Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 17 › Conversation 017-086

Nixon phone call with Ford on Christmas and Football

Saturday, December 25, 1971 · 11:29 AM–11:31 AM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ford, Gerald R.Conversation017-086 on Tape 17 (tape position 03:12:40–03:14:16)StartSaturday, December 25, 1971 at 11:29 AMEndSaturday, December 25, 1971 at 11:31 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 017-086 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon initiated a holiday phone call to Congressman Gerald R. Ford to exchange Christmas greetings and discuss college and professional football. During the conversation, Nixon informed Ford of the death of Representative George W. Andrews, noting that he would send a military aide to honor the late congressman. The two concluded by briefly discussing political strategy and preparing for upcoming legislative challenges in the new year.

Audio

Download MP3 · 2.2 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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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?
Yes, it's Congressman Ford on the line, sir.
Cherry?
Hi, Mr. President, how are you?
You didn't break a leg yet?
No, no.
Well, you take care.
Well, if it's snowing, I'll take good care of it.
Well, I hope you have a great Christmas, and let's see, you'll be rooting for nobody.
The Redskins, huh?
I'm for the Redskins tomorrow in Michigan on a week from Monday.
Incidentally, I got some bad news for you.
I just talked to Carl a minute ago.
George Andrews died this morning.
No kidding.
Yes, he was a good man.
Yeah, and he was quite sick, though, you know.
Yes, yes, I know.
Oh, that's too bad.
So I want you to know.
Yeah, I'll send... Well, I'm sending a military aide down, as I do in these cases.
You know, he's been very ill with the same thing that Mendel had.
Yes, I've heard that.
He's at the same hospital.
Yeah, yeah.
Well...
I hope you and Pat have a wonderful Christmas.
You will.
Right.
Well, we will, and just get refreshed for the big battles next year, huh?
We'll be ready.
All right.
Okay, Mr. Francis.
Bye-bye.

NARA Description

On December 25, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Gerald R. Ford talked on the telephone from 11:29 am to 11:31 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 017-086 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 17-86

Date: December 25, 1971
Time: 11:29 am - 11:31 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Gerald R. Ford.

     Ford's location

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

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 12/21/2017.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[017-086-w001]
[Duration: 17s]

     Gerald R. Ford’s gift to the Nixons
          -Frog

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

     Football
          -Washington Redskins
          -Michigan

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

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 12/21/2017.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[017-086-w002]
[Duration: 11s]

           Football
                -Michigan
                     -Possible winner
                          -Points

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

     George W. Andrews's death
          -Military aide to Elizabeth Andrews
          -The President's talk with Carl B. Albert
                -Lucius Mendel Rivers

     Christmas greetings

     Campaigning

Also recorded on December 25, 1971

  • 017-081 11:12 AM · 28 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:12 am and 11:21 am.
  • 017-084 11:21 AM · 25 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and James D. ("Don") Hughes talked on the telephone from 11:21 am to 11:22 am.
  • 017-085 11:23 AM · 39 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 11:23 am.
  • 017-087 11:31 AM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:31 am and 11:34 am.
  • 017-088 11:34 AM · 43 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Michael J. ("Mike") Mansfield talked on the telephone from 11:34 am to 11:36 am.
  • 017-089 11:38 AM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 11:38 am.
  • 017-090 11:38 AM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:38 am and 11:45 am.
  • 017-091 11:45 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Melvin R. Laird talked on the telephone from 11:45 am to 11:46 am.

All 57 conversations from December 25, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 017-086, 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/017-086 (accessed October 10, 2026).