Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 33 › Conversation 033-025

Nixon phone call with Baker on 1972 Election and Vietnam War

Saturday, November 4, 1972 · 10:34 AM–10:36 AM ET · White House Telephone ·2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Baker, Howard H., Jr.Conversation033-025 onTape 33StartSaturday, November 4, 1972 at 10:34 AMEndSaturday, November 4, 1972 at 10:36 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 033-025 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon called Senator Howard H. Baker, Jr. to convey his well-wishes for the upcoming 1972 election and to outline campaign talking points regarding his administration's pursuit of "peace with honor" in Vietnam. Nixon emphasized the progress made on cease-fire negotiations and the return of prisoners of war, while dismissing opposition claims of a political hoax. The President also requested that Baker personally contact various House candidates on his behalf to demonstrate his support.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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. Baker, Mr. President.
Hello, Mr. President.
The purpose of my call is very simple, to wish you the very best on Election Day, all of our candidates the very best as you go around and campaign, and to tell the people of Tennessee that
I regret I couldn't get there, but that I remember all of my visits, and I, in these next four years, I'll be back, just to thank them for the support they've given me through the years.
You're terribly thoughtful to do that, and I'll pass that message on.
And also, I hope you will say, too, that as you go around, that we stand for peace with honor, not surrender, that we're for a strong America, not a weak America.
that we're for the kind of progress that will bring real prosperity without war and without inflation.
I think, too, on the peace issue, you should emphasize that we have, as I pointed out, made a major breakthrough and reached agreement on the issues of the ceasefire and the return of our prisoners of war and the South Vietnamese choosing their own government without having the communists
coalition is being pulled upon, that I'm insisting that the details be nailed down so that we won't have the kind of a breakdown we had after 68.
And I believe in being firm on it.
Don't you agree with that?
Oh, yeah.
I couldn't agree worse, McGovern.
Our friend is trying to say it's all a hoax.
It's no hoax, Howard.
You can be sure of that.
Oh, I don't think there's one person in a million that thinks that, as a matter of fact.
I told John Ehrlichman when we were talking before you came on the line that I was going to tell you that I was going to scale down what I really believe your margin's going to be in Tennessee, and after scaling it down, I'm going to call it 70-30.
In Tennessee?
Yeah, in Ehrlichman.
Well, look, write down your real estimate and mail it to me.
That's all I would.
Okay.
All right.
Well, good luck.
And would you, Howard, I will not call the house guys.
I can't.
Would you personally call every house candidate and tell them that I mentioned them to you by name?
I will indeed.
Okay.
Do that right now.
All right.
Thank you.
Goodbye.
Goodbye.

NARA Description

On November 4, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Howard H. Baker, Jr. talked on the telephone from 10:34 am to 10:36 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 033-025 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 33-25

Date: November 4, 1972
Time: 10:34 - 10:36 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Howard H. Baker, Jr.

[See Conversation No. 389-11P]

       Greetings


*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

       1972 election
            -Baker's campaign
                   -The President's support
                        -The President’s schedule
                              -Forthcoming trip to Tennessee
                   -Peace with honor
                   -US Strength
                   -Economic prosperity
                        -War, inflation
            -Vietnam
                   -Agreements
                        -Cease-fire
                        -Prisoners of War [POWs]
                        -South Vietnam’s self-determination
                        -Details
                              -1968
                        -George S. McGovern's charges
            -The President's Campaign
                   -Margin in Tennessee
                                            - 29 -

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. June-07)

                                                              Conversation No. 33-25 (cont’d)

                        -Baker’s recent conversation with John D. Ehrlichman
                              -Baker's estimate
             -House of Representatives candidates
                  -Baker’s forthcoming calls

[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************

Also recorded on November 4, 1972

  • 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.
  • 033-023 10:28 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and James A. McClure talked on the telephone from 10:28 am to 10:29 am.
  • 033-024 10:30 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Margaret Chase Smith talked on the telephone from 10:30 am to 10:33 am.
  • 033-026 10:36 AM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:36 am and 10:41 am.
  • 389-012 10:36 AM · 14 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John D. Ehrlichman, Robert J. Dole, William Mills, Gordon L. Allott, and James D. ("Mike") McKevitt met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 10:36 am and 11:00 am.
  • 033-027 10:41 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Robert J. Dole talked on the telephone from 10:41 am to 10:44 am.
  • 033-028 10:45 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William Mills talked on the telephone from 10:45 am to 10:47 am.

All 59 conversations from November 4, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 033-025, 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/033-025 (accessed September 18, 2026).