Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 20 › Conversation 020-007

Nixon phone call with Arsht on News Summary and Staff Appreciation

Monday, January 31, 1972 · 4:01 PM–4:03 PM ET · White House Telephone · 59 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Arsht, Leslye A.Conversation020-007 on Tape 20 (tape position 00:10:59–00:11:57)StartMonday, January 31, 1972 at 4:01 PMEndMonday, January 31, 1972 at 4:03 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 020-007 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon called Leslye A. Arsht to express his personal gratitude for her dedicated service and long hours working on the White House news summary. He specifically praised the high quality of the summary, noting that it surpassed those available to previous presidents, and commended the contributions of Arsht and Lyndon K. “Mort” Allin. The conversation also served as an opportunity for the President to apologize for missing her recent party and acknowledge her commitment to his re-election campaign.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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.
Hello, sir.
Hello, how are you?
I was sorry that I didn't get to call you that time they had your party.
I tried to reach you, but I just wanted you to know how grateful I am for those miserable long hours you put in night after night after night.
And what a fine job all of you have done on the news summary.
Oh, thank you, sir, very much.
Well, I tell you, that new summary is a fantastic achievement.
It's probably, I think, much better than any president has ever had.
And Mort Allen and you and all the rest that work on it deserve an enormous credit.
And we appreciate all those hours.
Thank you, sir.
It was my pleasure to do it.
Thank you.

NARA Description

On January 31, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Leslye A. Arsht talked on the telephone from 4:01 pm to 4:03 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 020-007 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 20-7

Date: January 31, 1972
Time: 4:01 pm - 4:03 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Leslye A. Arsht.

[See Conversation No. 661-6]

     Earlier party for Arsht
           -President's attempt to call

     Gratitude for effort
           -Hours
           -News Summary

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

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 04/29/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[020-007-w002]
[Duration: 5s]

      Gratitude for effort
             -Help in President’s re-election campaign

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

     Gratitude for effort
           -News Summary
                -Quality
                -Lyndon K. (“Mort”) Allin role

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

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 04/29/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[020-007-w003]
[Duration: 7s]

      Gratitude for effort
             -Salary

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

Also recorded on January 31, 1972

  • 020-006 4:00 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:00 pm and 4:01 pm.
  • 661-004 4:00 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:00 pm and 4:01 pm.
  • 661-005 4:00 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:00 pm and 4:01 pm.
  • 661-006 4:01 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Leslye A. Arsht met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:01 pm to 4:03 pm.
  • 020-008 4:03 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:03 pm and 4:04 pm.
  • 661-007 4:03 PM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:03 pm and 4:04 pm.
  • 661-008 4:03 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:03 pm and 4:04 pm.
  • 020-009 4:04 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stewart B. McKinney talked on the telephone from 4:04 pm to 4:06 pm.

All 32 conversations from January 31, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 020-007, January 31, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/020-007 (accessed October 12, 2026).