Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 21 › Conversation 021-054

Nixon phone call with Keogh on The News Twister and media relations

Monday, March 13, 1972 · 3:50 PM–3:52 PM ET · White House Telephone ·15 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Keogh, James;  Nixon, Richard M. (President);  Keogh, JamesConversation021-054 onTape 21 (tape position 02:04:20–02:06:53)StartMonday, March 13, 1972 at 3:50 PMEndMonday, March 13, 1972 at 3:52 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 021-054 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon spoke with James Keogh to acknowledge receipt of an autographed copy of Keogh's book, *President Nixon and the Press*. The conversation touched upon the content of the work, its comparison to Edith Efron's *The News Twister*, and brief mentions of personnel like Kenneth Clawson. Additionally, the two discussed research progress for Keogh's forthcoming project, including contributions from Charles "Bebe" Rebozo and Hobart Lewis.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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. James Keogh, Mr. President.
Yeah.
Hello.
Hello, Mr. President.
Jim, I wanted you to know that they just brought me in an autographed copy of your book.
I can't tell you that I read it, but...

NARA Description

On March 13, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and James Keogh talked on the telephone from 3:50 pm to 3:52 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 021-054 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 21-54

Date: March 13, 1972
Time: 3:50 pm - 3:52 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with James Keogh.

[See Conversation No. 683-20/684-1A]

     Keogh’s book [President Nixon and the Press]
         -Autographed copy given to the President
         -Interest in book
         -Content
         -Review
               -Compared to Edith Efron book [The News Twister]
         -Kenneth W. Clawson
               -Former career as a writer
         -Forthcoming book by Keogh
               -Hobart D. (“Hobe”) Lewis
               -Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo
                      -Informatio for book
               -Quotes and anecdotes
         -The President’s reading habits

Also recorded on March 13, 1972

  • 683-015 3:15 PM · 26 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Otto E. Passman, Henry A. Kissinger, Richard K. Cook, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:15 pm to 3:41 pm.
  • 683-016 3:41 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:41 pm and 3:48 pm.
  • 683-017 3:41 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:41 pm and 3:48 pm.
  • 683-018 3:41 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:41 pm and 3:48 pm.
  • 683-019 3:41 PM · 39 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:41 pm and 3:48 pm.
  • 683-020 3:48 PM · 29 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, Kenneth W. Clawson, James Keogh, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:48 pm to 4:58 pm.
  • 684-001 3:48 PM · 1 hr 46 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, Kenneth W. Clawson, White House operator, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:48 pm and 6:03 pm.
  • 021-055 3:52 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:52 pm and 5:11 pm.

All 72 conversations from March 13, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 021-054, March 13, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/021-054 (accessed September 18, 2026).