Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 17 › Conversation 017-073

Nixon phone call with Summerfield on Christmas greetings and Tax legislation

Saturday, December 25, 1971 · 10:37 AM–10:38 AM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Summerfield, Arthur E.; Summerfield, MiriamConversation017-073 on Tape 17 (tape position 02:58:00–02:59:49)StartSaturday, December 25, 1971 at 10:37 AMEndSaturday, December 25, 1971 at 10:38 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 017-073 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon placed a brief Christmas Day call to Arthur E. Summerfield and his wife, Miriam, to offer holiday greetings and express personal gratitude for their long-standing support. During the conversation, the President specifically thanked Summerfield for his influential efforts in mobilizing support for a recent tax bill. The discussion also touched upon personal pleasantries, family members, and their mutual interest in football and televised holiday programming.

Audio

Download MP3 · 2.5 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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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.
Mr. Arthur Summerfield, sir.
Hello.
All right, I just called to wish you and Mary a Merry Christmas.
Are you at Flint?
Well, we just went, and I want you to know that I'm aware of the fact that when we had that vote on that tax thing that you really moved and shook the place, and I'm most grateful.
And also, you like to fight, too, don't you?
Right.
I know.
Well, Miriam is fine.
Well, good.
Well, you take good care of Arch, you know.
Don't let him get his blood pressure up.
Yeah.
Oh, you did.
You stayed up.
Yeah.
It's Julie.
Julie's show.
Yeah.
Well, that's fine.
Well, we just think of you a lot of times, and we do appreciate all your wonderful support through the years.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, anyway, we'll be seeing you sometime and really enjoy the football games.
Okay, give my best to the family.
Bud and everything.

NARA Description

On December 25, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Arthur E. Summerfield, and Miriam Summerfield talked on the telephone from 10:37 am to 10:38 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 017-073 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 17-73

Date: December 25, 1971
Time: 10:37 am - 10:38 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Arthur E. Summerfield.

     Christmas greetings

     Summerfield's location

     Tax Bill

Miriam Summerfield joined the conversation.

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

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 12/21/2017.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[017-073-w001]
[Duration: 7s]

     Christmas celebrations
          -Mrs. Nixon
          -Mamie Eisenhower
          -Christmas tree

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

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

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

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 12/21/2017.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[017-073-w002]
[Duration: 12s]

     1952 memory
          -Arthur E. Summerfield

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

     Football games

     Family greetings
          -Bud Summerfield

Also recorded on December 25, 1971

  • 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.
  • 017-072 10:29 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Winton M. ("Red") Blount, Jr. talked on the telephone from 10:29 am to 10:30 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.
  • 017-077 10:55 AM · 28 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:55 am and 11:02 am.
  • 017-078 11:02 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Michael Lauer, Ann Marie Lauer, Kathy Lauer, and Kevin Lauer talked on the telephone from 11:02 am to 11:05 am.

All 57 conversations from December 25, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 017-073, 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/017-073 (accessed October 10, 2026).