Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 17 › Conversation 017-062

Nixon phone call with Volpe on Italy and Giovanni Leone

Saturday, December 25, 1971 · 9:39 AM–9:43 AM ET · White House Telephone · 5 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Volpe, John A.Conversation017-062 on Tape 17 (tape position 02:38:50–02:43:52)StartSaturday, December 25, 1971 at 9:39 AMEndSaturday, December 25, 1971 at 9:43 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 017-062 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon initiated this call to Secretary of Transportation John A. Volpe to exchange Christmas greetings and discuss the current political climate in Italy. They evaluated the election of Giovanni Leone as the new Italian president and agreed on the necessity of retaining Graham A. Martin as U.S. Ambassador to Italy despite some criticism regarding his social engagement. Nixon clarified that although there had been suggestions to appoint Volpe to the ambassadorship, he ultimately decided against it because of Volpe's vital role and importance to the administration's efforts domestically.

Audio

Download MP3 · 6.9 MB

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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.
I just wanted to wish the Volpe's a very Merry Christmas from the Nixons and the Eisenhars.
We're all sitting here around the Christmas tree.
Are you in Massachusetts?
Good.
Right.
Yeah.
Well, fine.
I hope everybody's feeling well, John.
Well, we've got a few colds that are typical for this time of year, but other than that, we're all fine.
Right, right.
We deeply appreciate this great privilege for you.
Well, you've been great.
You know, I want you to know something in the greatest confidence, as I am sure you're aware, and I'm not saying this to anybody, but...
I'm concerned about that situation in Italy.
However, I don't know.
What kind of man is Leone?
He won, you noticed.
I even checked last night.
I went to the midnight mass at the Apostolic Delegate, and I've had it from a channel in Italy.
I've had it from ambassadors from Italy, but I...
wanted to get it from, you know, a delegate who, you know, knows what's going on.
And he gave me every confidence.
This man is not a vibrant, you know, politician.
Like Saragatti is.
But for the presidency, he said that he thinks he'll do an outstanding job because he's clean, he's decent, he's honorable and intellectual.
And he really thinks that for this time of Italy's history that this man will do a good job for them.
Good.
Every source that I've been able to check indicates that's the case.
It's very important for that country to this next year.
And it all depends, too.
The chances are, from what I've been able to gather, is that he will ask Colombo to carry on at least four, two, three months.
He's a good man.
Until he catches his breath and then... And take another look, huh?
...determine just what he may want to do.
Yeah.
At least for the time being, I think he'll retain Colombo.
Well, we're keeping close to it.
You've got your ties out there, and we've had some suggestions, I know, that, well, Martin is, they say, a wonderful technical man that needs a little more, you know, moxie, but I don't think we could make a change right at the moment, but I...
I've said in my own presence, Graham, that although some have complained, you know, he doesn't mix enough.
Yeah, yeah.
This guy's got a real head and shoulders, Mr. President.
That's what my feeling is, John.
He's a real... And as a matter of fact, Mariano Ramon told me that he's the best ambassador the United States has had in Italy.
Would you keep him there this year?
I would keep him there.
I would keep him there because...
He has his pulse on the situation.
Some will go out because he doesn't spend enough, but I can tell you he's loyal to President Nixon, not 100%, but 150%.
Let me tell you that one of the reasons I raise this, because we run into it from time to time, and if it does run into it, you're not unaware of the fact that a number of people, because of the Italian situation, have wanted me to send you there.
And I have had to tell them, because John and I talked about John Mitchell, and we just think John is too important here.
I mean, you're the only one that can really, you know, hit something, hit a lot of groups that are awful important to us.
But I think that, but on the other hand, in a time in the future, you know,
I think, I really think they deserve somebody who's, you know, a little warmer, you know?
Well, listen, because you know what tattoos are.
They're warm.
I know.
They're wonderful people.
But this fellow, from a technical point of view, and from a point of view of having the confidence of those who feel that he knows what America is trying to do to help them, you know, without laying it on, really has got it.
Glad to hear that.
I have great confidence.
Well, I'm sticking by him.
I've told everybody that, you know, you never can show any lack of confidence in a man.
But usually you have little calm captains and a few people like that.
I know.
A guy won't do a favor for him and so and so.
You know, he's no good.
Yeah.
Except, I say, for the fact that he doesn't socialize as much as he might.
That kind of argument doesn't impress me.
That doesn't impress me.
He's doing his job, and after all, as I say... And has the competence of the major battalions.
Has the competence of the leaders who know that he's no monkey business.
Okay.
Well, anyway, we just wish you the best and open all your presents and watch football games.
I'm going to.
Oh, boy.
Well, go give it to them.
Okay, John.

NARA Description

On December 25, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and John A. Volpe talked on the telephone from 9:39 am to 9:43 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 017-062 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 17-62

Date: December 25, 1971
Time: 9:39 am - 9:43 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with John A. Volpe.

     Christmas greetings

     Volpe's location

     Volpe’s family
          -Health

     Italy
             -Giovanni Leone
             -Volpe
                    -Midnight mass
                           -Apostolic delegation
                    -Italian Ambassador
                           -Discussion with Volpe
                    -Leone
                           -Compared to Giuseppe Saragat
                           -President
                           -Emilio Colombo
             -US Ambassador to Italy, Graham A. Martin
                    -Mariano Rumor
                           -Praise for Martin
                                 -Support for President
             -Italian Ambassadorship for Volpe
                    -Value of Volpe in the US
                           -John N. Mitchell
             -Martin's value
             -Confidence of Italian leaders

     Christmas greetings

     Football games

     Volpe’s health

     Volpe’s grandchildren

Also recorded on December 25, 1971

  • 017-061 9:34 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rogers C. B. Morton talked on the telephone from 9:34 am to 9:38 am.
  • 017-063 9:45 AM · 28 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone from 9:45 am to 9:50 am.
  • 017-064 9:53 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Lenore L. Romney, and George W. Romney talked on the telephone from 9:53 am to 9:56 am.
  • 017-065 9:57 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William F. ("Billy") Graham talked on the telephone from 9:57 am to 9:58 am.
  • 017-066 9:58 AM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:58 am and 10:01 am.
  • 017-067 10:01 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Earl L. Butz talked on the telephone from 10:01 am to 10:02 am.
  • 017-068 10:06 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Claudia A. Johnson talked on the telephone from 10:06 am to 10:08 am.
  • 017-069 10:06 AM · 31 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:06 am and 10:08 am.

All 57 conversations from December 25, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 017-062, 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/017-062 (accessed October 11, 2026).