Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 44 › Conversation 044-088

Nixon phone call with Rebozo on Vietnam War and POWs

Thursday, March 29, 1973 · 9:49 PM–9:50 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Rebozo, Charles G. ("Bebe")Conversation044-088 on Tape 44StartThursday, March 29, 1973 at 9:49 PMEndThursday, March 29, 1973 at 9:50 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 044-088 ↗

President Nixon and Charles G. “Bebe” Rebozo discussed the positive reception of the President’s recent televised address regarding the Vietnam War and the status of American POWs. Rebozo shared that he and his companions, including Desi Arnaz, were impressed by the speech, specifically noting favorable coverage from NBC correspondent Richard Valeriani. The conversation concluded with the two men confirming plans for Nixon’s upcoming visit to see Rebozo the following Tuesday.

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Hello.
Hello, Mr. President.
Baby, where are you?
I'm at the hosta.
As usual, huh?
Fantastic.
Beautiful.
I was in there with Trice, and they've gone now, but I was...
I think it was Price and Desi Arnaz and... Oh, the whole group.
Isn't that great?
Honest to God.
What'd they think?
Oh, fantastic.
You know, I was amazed, too, because we happened to...
I had the best picture was on 7 on NBC, so we had to listen to that jerk Valeriani, but honest to God...
He was pretty good.
He said, you know, he said, the president's making it unmistakably clear to North Vietnam that they can't play games.
I was amazed.
It was beautiful.
It was absolutely just perfect, covering every aspect of it in a very sincere, straightforward manner.
The solid air confinement about the POWs and the whole damn thing was absolutely perfect.
Couldn't have been better.
Well, we'll see you out there then, huh?
Yes, sir.
I'll be there next week.
Tuesday night.
Yes, sir.
All right.
Fine, boy.
Bye.
Give my best to Cy.
I'll do it.
Bye.
Thank you.

On March 29, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles G. ("Bebe") Rebozo talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:49 pm and 9:50 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 044-088 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 044-088

Date: March 29, 1973
Time: 9:49 pm-9:50 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Charles G. Rebozo.

       Rebozo's location
            -J. Mark Trice [?]
            -Desi Arnaz
            -Sy [Last name unknown]

       President’s March 29 speech

       Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542

             -Reaction
                  -National Broadcasting Company [NBC]
                        -Richard G. Valeriani’s analysis
                  -Vietnam
                        -Prisoners of war [POWs]

       President’s travel
  • 044-087 9:41 PM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:41 pm and 9:49 pm.
  • 424-020 9:45 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 9:45 pm and 9:55 pm.
  • 044-089 9:51 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 9:51 pm.
  • 044-090 9:51 PM · 15 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at 9:51 pm.
  • 424-021 9:55 PM · 18 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 9:55 pm and 10:43 pm.
  • 424-022 9:55 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 9:55 pm and 10:43 pm.
  • 424-023 9:55 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 9:55 pm and 10:43 pm.
  • 424-024 9:55 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 9:55 pm and 10:43 pm.

Conversation 044-088, March 30, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/044-088 (accessed October 1, 2026).