Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 33 › Conversation 033-016

Nixon phone call with Powell on 1972 Election and New Hampshire

Saturday, November 4, 1972 · 10:09 AM–10:13 AM ET · White House Telephone · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Powell, Wesley; Powell, BeverlyConversation033-016 on Tape 33StartSaturday, November 4, 1972 at 10:09 AMEndSaturday, November 4, 1972 at 10:13 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 033-016 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon calls Wesley Powell to offer encouragement and support for his New Hampshire Senate campaign during the final days of the 1972 election. The President expresses his appreciation for Powell's past political support, emphasizes his commitment to "peace with honor," and acknowledges the campaign efforts of his own family members in the state. Beverly Powell joins the call briefly to receive the President's praise for her role in the campaign, while the President reiterates his desire to visit New Hampshire after the election.

1972 Election
New Hampshire
Senate Campaign
Peace with Honor
Nixon family

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

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There you are.

Good morning, Mr. President.

Good morning, Wes.

I know this is going to be a long day of campaigning for you because you campaign all day today, and I trust right up to election day.

Well, Mr. President...

But I want to wish you the best.

I'm sorry that I couldn't get there, but you know I couldn't get to all the states, but New Hampshire is a state that I have such...

very, very warm recollection of.

I remember, too, how you worked so hard for me in 1956 when we had that write-in for vice president.

And I just want to say I hope the voters of New Hampshire will realize that I have appreciated their support in the past.

I will appreciate it this time.

And I will also appreciate

They're electing you to the United States Senate so that we'll have a good, strong man who's for a strong America and who's for peace with honor and not peace with surrender in that United States Senate.

You're going to have exactly that, Mr. President.

You'll be pleased to know that in the room with me right now as you're speaking with me are...

of our workers who are preparing to go out and blitz some of the Manchester wards and do exactly as you'd like to have them do, work right up until the last ballot is cast.

And they're going to give you, by the way, the best vote you've ever had in New Hampshire.

Really?

Well, we're delighted to hear it.

And let me say this to you, Wes, tell the people that are in that room and as they go out,

Well, I couldn't.

I, of course, was in Nashua.

Since I've been president, I couldn't get there during the campaign, although most of the members of my family were.

Let me say that after this election, one of the things I'm going to do in these next four years, I want to come to New Hampshire when I don't have to ask for votes, when I can just say, thank you very much.

That'll be grand, Mr. President.

And Julie did a wonderful job up here for you, and so did Trish's husband.

That's right.

And really, really...

The folks are very much impressed, and one of the things they admire and love most about the Nixons is your devotion to a wonderful family life.

Well, let me say that we think that, too.

I know your wife's an enormous asset.

Go out and win.

I won't take a bit more of your time.

Speaking of family, just say a quick time.

Sure, sure.

How are you, Beverly?

I just said that you were a great help to your husband and that with that team, we think it's going to be close, but we think you're going to win.

You're very nice to call and to take time out from your busy schedule to do it.

We appreciate it very much.

I just wish I could be there in person, but I know that you'll all make up for it by working hard the next two days.

Everything is going to go just great, too.

That's the stuff.

That's the attitude.

Good.

Here's Wesley.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Well, thank you, Wes, and just work hard and don't give up.

Bye.

I heard him.

That's for you, sir.

Thank you.

Goodbye.

NARA Description

On November 4, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Wesley Powell, and Beverly Powell talked on the telephone from 10:09 am to 10:13 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 033-016 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 33-16

Date: November 4, 1972
Time: 10:09 am - 10:13 am
Location: White House Telephone
                                            - 18 -

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY

                                                             Conversation No. 33-114 (cont’d)

The President talked with Wesley Powell.

[This is the original beginning of Conversation No. 033-016, which has been merged with
Conversation No. 033-015.]

[See Conversation No. 389-11G]

       Greetings

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

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift during
chronological review 2007-2013]

       Greetings

       1972 Election
            -Powell's campaign
            -The President's schedule
            -New Hampshire
                  -The President's Recollections
                        -1956 Primary
                              -Powell’s work
                  -New Hampshire voters
            -Powell's campaign
                  -National defense
                        -Peace with honor
                  -Campaign workers
                        -Manchester
            -The President's campaign
                  -Voter turn-out

       [Applause in background]

       1972 Election
            -New Hampshire
                  -The President’s Schedule
                       -Nashua
                  -The First Family’s schedule
                                              - 19 -

                             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY

                                                              Conversation No. 33-114 (cont’d)

                   -The President's visit after election
                   -Julie Nixon Eisenhower's visit
                   -Visit of Edward R.F. Cox
                          -Tricia Nixon Cox
                   -The President’s devotion to family life
                          -Effects on voters
                   -Beverly Powell

Beverly Powell joined the conversation at an unknown time before 10:13 am.

       Greetings

       1972 Election
            -Powell's race
                  -Mrs. Powell's help
                  -Confidence

Wesley Powell joined the conversation at an unknown time before 10:13 am.

       1972 Election
            -Powell's race

       [Applause in background]

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

Also recorded on November 4, 1972

033-014 10:04 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Thomas J. Meskill talked on the telephone from 10:04 am to 10:08 am.
033-015 10:08 AM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:08 am and 10:09 am.
033-017 10:13 AM · 22 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:13 am and 10:14 am.
033-018 10:13 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, J. Caleb Boggs, and Pierre S. DuPont talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:13 am and 10:14 am.
033-019 10:14 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and S. Fletcher Thompson talked on the telephone from 10:14 am to 10:16 am.
033-020 10:17 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John K. MacIver talked on the telephone from 10:17 am to 10:19 am.
033-021 10:20 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:20 am and 10:28 am.
033-022 10:20 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Robert Hirsch talked on the telephone from 10:20 am to 10:28 am.

All 59 conversations from November 4, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 033-016, November 4, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/033-016 (accessed October 10, 2026).