Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 19 › Conversation 019-038

Nixon, Finch & Butterfield on State of the Union address and Harry S. Truman

Thursday, January 20, 1972 · 6:06 PM–6:08 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Butterfield, Alexander P.; Finch, Robert H.Conversation019-038 on Tape 19StartThursday, January 20, 1972 at 6:06 PMEndThursday, January 20, 1972 at 6:08 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 019-038 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon calls Robert H. Finch to express sympathy regarding Finch’s recent health struggles and to discuss the reception of the President's recent State of the Union address. The two men reflect on the speech's tone, specifically praising the strategic use of references to Harry S. Truman to highlight the administration's legislative positioning. Nixon emphasizes the importance of his upcoming policy agenda, framing the final year of his term as the 'fourth quarter' requiring decisive action.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Hello.
Mr. Finch, Mr. President.
Okay.
There you are.
This ring is constantly supposed to... Hello.
Yes, sir.
Well, I just wanted to say I was so sorry to learn from Alex you had to stay in bed, but I wish you well, and I'll tell Carol to drink your booze.
That's fair enough.
Right, right.
That was a hell of a speech.
Yeah.
It went very well.
Yeah.
You didn't get down, did you?
No, sir.
I watched it on television.
Thank God.
Don't go.
Don't ever go to those bands.
There was such a pain in the neck.
No, it went very well.
You got a monkey right in their back.
Well, you know, I decided to be very conciliatory in the rest, but then that lays it open for us to draw the sword four or five months from now when they haven't done a damn thing.
I like the reference of Truman, and that was good stuff.
Truman, yeah, yeah.
That I support, which I did.
I supported his darn programs.
What do you got, the flu again, Bob?
It's an infection in the ear.
It started with that damn virus.
In the ear?
Yeah.
It makes you a little bit dizzy, and I've got to get it knocked out.
They gave me some more antibiotics yesterday.
Oh, boy.
You take care.
You take care.
After all, on the 20th, this is the beginning of the fourth quarter, so we've got to score a couple of touchdowns.
We're going to go all the way.
Okay.
Yes, sir.

NARA Description

On January 20, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, and Robert H. Finch talked on the telephone from 6:06 pm to 6:08 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 019-038 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 19-38

Date: January 20, 1972
Time: 6:06 pm - 6:08 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President conferred with Alexander P. Butterfield.

The President talked with Robert H. Finch.

[See Conversation No. 652-15B]

     Finch's health
          -The President's conversation with Butterfield
                -Carol (Crothers) Finch

     The President's previous “State of the Union” speech
          -Tone
          -Harry S. Truman
               -The President’s support for programs

     Finch's health

Also recorded on January 20, 1972

  • 019-036 5:22 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 5:22 pm.
  • 652-014 5:59 PM · 23 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:59 pm and 6:00 pm.
  • 019-037 6:00 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:00 pm and 6:06 pm.
  • 652-015 6:00 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, White House operator, and Robert H. Finch met in the Oval Office of the White House from 6:00 pm to 6:08 pm.
  • 652-016 6:08 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 6:08 pm and 6:12 pm.
  • 652-017 6:08 PM · 25 min — President Richard M. Nixon, unknown person(s), and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 6:08 pm and 6:36 pm.
  • 652-018 6:36 PM · 9 sec — United States Secret Service agents met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 6:36 pm and 11:59 pm.
  • 652-019 6:36 PM · 1 min — United States Secret Service agents and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 6:36 pm and 11:59 pm.

All 39 conversations from January 20, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 019-038, January 20, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/019-038 (accessed October 12, 2026).