Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 43 › Conversation 043-070

Nixon phone call with Ford on Medal of Freedom and Vietnam War

Tuesday, February 13, 1973 · 4:55 PM–4:57 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ford, JohnConversation043-070 on Tape 43StartTuesday, February 13, 1973 at 4:55 PMEndTuesday, February 13, 1973 at 4:57 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 043-070 ↗

AI Summary

President Richard Nixon called film director John Ford to offer him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The two discussed Ford’s ongoing recovery from surgery, leading them to agree to schedule the presentation for mid-March when the President would be in California. During the exchange, Ford expressed strong support for the administration's Vietnam policies, and the pair shared a moment of mutual admiration regarding the emotional return of American prisoners of war.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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. John Ford's on the line, sir.
Hello?
Hello.
Mr. Ford, how are you?
Who is this?
The president's on the line, sir.
Oh, my God.
I wanted to tell you that I would like to present the Medal of Freedom to you.
I wanted to know if you would like to come to Washington or when I'll be in California in March and we could do it there.
And I just thought you being a director would know the best place to have it.
Well, either one.
I'm suffering now.
I'm recovering from a very severe surgical operation.
That's why I didn't have the pleasure of going down to your party at San Clemente.
You're the happiest man in the world.
I'll be in California in about the middle of March.
Oh, that would be great.
And that would mean that you wouldn't have to come back here.
Why?
By that time, I should be fully recovered.
Right, right.
Well, we'll be in touch with you, our office here, and we'll work out the time, and we'll work out the kind of a party we want to have.
I'm delighted, sir.
You're my favorite director, as I wrote you.
Thank you, sir.
In fact, we don't look at the damn pictures.
You're the best president we ever had.
And I agree with everything you do.
Incidentally, speaking... No amnesty.
Don't worry.
How did you like those POWs coming off that plane?
Oh, God, I just, I mean, I cried.
Isn't that great?
Isn't that great?
I had several friends among them.
Right.
Some of them came off, and I...
and hope that they will.
Right.
Well, they will.
They will.
Well, I know they will.
Well, anyway, we do appreciate everything you've done for him, but also your work on Vietnam for us, and I think this would be an appropriate time to present the medal.
So we'll do it.
I'll be there, sir.
I'll have it made up, and we'll present it.
Okay.
Good to talk to you, and you get well.
I love the Patricia and the family.
I sure will.
Thank you.
All right.
Thank you.
Pleasure.

NARA Description

On February 13, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and John Ford talked on the telephone from 4:55 pm to 4:57 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 043-070 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 43-70

Date: February 13, 1973
Time: 4:55 pm - 4:57 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with John Ford.

[See Conversation No. 410-14C]

       Medal of Freedom presentation
           -The President’s schedule
           -Ford’s health

       Ford’s support for the President
            -Amnesty

       Prisoners of War [POWs]
             -Return

       Vietnam

       Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon

Also recorded on February 13, 1973

  • 854-035 1:11 PM · 17 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Donald H. Rumsfeld, Manolo Sanchez, and Nicholas Rumsfeld met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:11 pm to 1:41 pm.
  • 043-067 1:41 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:41 pm and 1:49 pm.
  • 854-036 1:41 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:41 pm and 1:42 pm.
  • 854-037 1:41 PM · 10 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:41 pm and 11:59 pm.
  • 043-068 1:49 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 1:49 pm to 1:50 pm.
  • 043-069 1:50 PM · 34 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:50 pm and 4:55 pm.
  • 043-216 4:57 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:57 pm and 5:40 pm.
  • 043-071 5:40 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 5:40 pm to 5:41 pm.

All 55 conversations from February 13, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 043-070, February 13, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/043-070 (accessed October 1, 2026).