Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 17 › Conversation 017-034
Nixon phone call with Flanigan on Frederick M. Eaton
Friday, December 24, 1971 · 5:25 PM–5:28 PM ET · White House Telephone · 4 min
AI Summary
President Nixon and Peter M. Flanigan discussed the recruitment of Frederick M. Eaton for a high-level diplomatic post, which the President emphasized was a personal priority rather than a recommendation from Henry Kissinger. Nixon instructed Flanigan to coordinate with Secretary of State William P. Rogers to ensure the administration viewed this appointment as a significant strategic coup. They finalized plans for Eaton to meet with the President at his Florida residence the following Monday at noon.
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Transcript (AI-generated)
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NARA Description
On December 24, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Peter M. Flanigan talked on the telephone from 5:25 pm to 5:28 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 017-034 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 17-34
Date: December 24, 1971
Time: 5:25 pm - 5:28 pm
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with the White House Operator.
Call from Peter M. Flanigan
The President talked with Flanigan.
Christmas greetings
Fredrick M. Eaton
-Post
-Argentina [?]
-Henry A. Kissinger
-William P. Rogers
-Significance of post
-Negotiations
-Rogers
-Flanigan’s forthcoming talk with Rogers concerning Eaton
-Hubert H. Humphrey [?]
-Talk with the President
-Visit to islands
-The President's schedule
-Florida
-Meeting with Eaton
-Time
-Rogers
-Kissinger
-Donald McI. Kendall
-George S. Moore
-National City Bank
-Rogers
-Jack Drown
-AppointmentAlso recorded on December 24, 1971
- 017-030 5:10 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:10 pm and 5:18 pm.
- 017-031 5:18 PM · 51 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Ralph H. Cake talked on the telephone from 5:18 pm to 5:19 pm.
- 017-032 5:20 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William P. Rogers talked on the telephone from 5:20 pm to 5:22 pm.
- 017-033 5:22 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Stewart J. O. Alsop talked on the telephone from 5:22 pm to 5:24 pm.
- 017-035 5:29 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Elliot L. Richardson talked on the telephone from 5:29 pm to 5:32 pm.
- 017-036 5:32 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 5:32 pm.
- 017-037 5:33 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and John N. Mitchell talked on the telephone from 5:33 pm to 5:39 pm.
- 017-038 5:40 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Maurice H. Stans talked on the telephone from 5:40 pm to 5:42 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 017-034, December 24, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/017-034 (accessed October 12, 2026).