Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 20 › Conversation 020-110

Nixon phone call with Connally on People's Republic of China and Diplomacy

Monday, February 28, 1972 · 11:12 PM–11:15 PM ET · White House Telephone ·2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Connally, John B.Conversation020-110 onTape 20 (tape position 03:37:55–03:39:47)StartMonday, February 28, 1972 at 11:12 PMEndMonday, February 28, 1972 at 11:15 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 020-110 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and John B. Connally discuss the aftermath of the President’s recent trip to the People's Republic of China, specifically focusing on the overwhelming public relations success and media domination surrounding the visit. Nixon characterizes his negotiations with Chinese leaders Mao Tse-tung and Chou En-lai as firm and pragmatic. They also address technical failures in the airport sound system during the President's return, leading Nixon to offer a summary of his remarks for an upcoming cabinet meeting.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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

Well, Mr. President, we're happy to have you home.

Well, we're glad to have you back home, too, but that was quite a welcome, wasn't it?

It was a great welcome.

You know, tragically, though, for those of us who were in that line back there, we couldn't hear a word you said.

Really?

Not a word.

Well, you have to read it.

It was a pretty good speech, actually.

You couldn't hear it?

I wonder what it was.

The people in front heard, apparently, because... Well, I'll be darned.

But we just reacted when they did, but those of us who were... All the cabinet were back then.

None of us heard a word.

I'll be damned.

I'm sorry, but there wasn't anything we could do about it.

Oh, well, that's all right.

I'm sorry.

I can repeat it at the cabinet meeting, then.

How are you feeling?

I feel just great.

We're just delighted to be back.

I must say, as I told you when you were kind enough to call on Sunday, that God, you just so completely dominated the news back here.

It's just unbelievable.

Well, actually, we had a

The real story is this can't be told because they're important.

I have to show them.

I'll cover a little bit.

But, boy, it was cold steel all the way.

I'm sure that's right.

Cold steel because I was tough and they were tough.

That's the way it has to be, and that's the way we got the understanding.

It was a real cold day.

You would love to hurt him.

I'll have Henry fill you in, because he can tell you a little better.

All right.

Bye.

Welcome home.

NARA Description

On February 28, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and John B. Connally talked on the telephone from 11:12 pm to 11:15 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 020-110 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 20-110

Date: February 28, 1972
Time: 11:12 pm - 11:15 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with John B. Connally.

     Greetings

     Welcome at airport
         -Sound system failure
              -The President’s and Vice President’s remarks

     The President’s schedule
          -Cabinet meeting
               -Possible repetition of remarks

     Recent People’s Republic of China [PRC] trip
          -Public relations
               -Domination of news
                      -The President’s call to Connally on February 27, 1972
          -Revelation of meetings
               -Exchange with PRC leaders
                      -Chou En-lai
                      -Mao Tse-tung
               -Briefing from Henry A. Kissinger

Also recorded on February 29, 1972

020-106 10:52 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 10:52 pm to 11:00 pm.
020-107 11:00 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:00 pm and 11:05 pm.
020-108 11:05 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William P. Rogers talked on the telephone from 11:05 pm to 11:11 pm.
020-109 11:11 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone from 11:11 pm to 11:12 pm.
020-111 11:15 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:15 pm and 11:22 pm.
020-112 11:22 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 11:22 pm to 11:25 pm.
020-113 11:25 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:25 pm and 11:28 pm.
020-114 11:28 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles G. ("Bebe") Rebozo talked on the telephone from 11:28 pm to 11:29 pm.

All 51 conversations from February 29, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 020-110, February 29, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/020-110 (accessed September 18, 2026).