← 029-030029-032 →

Conversation 029-031

TapeTape 29StartFriday, August 4, 1972 at 2:58 PMEndSunday, August 6, 1972 at 4:42 PMParticipants[Unknown person(s)]Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

An unknown White House staffer calls the telephone repair desk to verify the clarity and functionality of a specific line. Beyond testing the equipment, the participants engage in casual conversation regarding weekend plans involving shooting sports and local Washington Redskins football. The caller also briefly comments on the aesthetic improvements made to the Oval Office since the Johnson administration, noting the removal of clutter and the addition of the Marine Corps flag.

White House telephone systemEquipment maintenanceOval Office aestheticsRecreational sportsLyndon B. Johnson
AudioNARA Description

Unknown person(s) talked on the telephone on an unknown date, sometime between 2:58 pm on August 4, 1972 and 4:42 pm on August 6, 1972. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 029-031 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 29-31

Date: Unknown between August 4, 1972 and August 6, 1972
Time: Unknown between 2:58 pm, August 4, 1972 and 4:42 pm, August 6, 1972
Location: White House Telephone

An unknown man talked with an unknown person.

     Greetings

     Check of telephone lines
         -Quality of telephone connection

     Weather

                                         (rev. Mar-02)

     Washington Redskins
         -Start of game

     Weekend plans
         -Trap shooting tournament
         -Pistol shooting

     Telephone lines
          -Problems

     Oval Office
          -Appearance
               -Lyndon B. Johnson
                    -Furniture
                    -Rug
                    -Televisions
                    -Teletype machines
               -Marine Corps flag
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

repair desk.
Hello, repair desk.
Oh, Smokey.
If you don't mind, would you talk to me for a little while?
Sure, try to.
I want to make sure that this thing's in good condition.
Lenny told me what happened.
Seemed like they lifted something and then put it back.
Oh.
That's why I couldn't find it.
That certainly was a
Peculiar.
Well, is there a reason?
Apparently not.
Sounds alright.
You don't hear any hum or anything, do you?
No, sounds quite quiet.
Think it's going to rain this weekend?
I don't know.
I hope it does.
It's going to cool off some, huh?
Yeah.
We'll watch at risk because we win a game tonight and...
Y'all don't come on when we're in more trouble.
How soon?
Huh?
How soon do they come on?
You got 45 minutes?
I've got the weekend off, and I think it is, if it isn't pouring down rain, I'm going shooting.
All summer I've been... Hey, is there a shoot going on at that club out there, Road 50, like East Coast?
Because I see Michigan, all state things from all over the East Coast out there.
Trap shooting.
Could be.
I don't know.
That's not my thing.
Strangling pistols.
But all summer I've been trying.
It seems like the days I've been off it's been raining or else I've worked so many hours I've been tired.
And it seems a waste of ammunition to go out and shoot when you're bleary-eyed.
But then I'm going to go tomorrow and have to go in a raincoat and the whole number out.
I haven't heard at least a little squeak on this thing.
It certainly sounds quiet to me.
Could I have had something up to it?
Well, I think the problem probably disappeared while testing.
That might be a thing.
I only think we got in trouble to get on it.
Uh-huh.
Maybe best not to have one.
Well, I was told not to.
Uh-huh.
Not to know anything, so fine.
I'm talking to you from a pay station.
This office looks a lot better than it did when LBJ was here.
Yellow furniture and blue rug and there was a bank of four television receivers and then a bank of teletype machines.
And, you know, they weren't closed, but it looks a lot prettier now.
Stand here in front of the Marine Corps flag with all its streamers on it.
Very impressive.
I was going to say, that's one of your outfits on there.
Yeah, that's kind of like taking that home for a souvenir.
Well, I certainly thank you, Fritz.
Sounds good.
Okay, thanks again.
Right on.
Bye.
← 029-030029-032 →