Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 17 › Conversation 017-072

Nixon phone call with Blount on Christmas and Economic Policy

Saturday, December 25, 1971 · 10:29 AM–10:30 AM ET · White House Telephone · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Blount, Winton M. ("Red"), Jr.Conversation017-072 on Tape 17 (tape position 02:55:17–02:58:00)StartSaturday, December 25, 1971 at 10:29 AMEndSaturday, December 25, 1971 at 10:30 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 017-072 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon initiated a brief holiday call to Postmaster General Winton M. "Red" Blount to exchange Christmas greetings. Beyond pleasantries, the two discussed the positive reception of a television special featuring Julie Nixon and evaluated the current state of the national economy. Nixon specifically sought Blount’s assessment of the performance of the Pay Board and Price Board as indicators of economic recovery.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Mr. Blunt on the line, sir.
Hello.
Hello, Mr. President.
Well, I just wanted to wish the Redhead good luck and Merry Christmas.
Thank you very much, and a Merry Christmas to you.
Are you in Alabama?
No, sir, I'm at Vail.
Oh, I see.
I'm skiing.
I just saw Jerry Ford out here yesterday.
Yeah.
Right, right.
Mr. President, I tell you, you're just doing a great job.
It's just coming through so strong.
And that program was marvelous, incidentally.
Oh, the...
The television program.
Oh, last night?
Yes.
Oh, you saw it, yeah.
I didn't see it, but I... Well, it was just marvelous.
I knew Julie would do well.
Along with the great things that you've done, doing here in the United States, it's just terrific, as well as the message.
Well...
I think that the economic thing, Red, is beginning to look better, don't you?
Oh, I do indeed.
I feel very good about it.
I really do.
You know, there's been a few bobbles here in this pay board.
Well, that's inevitable.
But the price board is doing a great job.
Right, right.
Training them up.
That's right.
That's right.
Well, you just keep working, boy.
We'll do it.
Yeah.
Well, it's mighty nice of you to call, and I wish all your family a Merry Christmas and the best of New Year's.
Merry Christmas.
Thank you very much.
Bye.

NARA Description

On December 25, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Winton M. ("Red") Blount, Jr. talked on the telephone from 10:29 am to 10:30 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 017-072 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 17-72

Date: December 25, 1971
Time: 10:29 am - 10:30 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Winton M. (“Red”) Blount.

     Christmas greetings

     Blount's location
          -Gerald R. Ford

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

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 12/21/2017.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[017-072-w001]
[Duration: 24s]

     Campaigning
         -Alabama
              -Language
              -Prince Albert tobacco

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

     Julie Nixon's Eisenhower's television show
           “Christmas at the White House”

     Economy
         -Pay Board compared to Price Board

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

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 12/21/2017.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[017-072-w002]
[Duration: 1m 3s]

     Alabama
          -Possibility of winning
          -George C. Wallace
               -Possibility of running
               -Fundraising
               -Georgia
               -The South

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

Also recorded on December 25, 1971

  • 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.
  • 017-071 10:16 AM · 30 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:16 am and 10:29 am.
  • 017-073 10:37 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Arthur E. Summerfield, and Miriam Summerfield talked on the telephone from 10:37 am to 10:38 am.
  • 017-074 10:38 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:38 am and 10:53 am.
  • 017-075 10:38 AM · 32 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:38 am and 10:53 am.
  • 017-076 10:53 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Warren E. Burger talked on the telephone from 10:53 am to 10:55 am.

All 57 conversations from December 25, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 017-072, 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/017-072 (accessed October 10, 2026).