Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 18 › Conversation 018-042

Nixon phone call with Graham on William R. Tolbert Jr. and Diplomatic protocol

Monday, January 10, 1972 · 3:34 PM–3:42 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Graham, William F. ("Billy")Conversation018-042 on Tape 18 (tape position 01:22:45–01:23:53)StartMonday, January 10, 1972 at 3:34 PMEndMonday, January 10, 1972 at 3:42 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 018-042 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Reverend Billy Graham discussed the logistical arrangements and appropriate diplomatic protocol for an upcoming visit by Liberian President William R. Tolbert, Jr. Nixon expressed concerns about the timing and scale of the visit, ultimately deciding against a full state visit due to heavy administrative commitments. The two also briefly touched upon a recent positive article concerning Graham’s travels as highlighted by H.R. Haldeman.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I have Dr. Graham now, sir.
I'm sorry that happened.
That's all right.
Yeah, that connection with Camille Bay, as you know.
Telephone people working on this.
That's all right.
It is always difficult.
But all I just wanted to be sure is that you felt a good idea for Tarbert to come in the event that...
He comes to prayer breakfast, and I just have a little dinner, have a dinner for him that night, you see.
Well, that'll be just fine, but I don't think you have to do that if you don't want to this early, maybe next summer sometime.
Well, my point was it might be easier to do it now in that connection and not have it too long a visit, see?
Right, I don't... Because it's a small country.
I don't think you ought to have a state visit for him.
No, not at this point, no.
No, we can't have any this year because of our other heavy commitments.
But all right, I've got your message.
I've got that.
I don't think you need to worry about that at all.
Right, right.
And anything I can do for you, have somebody call me.
I will.
Incidentally, there's a very good piece Bob Haldeman brought over in time this week on the trip.
You'll want to pick it up.
Oh, good.
Yeah.
Okay.
Now you enjoy that wonderful place, will you?
Thank you, sir.
And thank you for calling.
Give my best to Ruth.
All right.
Bye.

NARA Description

On January 10, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and William F. ("Billy") Graham talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:34 pm and 3:42 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 018-042 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 18-42

Date: January 10, 1972
Time: Unknown after 3:34 pm until 3:42 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with William F. (“Billy”) Graham.

[See Conversation No. 313-21C]

     Telephone connection

     President William R. Tolbert, Jr’s schedule
           -Prayer breakfast
           -Dinner
           -Visit
                 -Timing

     Time article on African visit
          -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman

     Ruth McC. Graham

Also recorded on January 10, 1972

  • 018-039 3:25 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:25 pm and 3:31 pm.
  • 313-018 3:25 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:25 pm and 3:31 pm.
  • 313-019 3:25 PM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:25 pm and 3:31 pm.
  • 313-020 3:25 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:25 pm and 3:31 pm.
  • 018-040 3:31 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William F. ("Billy") Graham talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:31 pm and 3:42 pm.
  • 313-021 3:31 PM · 46 min — President Richard M. Nixon, William F. ("Billy") Graham, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, Raymond K. Price, Jr., Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, and Melvin R. Laird met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:31 pm and 5:11 pm.
  • 018-041 3:34 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:34 pm and 3:42 pm.
  • 018-043 3:42 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:42 pm and 3:56 pm.

All 83 conversations from January 10, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 018-042, January 10, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/018-042 (accessed September 29, 2026).