Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 34 › Conversation 034-095

Nixon phone call with Dunn on Heart surgery and 1972 election

Saturday, December 16, 1972 · 11:08 AM–11:09 AM ET · White House Telephone · 56 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Dunn, Thomas G.Conversation034-095 on Tape 34StartSaturday, December 16, 1972 at 11:08 AMEndSaturday, December 16, 1972 at 11:09 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 034-095 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 647841794 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon called Thomas G. Dunn to offer personal encouragement ahead of the mayor's scheduled open-heart surgery. Building on a conversation Nixon had with Dunn’s son the previous night, the President expressed confidence in the mayor's recovery and reaffirmed his appreciation for Dunn's political support. The exchange served as a gesture of goodwill and moral support during a critical health challenge.

Thomas G. Dunn
Heart surgery
Personal correspondence
1972 election
White House relations

Audio

Download MP3 · 1.3 MB

NARA Description

On December 16, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Thomas G. Dunn talked on the telephone from 11:08 am to 11:09 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 034-095 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 34-95

Date: December 16, 1972
Time: 11:08 am - 11:09 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Thomas G. Dunn.

[See Conversation No. 825-11]

       Dunn’s health
            -Heart surgery
            -The President’s conversation with Thomas G. Dunn, Jr. at reception for 1972
             election supporters, December 15, 1972

       Dunn’s support for the President
                                              -80-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).

I had Mayor Dunn on the line, sir.

Hello.

Mr. President?

Well, they tell me you're going in for that open-heart surgery, and I know that you don't need any good wishes because you're going to make it, but I saw your son last night and admired his red beard, and I said that you tell your dad to have that old spirit.

Well, you'll never know what kind of medicine you just gave me by making this go all right.

I deeply appreciate it, sir.

Well, they all work these days.

You know, these doctors are such geniuses that when they've got a tough Irishman to work on, there's no problem.

Well, thank you so much, Mr. President, and I'll pass the word on to my family.

I know it's going to be tough, you know what I mean, but you'll do it.

You'll make it.

You know how proud I was to be part of your team, and congratulations again, and best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a successful term.

And Merry Christmas to you and a Happy New Year.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you.

Also recorded on December 16, 1972

825-011 11:08 AM · 54 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Thomas G. Dunn met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:08 am to 11:09 am.
825-012 11:09 AM · 24 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Manolo Sanchez, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:09 am and 11:25 am.
825-013 11:09 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:09 am and 11:25 am.
825-014 11:09 AM · 37 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:09 am and 11:25 am.
825-015 11:09 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:09 am and 11:25 am.
825-016 11:09 AM · 24 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:09 am and 11:25 am.
825-017 11:09 AM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:09 am and 11:25 am.
382-001 11:25 AM · 38 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 11:25 am and 11:30 am.

All 41 conversations from December 16, 1972 →

Nixon phone call with Perk on Cleveland mayoral election November 3, 1971 · 1 min
Nixon, National Commission on Productivity & Hall on Organized Labor December 20, 1972 · 15 min
Nixon, Geneen & Goldenson on National economy and Business leaders February 22, 1971 · 6 min
Nixon phone call with Call on 1972 election and California politics November 15, 1971 · 2 min
Nixon phone call with Eisenhower on 1972 election and Camp David November 14, 1972 · 2 min

Cite this conversation

Conversation 034-095, December 16, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 647841794). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/034-095 (accessed November 2, 2026).