{"conversationCode":"045-221","tapeNumber":45,"conversationNumber":221,"identifier":"37-wht-conversation-045-221","startDateTime":"1973-05-11T12:43:00.000Z","endDateTime":"1973-05-11T12:44:00.000Z","startDate":"11-May-1973","startTime":"8:43 AM","endDate":"11-May-1973","endTime":"8:44 AM","dateCertainty":"certain","timeCertainty":"certain","participants":"Nixon, Richard M. (President); Bellmon, Henry L.;","description":"On May 11, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry L. Bellmon talked on the telephone from 8:43 am to 8:44 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 045-221 of the White House Tapes.","locationCode":"WHT","recordingDevice":"White House Telephone","latitudeEstimated":38.89767,"longitudeEstimated":-77.03655,"chronCode":"5.5","chronRelease":"Fifth Chronological Release: Part V","chronReleaseDate":"21-Aug-2013","aogpRelease":null,"aogpSegment":null,"lastModified":"2015-07-27T17:04:10.235Z","findingAid":"Conversation No. 45-221\n\nDate: May 11, 1973\nTime: 8:43 am - 8:44 am\nLocation: White House Telephone\n\nThe President talked with Henry L. Bellmon.\n\n[See also Conversation No. 916-8B]\n\n*****************************************************************\n[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]\n\n     President’s conversation with George H. W. Bush\n           -William E. Brock, III\n           -Bellmon’s forthcoming race\n                 -Announcement\n                 -Speech by President\n                 -Watergate\n                       -Effect in Oklahoma\n                 -Press relations\n                       -President’s support\n\n[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]\n*****************************************************************","filename":["045-221.mp3"],"tapeStart":"","tapeEnd":"","participantsList":["Nixon, Richard M. (President)","Bellmon, Henry L."],"prevCode":"045-220","nextCode":"046-001","transcript":[{"start":0.39,"end":2.05,"text":"Hello?"},{"start":2.13,"end":2.65,"text":"Hello?"},{"start":2.67,"end":3.35,"text":"Hello?"},{"start":4.11,"end":6.8,"text":"Hello?"},{"start":6.92,"end":21.92,"text":"Henry, I didn't want you to be down in your home state without knowing that, and I know this is supposed to be a deep secret, but Bill Brock said he had the, no, no, George Bush told me that he had the right to tell me that"},{"start":22.22,"end":26.23,"text":"that thought you might run, and I just want you to say that's the best news I've had all week."},{"start":26.25,"end":27.96,"text":"Yeah, well, I'm going to announce it this morning."},{"start":27.98,"end":28.5,"text":"I'm down here."},{"start":28.54,"end":32.57,"text":"Well, I want you to know I think it's just great, Henry, and I want to tell you this."},{"start":32.87,"end":35.75,"text":"If you want me, I'll come in and make speech for you."},{"start":35.77,"end":36.95,"text":"Well, that's fantastic."},{"start":36.98,"end":37.41,"text":"If it'll help."},{"start":37.44,"end":38.3,"text":"Well, it'll help."},{"start":38.36,"end":39.2,"text":"I'll bet your life."},{"start":39.26,"end":42.32,"text":"And don't let all this crap about Watergate get you down."},{"start":42.34,"end":43.88,"text":"We've got lots of friends in Oklahoma."},{"start":44.06,"end":44.34,"text":"I know."},{"start":44.36,"end":45.77,"text":"That's not a big thing down here."},{"start":46.06,"end":53.35,"text":"Well, you're welcome to tell the press, if it will fit in, that President called, that he was delighted that you're running."},{"start":53.39,"end":56.42,"text":"You're one of the strong right arms, has been through the years."},{"start":57.1,"end":61.12,"text":"We need you in the Senate, and I'm enthusiastic about your candidacy."},{"start":61.1,"end":62.63,"text":"Okay, I'm delighted."},{"start":62.87,"end":63.59,"text":"All right."},{"start":63.63,"end":64.84,"text":"Give him hell."},{"start":64.86,"end":65.28,"text":"Okay."},{"start":65.38,"end":65.77,"text":"Okay."},{"start":65.89,"end":67.86,"text":"Keep your chin up."}],"aiSummary":{"text":"President Nixon calls Senator Henry Bellmon to express strong support for his upcoming Senate candidacy announcement. The two discuss the political landscape in Oklahoma, with Nixon dismissing the potential negative impact of the Watergate scandal on Bellmon's campaign. Nixon concludes the call by offering to campaign on Bellmon's behalf and authorizing him to publicly share the President's endorsement with the press.","topics":["Henry Bellmon","Senate campaign","Watergate","Political endorsements","Oklahoma politics"],"generatedAt":"2026-04-06T07:20:39.165Z"},"topicSlugs":["henry-bellmon","senate-campaign","watergate","political-endorsements","oklahoma-politics"],"audioDurationSec":70,"audioFiles":[{"file":"045-221.mp3","bytes":2238464,"durationSec":69.84,"bitrate":256410,"missing":false}],"audioIsShared":false,"audioProbedAt":"2026-09-18T02:20:04.103Z","audio":["https://nixon.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/audio/045-221.mp3"],"url":"https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/045-221","nixonLibraryUrl":"https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/white-house-tapes/45/conversation-045-221","license":"Public domain (U.S. Government work). AI-generated fields (transcript, aiSummary) are provided as-is without warranty."}