Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 35 › Conversation 035-084

Nixon phone call with Martin on Personal well-wishes and 1960 election

Thursday, January 4, 1973 · 9:03 AM–9:04 AM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Martin, Paul L.Conversation035-084 on Tape 35StartThursday, January 4, 1973 at 9:03 AMEndThursday, January 4, 1973 at 9:04 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 035-084 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon called Paul L. Martin to offer personal well-wishes ahead of Martin’s upcoming eye surgery. The conversation served as a brief gesture of support, with Nixon reflecting on Martin’s loyalty and assistance during the 1960 election campaign. The two also engaged in lighthearted banter regarding political affiliations and the influence of Georgetown social circles.

  • Personal well-wishes
  • 1960 election
  • Political loyalty
  • Medical care
  • Georgetown politics

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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. Paul Martin, sir.
Hello?
Good morning, Mr. President.
Paul, I understand.
I was very sorry to hear that you're going to go in the hospital to have a little operation on your eyes.
Well, yeah, I'm just getting older.
Oh, the main thing, they're not going to work on your brain.
No, that's... That's all right.
Well, just as long as you've got that, you're fine.
Well, just I want you to know we're thinking about you and that I've seen a lot of guys go through this and they come up and they...
The trouble is we all read a hell of a lot more than we ought to anyway, you know?
Well...
So maybe you oughtn't to have the operation.
I know, but you have to do an awful lot of work.
Yeah, yeah.
So do you.
Well, anyway, fine.
Gosh, I was thinking back, matter of fact, when I heard this and realized how time had passed that after the 60 elections, you were one of the few that, you know, I remember you came out to, I didn't get to see you, but you came out to lift me up in California and
Hawaii and other places, and I'm most grateful.
But believe me, we're sure pulling for you, and don't let it worry you.
Don't let it get you down.
Well, that's very thoughtful of you, and I want you to know that my whole family...
and staunch rooters for you and a selfish heiress because you think you run the country good.
All right.
You're not as liberal, an all-out liberal now, are you?
I hope they tell me they've been brainwashing you down at the Georgetown cocktail parties and everything.
I think I'm a charter member of the Fascist and Bigots Club.
Ah, okay.
Give my best to your family, Paul.
Thank you.
Bye, thank you.
Very thoughtful.

NARA Description

On January 4, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Paul L. Martin talked on the telephone from 9:03 am to 9:04 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 035-084 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 35-84

Date: January 4, 1973
Time: 9:03 am - 9:04 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Paul L. Martin.

[See Conversation No. 833-10A]

       Martin's health
            -Best wishes

       Reading

       1960 election
            -Martin visits to California, Hawaii

       Martin family's support of the President

       Martin's politics
            -Georgetown

       Best wishes

Also recorded on January 4, 1973

  • 035-081 8:50 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:50 am and 8:53 am.
  • 833-005 8:50 AM · 26 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:50 am and 8:53 am.
  • 035-082 8:53 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 8:53 am to 8:55 am.
  • 833-007 8:53 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:53 am and 8:55 am.
  • 833-008 8:53 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:53 am and 9:03 am.
  • 035-083 8:55 AM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:55 am and 9:03 am.
  • 833-009 8:55 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:55 am and 9:03 am.
  • 833-010 9:03 AM · 59 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Paul L. Martin, Ronald L. Ziegler, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Henry A. Kissinger, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:03 am and 9:04 am.

All 47 conversations from January 4, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 035-084, January 4, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/035-084 (accessed October 12, 2026).