 AM · 22 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:45 am to 11:46 am.

All 19 conversations from December 15, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 016-103, December 15, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/016-103 (accessed October 12, 2026).