Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 43 › Conversation 043-131

Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on David Eisenhower

Tuesday, February 20, 1973 · 7:54 PM–8:21 PM ET · White House Telephone · 22 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation043-131 on Tape 43StartTuesday, February 20, 1973 at 7:54 PMEndTuesday, February 20, 1973 at 8:21 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 043-131 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted the White House operator regarding a failed attempt to reach Julie Nixon Eisenhower and David Eisenhower, who were unavailable for the evening. After deciding to defer his conversation with his daughter until the following day, the President directed the operator to initiate a call to Reverend Billy Graham. This brief exchange highlights the President’s management of personal and professional communications through the White House staff.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Mr. President, I find that Julie and David have gone out to dinner, and then they're going on to a play, but the agent said he could get word to them.
No, I'll talk to her tomorrow.
Would you try Dr. Billy Graham, please?
Yes, sir.
Thank you.
Uh-huh.

NARA Description

On February 20, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:54 pm and 8:21 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 043-131 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 43-131

Date: February 20, 1973
Time: Unknown between 7:54 pm and 8:21 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with the White House operator.

       Unsuccessful attempt to reach Julie Nixon Eisenhower and [Dwight] David Eisenhower,
       II

       Request for a call to William F. (“Billy”) Graham

[There is no Conversation No. 43-132.]

Also recorded on February 21, 1973

  • 043-125 7:21 PM · 49 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 7:21 pm to 7:22 pm.
  • 043-126 7:22 PM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:22 pm and 7:30 pm.
  • 043-127 7:30 PM · 11 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 7:30 pm to 7:41 pm.
  • 043-128 7:41 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:41 pm and 7:43 pm.
  • 043-129 7:43 PM · 41 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 7:43 pm to 7:44 pm.
  • 043-130 7:44 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:44 pm and 7:54 pm.
  • 043-133 8:21 PM · 25 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:21 pm and 10:00 pm.
  • 859-001 8:27 AM · 12 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:27 am to 8:40 am.

All 88 conversations from February 21, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 043-131, February 21, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/043-131 (accessed October 1, 2026).