Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 20 › Conversation 020-076

Nixon, Woods & Erleborn on Birthday greetings and Congressional relations

Wednesday, February 9, 1972 · 8:31 AM–8:32 AM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Woods, Rose Mary; Erleborn, John N.Conversation020-076 on Tape 20 (tape position 02:24:56–02:25:57)StartWednesday, February 9, 1972 at 8:31 AMEndWednesday, February 9, 1972 at 8:32 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 020-076 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, and Congressman John N. Erlenborn engaged in a brief telephone conversation primarily to exchange birthday greetings. Erlenborn initiated the call to wish the President well following his recent birthday, noting the coincidental shared birth date of two other Republican congressmen. The exchange remained social and congratulatory in nature, focusing on the lighthearted trivia surrounding their birthdays and the prospect of Erlenborn's future congressional seniority.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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 may go about 4 o'clock.
Hello.
Mr. President, I have Congressman Erlenborn.
Yeah, hello.
Hi, John.
I'm just checking with my congressional people, Timmons et al., and I find out that you just had a birthday yesterday.
Right.
And incidentally, it's a very interesting little coincidence.
I don't know whether you know it, but you share the birthday with two other Republicans.
They're both named John.
John Myers is one.
And John's Rock.
Oh, I didn't realize, John.
Yeah.
So your mothers all just had sort of that telepathy, and they said, well, John's a good name.
Right.
Fourth Book of the Gospel.
Well, anyway, congratulations, and I'm glad you're in good shape and young enough to be around for 20 more years.
I'm looking forward to that seniority that I can gain in that time.
Yeah, you get the seniority, and I'm sure you're going to make it.
Good luck.
Thank you very much.
Bye.
Bye.
Thank you.

NARA Description

On February 9, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, and John N. Erleborn talked on the telephone from 8:31 am to 8:32 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 020-076 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 20-76

Date: February 9, 1972
Time: 8:31 am - 8:32 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President met with Rose Mary Woods [?]

     The President’s schedule

The President talked with John N. Erlenborn

[See Conversation No. 668-5]

     Birthday greetings
          -William E. Timmons
          -Coincidental birthdays
                -John T. Myers and John M. Zwach
          -Seniority

Also recorded on February 9, 1972

  • 668-004 8:28 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:28 am to 8:31 am.
  • 668-005 8:31 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John N. Erleborn met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:31 am to 8:32 am.
  • 020-077 8:34 AM · 43 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and John T. Myers talked on the telephone from 8:34 am to 8:35 am.
  • 668-006 8:34 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John T. Myers met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:34 am to 8:35 am.
  • 020-078 8:39 AM · 37 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and John M. Zwach talked on the telephone from 8:39 am to 8:40 am.
  • 668-007 8:39 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John M. Zwach met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:39 am to 8:40 am.
  • 020-079 8:40 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:40 am and 8:44 am.
  • 668-008 8:40 AM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:40 am and 8:44 am.

All 53 conversations from February 9, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 020-076, February 9, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/020-076 (accessed October 2, 2026).