Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 17 › Conversation 017-042

Nixon phone call with Connally on Christmas greetings

Friday, December 24, 1971 · 9:04 PM–9:05 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Connally, John B.Conversation017-042 on Tape 17 (tape position 01:55:27–01:57:37)StartFriday, December 24, 1971 at 9:04 PMEndFriday, December 24, 1971 at 9:05 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 017-042 ↗

AI Summary

President Richard Nixon initiated this brief call to John B. Connally to exchange Christmas greetings and express personal appreciation for their professional partnership over the past year. The two men discussed Connally's holiday plans, including his intention to remain away from Washington until after the New Year. Nixon jokingly assured Connally that he would ensure nothing "blows up" at the White House during his absence.

  • Christmas greetings
  • John B. Connally
  • White House personal relations
  • Holiday scheduling

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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?
Hello?
Nothing to bother you with except to wish you and Nellie and your family a Merry Christmas.
Well...
Well, I figured that after all those years, and also this last year, that you ought to know somebody who appreciates you.
I know she does, too.
Yep.
Well, I just hope now, John, you stay down there.
You know, you're not coming back till after New Year's, are you?
No, sir, we're not.
We're going to let something happen.
We're going to stay a few days.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
Not a thing to do here.
Not a thing.
We'll see that nothing blows up while you're gone.
You're wonderful to call, brother.
All right, now.
Merry Christmas.
Goodbye.

NARA Description

On December 24, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and John B. Connally talked on the telephone from 9:04 pm to 9:05 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 017-042 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 17-42

Date: December 24, 1971
Time: 9:04 pm - 9:05 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with John B. Connally.

     Christmas greetings

     Idanell B. (“Nellie”) Connally
          -Note from the family
                 -Connally’s anniversary

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

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 12/21/2017.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[017-042-w001]
[Duration: 9s]

     The President’s schedule
          -Dinner
          -Mamie Eisenhower, John Eisenhower, the Cox family

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

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

[Previous PRMPA Privacy (D) reviewed under deed of gift 12/21/2017. Segment cleared for

release.]
[Privacy]
[017-042-w002]
[Duration: 14s]

     John B. Connally’s Christmas plans
          -Hunting

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

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

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 12/21/2017.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[017-042-w003]
[Duration: 50s]

     Football
          -Minnesota
          -Watching the game
               -John B. Connally’s location
               -Unable to watch
          -Dallas Cowboys
          -Washington Redskins
          -Weather

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

     Connally's schedule

Also recorded on December 25, 1971

  • 017-040 8:53 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and F. Donald Nixon talked on the telephone from 8:53 pm to 8:56 pm.
  • 017-041 8:56 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:56 pm and 9:04 pm.
  • 017-043 9:05 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:05 pm and 9:09 pm.
  • 017-044 9:09 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John A. ("Jack") Mulcahy talked on the telephone from 9:09 pm to 9:10 pm.
  • 017-045 9:10 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:10 pm and 9:14 pm.
  • 017-046 9:14 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and J. Edgar Hoover talked on the telephone from 9:14 pm to 9:17 pm.
  • 017-047 9:17 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:17 pm and 9:19 pm.
  • 017-048 9:19 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon, McIntyre Faries, and Geralyne Faries talked on the telephone from 9:19 pm to 9:20 pm.

All 57 conversations from December 25, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 017-042, December 25, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/017-042 (accessed October 12, 2026).