Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 17 › Conversation 017-065
Nixon phone call with Graham on Christmas and White House visit
Saturday, December 25, 1971 · 9:57 AM–9:58 AM ET · White House Telephone ·1 min
AI Summary
President Nixon and Reverend Billy Graham exchanged Christmas greetings and briefly discussed Graham's recent television appearance regarding the White House holiday celebration. The two confirmed plans for Graham and his wife, Ruth, to visit the White House on the following Friday. During the exchange, Nixon also jokingly advised Graham to ensure his wife remained ideologically conservative.
- Billy Graham
- Christmas
- White House visit
- Public relations
- Political ideology
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
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NARA Description
On December 25, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and William F. ("Billy") Graham talked on the telephone from 9:57 am to 9:58 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 017-065 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 17-65
Date: December 25, 1971
Time: 9:57 am - 9:58 am
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with William F. (“Billy”) Graham.
**********************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 12/21/2017.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[017-065-w001]
[Duration: 9s]
William F. (“Billy”) Graham’s gift to the President
-Sweater
-Golf
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"Christmas at the White House" on television
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS] news
-President playing with dogs
Greetings
Graham coming to White House on Friday
-Ruth McC. (Beall) Graham
Graham's schedule
-Timing
President's schedule
-Timing
Mrs. Graham
-Human EventsAlso recorded on December 25, 1971
- 017-062 9:39 AM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John A. Volpe talked on the telephone from 9:39 am to 9:43 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.
- 017-066 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.
- 017-070 10:14 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Frank B. Rackley, and Marguerite Rackley talked on the telephone from 10:14 am to 10:16 am.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 017-065, 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/017-065 (accessed September 18, 2026).