Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 33 › Conversation 033-073

Nixon phone call with Heath on 1972 election and Wage and price controls

Wednesday, November 8, 1972 · 3:08 PM–3:11 PM ET · White House Telephone · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Heath, Edward R. G.Conversation033-073 on Tape 33StartWednesday, November 8, 1972 at 3:08 PMEndWednesday, November 8, 1972 at 3:11 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 033-073 ↗

AI Summary

Prime Minister Edward Heath called President Richard Nixon to offer his congratulations on Nixon's 1972 reelection victory. The two leaders discussed the implementation of wage and price controls, sharing insights on managing union opposition and garnering public support. Additionally, Nixon provided a brief update on the progress of Vietnam peace negotiations, noting that Alexander Haig was traveling to Saigon and that further developments were expected shortly.

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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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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. President, Prime Minister Heath.
Yes.
Hello.
Hello.
Mr. President.
Hello, Mr. Prime Minister.
Nice to hear from you.
Congratulations.
Thank you very much.
I, uh... End of trial.
You know, under our system, if I were in Britain, I'd be out of office because we didn't get the House and Senate, but we didn't expect to.
But we have a very solid majority now, and I think we can do some things more effectively than we have previously.
Well, I think it's a great personal achievement.
Let me say, too, that I've noted with interest your moving on the wage and price control front, and I just wish you the very best on it.
It's a tough fight to battle.
How is it being accepted so far?
The unions are being rather silly, but otherwise, there's 30 percent of the country behind it tonight.
Seventy?
That's great, great, great.
Well, that's what we found here.
We found, as a matter of fact, that the unions...
opposed it.
But when the polls came in, I mean, the Gallup and the rest, they ran 65 to 70 percent, and then they have to take it.
That's all there is to it.
Well, I certainly wish you well on it.
I'm going to have to take some time now to get things in order here in the new administration, and then I hope that one time we can get together and have a talk.
But I look forward to talking to you again.
and we'll be in contact, and I do very much appreciate your call.
I'm sorry I wasn't here when you rang back, but I was with the Queen.
Yes, well, I'll tell you, that's about the best excuse I can find for anybody.
She was very impressed by the victory and sends her warm regards.
And I was also, the other day I was thinking in personal terms, when I was campaigning out across Utah or someplace,
I was amazed to read that she'd been married 25 years.
I just can't...
It's hard how the time passes.
It is extraordinary.
Right.
It certainly is.
It certainly is.
Well, it's good to talk to you, and we'll look forward to seeing you before too long.
Thank you very much, Steve.
One last thing on privacy.
The...
The Vietnam thing is going well.
I'll just say no more, but we'll keep Cromer, of course, informed as things roll.
I'm sending Haig to Saigon today.
For one end, and the other end, there'll be something said within about a week.
But it's coming along very well.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Bye.

NARA Description

On November 8, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Edward R. G. Heath talked on the telephone from 3:08 pm to 3:11 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 033-073 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 33-73

Date: November 8, 1972
Time: 3:08 pm - 3:11 pm
Location: White House Telephone

Edward R. G. Heath talked with the President.

[See Conversation No. 388-8C]

       1972 election
            -President's victory
                   -Congratulations
                   -House of Representatives and Senate results

       Wages and Prices
           -Heath's policies
                 -Acceptance
                        -Unions
                                            - 81 -

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY

                                                           Conversation No. 33-114 (cont’d)

                        -Poll results
             -US experience
                  -Union opposition
                  -General public
                        -George H. Gallup poll

       The President’s second term
            -Possible meeting with Heath

             [Elizabeth, Queen of England] Elizabeth II
             -Meeting with Heath
             -Congratulations
             -Marriage
                   -Duration
                         -The President’s campaign trip
                              -Utah

       Vietnam negotiations
            -Latest developments on settlement agreement
                  -[Earl of Cromer] George R.S. Baring
                  -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
                        -Trip to Saigon

Also recorded on November 8, 1972

  • 033-074 3:11 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:11 pm and 3:28 pm.
  • 388-009 3:11 PM · 48 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:11 pm and 3:28 pm.
  • 388-010 3:11 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:11 pm and 3:28 pm.
  • 388-011 3:11 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:11 pm and 3:28 pm.
  • 033-075 3:28 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 3:28 pm to 3:30 pm.
  • 388-012 3:28 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:28 pm to 3:30 pm.
  • 033-076 3:30 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:30 pm and 3:31 pm.
  • 033-077 3:30 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:30 pm and 3:31 pm.

All 95 conversations from November 8, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 033-073, November 8, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/033-073 (accessed October 22, 2026).