Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 42 › Conversation 042-027
Nixon phone call with Woods on POWs and Speechwriting
Tuesday, April 6, 1971 · 5:43 PM–5:44 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min
AI Summary
President Nixon directs his personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, to immediately process a draft speech delivered by Manolo Sanchez for his review. The two discuss the administration's messaging strategy, specifically emphasizing the need to highlight the plight of prisoners of war (POWs) to influence public opinion regarding troop withdrawals. Woods confirms that the text already includes strong language regarding the POW issue, and she proceeds to prepare the document for the President's evening work.
Audio
NARA Description
On April 6, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods talked on the telephone from 5:43 pm to 5:44 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 042-027 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 42-27
Date: April 6, 1971
Time: 5:43 pm - 5:44 pm
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with Rose Mary Woods.
Draft of speech
-Manolo Sanchez
-Press release
-Prisoners of war [POWs]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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
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Also recorded on April 6, 1971
- 042-024 5:20 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Elliot L. Richardson talked on the telephone from 5:20 pm to 5:23 pm.
- 042-025 5:23 PM · 17 sec — Henry A. Kissinger and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:23 pm and 5:43 pm.
- 042-026 5:23 PM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:23 pm and 5:43 pm.
- 042-028 7:15 PM · 34 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods talked on the telephone from 7:15 pm to 7:16 pm.
- 042-029 7:16 PM · 27 sec — Unknown person(s) and the White House operator talked on the telephone on an unknown date, sometime between 7:16 pm on April 6, 1971 and 10:59 am on April 7, 1971.
- 042-107 7:16 PM · 39 sec — Unknown person(s) and the White House operator talked on the telephone on an unknown date, sometime between 7:16 pm on April 6, 1971 and 10:59 am on April 7, 1971.
- 475-008 8:59 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at 8:59 pm.
- 475-009 9:00 PM · 19 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:00 pm to 9:20 pm.
Related conversations
- Nixon phone call with Andrews on Speechwriting and Vietnam War May 28, 1971 · 2 min
- Nixon phone call with Safire on Speechwriting and Secrecy January 18, 1972 · 3 min
- Nixon, Haig & Woods on Vietnam War and Henry Kissinger January 25, 1972 · 4 min
- Nixon alone in his EOB office on Vietnam War and Speechwriting April 7, 1971 · 2 min
- Nixon & Safire on Vietnam War and Peace negotiations January 13, 1972 · 42 min
- Nixon alone in his EOB office on Vietnam War and Address to the Nation May 8, 1972 · 5 min
Cite this conversation
Conversation 042-027, April 6, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417187809). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/042-027 (accessed November 2, 2026).