Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 136 › Conversation 136-024

Nixon phone call with Connally on Meet the Press and Vietnam War

Sunday, July 23, 1972 · 1:40 PM ET · Camp David Study Table · 4 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Connally, John B.Conversation136-024 on Tape 136 (tape position 01:45:52–01:50:06)StartSunday, July 23, 1972 at 1:40 PMEndSunday, July 23, 1972 at 1:40 PMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 136-024 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 417175279 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon calls John B. Connally to praise his recent appearance on "Meet the Press," specifically commending his adept handling of hostile questioning regarding the economy, the Vietnam War, and the Smithsonian Agreement. The two discuss political strategy, including how to frame the administration’s position against opponent George McGovern, and briefly touch on the effectiveness of Connally's appearance and wardrobe. Finally, Nixon decides to pursue political assistance from George Smathers and requests the name of Connally's tailor to commission a similar pinstripe suit.

Audio

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NARA Description

On July 23, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and John B. Connally talked on the telephone at Camp David at 1:40 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 136-024 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 136-24

Date: July 23, 1972
Time: 1:40 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table (telephone)

The President talked with John B. Connally.

[See Conversation No. 196-18]

       Connally's appearance on Meet the Press
            -Questions
                 -Hobart Rowen
                 -Democrats for Nixon
            -Quotation from Hamlet
            -Connally's style
            -Questions
                 -Smithsonian agreement on the dollar
                     -Rowen
                     -Georges J. R. Pompidou
                          -The President and Connally’s previous meeting
                             with Pompidou in the Azores
                 -Economy
                 -Vietnam
                     -US military activity
                     -George S. McGovern's statement
            -Television reception at Camp David
            -Connally's suit
                 -The President’s view

*****************************************************************

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 04/11/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[136-024-w002]
[Duration: 20s]

       John B. Connally’s appearance on Meet the Press
              -John B. Connally’s suit
                     -President’s request for tailor
                            -Creation of a light pinstripe suit for President

*****************************************************************

       Bruce Smathers's letter to Tricia Nixon Cox
            -George A. Smathers
                -Possible assistance to Administration
                -Connally's view
                -President's possible call to Smathers

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.
Secretary of Commerce.
Hello.
Yes, sir.
Well, you do those things better than anybody I know.
You're very kind.
They threw, you know, these fellows, they all throw the when do you quit beating your wife kind of question.
Oh, yeah, sure.
And that fellow Rowan, of course, but you just turned every question to advantage, and I thought particularly pointing out that we were going to go just for the presidency, that you were going to continue to try to build the Democratic Party, that
That, of course, is exactly the thing to say, that you're going to support the Democratic candidates for the House and the Senate and so forth, which gives them a chance to come over.
It gives the establishment Democrats a chance.
And I thought your Hamlet quote was good.
I didn't know you read that.
I thought you and I were not supposed to be eggheads.
That really knocked them over.
Well, it's been a long time since I read Shakespeare, but I did really want that a little bit.
That's a great quote, though, a great quote.
Wow.
But I was really delighted with the whole thing.
Well, I hope it came off all right.
Oh, that's right.
Well, also, your demeanor was so good.
I mean, you'd smile at them and then go on and then stick the knife in, which was good.
I was just delighted.
And, of course, with Rowan, on that international monetary thing, you're inputting it in the context that what we were really trying to do is support the Smithsonian Agreement.
You're absolutely right, because when we set up the bands or whatever they call it and the rest of it,
we did have you as we remember a a commitment that we would try to support the dollar you recall and all that sort of stuff and uh do that and uh we sure did because that was part of the things we were we were talking about correct and uh now and also on the economy to uh to turn that around and and vietnam i think to just just lay it right out that by golly on vietnam uh there's any any uh it's a question of uh
that we have really virtually ended the American involvement except of course for the necessary support on the bombing side and that therefore is an issue it's not going to be an issue except unless we want to surrender also the point that with regard to negotiation if McGovernment continues to say that he's going to surrender in effect
How the hell are they going to negotiate?
Anyway, I thought it was great.
Well, that's good.
It came through all right then.
Oh, it was great.
I'm at Camp David, you know.
And I had a good set here.
I got it in Baltimore Station.
Just perfect, perfect.
I had a great picture, great picture.
I think it's adrenaline, and I've never worn sort of a striped suit myself, but I think that delicate stripe in your suit is very good.
it I don't know whether you had done that deliberately or not I was hoping it would come through yeah well it gives a it gives more you don't look quite as it makes the individual not look quite as drab and routine and yet it doesn't look it doesn't look you know like a sort of flamboyant it's a it's a very good looking suit I must I must
It's a small matter, but... Well, I'll give you the name of my Singapore tailor.
Oh, is that Singapore?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Well, I've got...
I'm going to...
The next time my guy comes down, I'm going to have him make up one.
It's a very light pinstripe, isn't it?
Yes, it is.
It's fairly pronounced, though.
Yeah, yeah.
I'll wear it so you can see it.
Yeah, I'll take a look at it.
Don't be afraid of a fairly strong stripe, because it's...
Yeah, good stripe, I see.
It doesn't show too much.
Yeah, and then it gives a fine thing.
Well, good, John.
I could ask you one thing.
Tricia wrote a, Tricia got a letter from Bruce Smathers and saying that several people had talked to her father, you know, at lower levels with regard to his coming up and that he was just suggesting that he knew his father would be glad to do something if I called him.
He is one that I'd be very glad to call if you would like for me to.
Well, that'd be great.
I tried to call George all day yesterday.
I see.
And couldn't get him.
He's supposed to be in North Carolina with relatives.
Well, I think that what I'll do is I'll wait till tomorrow, and I'll just call him and say that I don't know what his problem is, but if he could help you on this, I would appreciate it and do it publicly.
That's great.
Don't you think I should?
Sure, that's fine.
It would be wonderful if you would.
Okay, John.
All right.
Thanks a lot.
Thank you.
Bye.

Also recorded on July 23, 1972

  • 196-018 1:35 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John B. Connally met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 1:35 pm to 1:40 pm.
  • 136-025 1:40 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 1:40 pm and 2:01 pm.
  • 196-019 1:40 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 1:40 pm and 2:01 pm.
  • 196-020 1:40 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 1:40 pm and 2:01 pm.
  • 196-021 1:40 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Tricia Nixon Cox, and Julie Nixon Eisenhower met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 1:40 pm and 2:01 pm.
  • 196-022 1:40 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 1:40 pm and 2:01 pm.
  • 196-023 2:01 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 2:01 pm to 2:10 pm.
  • 136-026 2:10 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David at 2:10 pm.

All 52 conversations from July 23, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 136-024, July 23, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417175279). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/136-024 (accessed November 2, 2026).