Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 31 › Conversation 031-095

Nixon phone call with Collins on Revenue sharing and Urban policy

Monday, October 16, 1972 · 8:24 PM–8:30 PM ET · White House Telephone · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Collins, John F.Conversation031-095 on Tape 31StartMonday, October 16, 1972 at 8:24 PMEndMonday, October 16, 1972 at 8:30 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 031-095 ↗

AI Summary

Former Boston Mayor John F. Collins advised President Nixon to hold the signing ceremony for the revenue sharing bill in Lowell, Massachusetts, to symbolize support for mid-sized American cities. Collins argued that this venue would effectively counter criticisms of Nixon’s urban policy and demonstrate broad appeal among smaller municipalities. The President expressed interest in the proposal, and the two agreed to further consider the logistical details of the signing ceremony.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
No.
Former Mayor John Collins of Boston.
Yes.
Hello?
Hello.
You're going to be looking for a place to sign and publicize that revenue sharing bill.
Right.
You ought to find a community with about 100,000 people, and I've got the place.
Lowell, Massachusetts, right outside of Anson Field, pop over and you are speaking to every 100,000 citizen city in America.
You have done more for Lowell, Massachusetts than any president has ever done for any city.
You've got the city manager on your side, the newspaper on your side, I'm on your side, and I really believe that for 45 minutes a minute,
You know, to go to Detroit, to Chicago, to New York, to Los Angeles, to Boston would be silly.
But to do it, you're speaking to cities all across America, and I really think it is the way that we should be photographing those who say that your urban policy has not been the best in the world, and it has been.
Honestly, I think it's something you ought to think about doing, and your liberal Republican friends are giving you the wrong information when they tell you that there is a latent
anti-mixing feeling that will be exacerbated by your presence.
That is untrue.
You think so, huh?
That is untrue.
That's right.
Well, how are you feeling?
I couldn't be there.
I remember seeing you briefly down there.
Yeah, I was using those sticks down in the end, and I've been doing that for 15 years, but it inhibited too much.
Right.
I'll do it.
It's kind of you to call.
Good, and I just wish you the very best.
And the same to you.
Incidentally, when we have that signing, could you comment any of it wherever we have it?
I'll have it wherever you have it.
Fine.
And I'll look into this whole thing, and we'll take a look in the morning.
Just the idea of speaking to 100,000 population cities all across America, and this is a natural fight.
If we can't get that one, I think we ought to get those 100,000 cities.
I'm just thinking out loud here at the moment.
Just one anywhere.
Right, I know what you mean.
And I've got this city locked up tight, newspaper and the whole business.
Wherever it is, I'll go.
Great.
All right, good to talk to you.
Thank you very much.

NARA Description

On October 16, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and John F. Collins talked on the telephone from 8:24 pm to 8:30 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 031-095 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 31-95

Date: October 16, 1972
Time: 8:24 pm - 8:30 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with John F. Collins.

        Greetings

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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 32s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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

       Revenue sharing
          -Signing ceremony
              -Lowell, Massachusetts
                   -Support for the President
                   -Collins advice
          -The President's image on urban issues

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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 37s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

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

       Collin's health

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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 32s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3

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

        Revenue sharing
           -Signing ceremony
               -Collins's attendance
                    -Location

Also recorded on October 17, 1972

  • 031-090 8:00 PM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Frank Scumaci talked on the telephone from 8:00 pm to 8:01 pm.
  • 031-091 8:02 PM · 46 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and C. Beverly Briley talked on the telephone from 8:02 pm to 8:05 pm.
  • 031-093 8:08 PM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Richard M. Scaife talked on the telephone from 8:08 pm to 8:11 pm.
  • 031-092 8:12 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Theodore S. ("Ted") Williams talked on the telephone from 8:12 pm to 8:14 pm.
  • 031-094 8:16 PM · 23 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and John T. Connor talked on the telephone from 8:16 pm to 8:19 pm.
  • 031-096 8:33 PM · 23 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and John W. Mulcahy, Jr. talked on the telephone from 8:33 pm to 8:36 pm.
  • 031-097 8:36 PM · 38 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:36 pm and 9:42 pm.
  • 031-098 7:54 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:54 am and 9:12 am.

All 65 conversations from October 17, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 031-095, October 17, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/031-095 (accessed October 12, 2026).