Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 17 › Conversation 017-109
Nixon phone call with Cox on Dan Rather and Media relations
Friday, December 31, 1971 · 7:40 PM–7:46 PM ET · White House Telephone · 5 min
AI Summary
President Nixon and his daughter, Tricia Nixon Cox, exchanged New Year's greetings and discussed the President’s upcoming schedule and holiday plans. The conversation covered media-related topics, including preparations for an interview with Dan Rather, a feature in TV Guide, and a positive Time magazine article regarding Edward Cox. They also touched upon Pat Nixon’s upcoming travel plans to Africa.
- Dan Rather
- Media relations
- TV Guide
- Time Magazine
- Pat Nixon
- White House schedule
Audio
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
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NARA Description
On December 31, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Tricia Nixon Cox talked on the telephone from 7:40 pm to 7:46 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 017-109 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 17-109
Date: December 31, 1971
Time: 7:40 pm - 7:46 pm
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with Tricia Nixon Cox.
**********************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 12/22/2017. 3m
9s segment cleared for release with two segments of 1m 38s and 31s remaining closed as 017-109-
w001 and 017-109-w002 respectively.]
[Personal Returnable]
[017-109-w001]
[Duration: 3m 9s]
New Year greetings
The President’s location
The President’s schedule
-Dinner
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[017-109-w001]
[Duration: 1m 38s]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
**********************************************************************
**********************************************************************
The President’s interview
-Dan Rather
-Preparation
-Timing
-The President’s opinion
-Timing
The President’s schedule
-California
T.V. Guide
-Circulation
-Cover featuring the President
Time magazine article
-Edward Cox
-Positive tone
-Hugh Sidey
-Life magazine article
-Quality of pictures
-San Clemente
-Circulation
Thelma C. (“Pat”) (Ryan) Nixon’s schedule
-Africa trip
-Departure
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[017-109-w002]
[Duration: 31s]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
**********************************************************************Also recorded on January 1, 1972
- 017-110 7:47 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Taft Schreiber talked on the telephone from 7:47 pm to 7:49 pm.
- 017-111 7:49 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:49 pm and 7:55 pm.
- 017-112 7:55 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and C. Arnholt Smith talked on the telephone from 7:55 pm to 7:59 pm.
- 017-113 7:59 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:59 pm and 8:14 pm.
- 017-114 7:59 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:59 pm and 8:14 pm.
- 017-115 8:14 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Paul W. Keyes talked on the telephone from 8:14 pm to 8:16 pm.
- 311-001 9:05 PM · 35 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 9:05 pm and 9:08 pm.
- 017-116 9:08 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Elmer H. Bobst talked on the telephone from 9:08 pm to 9:11 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 017-109, January 1, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/017-109 (accessed October 24, 2026).