Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 45 › Conversation 045-102

Nixon phone call with Lewis on Watergate scandal and Public relations

Tuesday, May 1, 1973 · 5:57 PM–5:58 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Lewis, Hobart D.Conversation045-102 on Tape 45StartTuesday, May 1, 1973 at 5:57 PMEndTuesday, May 1, 1973 at 5:58 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 045-102 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Hobart D. Lewis discuss the public reaction to Nixon’s recent televised address regarding the Watergate scandal. Lewis offers encouragement, suggesting that the President’s speech successfully cleared the air and provided a path to move forward. Nixon acknowledges the positive feedback and affirms his commitment to shifting the administration’s focus toward constructive policy initiatives.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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. President.
How are you?
I'm fine.
I'm down here in Dick Moore's office.
You are?
Yes.
What are you doing there?
I just dropped in to see Dick, and then I got a note from you.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Well, I'll just call to tell you to keep the faith and tell you I appreciate your call last night.
I'll certainly keep that.
My gosh.
Yeah.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
How is your reaction in the cold light of the dawn?
Much better, I think.
You know, as every hour passes, it gets better.
He cleared a lot of air, you know.
Do you think we said the right thing?
Very convincing, absolutely.
And all the reaction I get, anybody I talk to, is very well satisfied.
You know, you cleared the air, you burned your bridges, and you're starting a new deal.
Right.
I think it's terribly important to start building.
Oh, well, don't worry.
We're building.
I know that.
We're on to other subjects in the hour with this one.
That's fine, absolutely.
All right, Hope.
Thank you.
Appreciate your calling.
Thank you, sir.

NARA Description

On May 1, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Hobart D. Lewis talked on the telephone from 5:57 pm to 5:58 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 045-102 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 45-102

Date: May 1, 1973
Time: 5:57 pm - 5:58 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Hobart D. (“Hobe”) Lewis.

[See also Conversation No. 433-38A]

     Lewis’s location
          -Richard A. Moore’s office

     Lewis’s call to President, April 30, 1973

     Watergate
          -President’s speech
                -Reaction

     President’s activities

Also recorded on May 1, 1973

  • 045-099 5:44 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:44 pm and 5:53 pm.
  • 045-100 5:44 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:44 pm and 5:53 pm.
  • 433-034 5:44 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:44 pm and 5:53 pm.
  • 433-035 5:44 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:44 pm and 5:53 pm.
  • 433-036 5:44 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:44 pm and 5:53 pm.
  • 045-101 5:53 PM · 43 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 5:53 pm to 5:54 pm.
  • 433-037 5:53 PM · 38 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:53 pm to 5:54 pm.
  • 433-038 5:55 PM · 27 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Herbert G. Klein, and Hobart D. Lewis met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:55 pm to 6:24 pm.

All 181 conversations from May 1, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 045-102, May 1, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/045-102 (accessed October 5, 2026).