Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 153 › Conversation 153-018

Nixon phone call with Gleason on 1972 Presidential Election

Tuesday, November 14, 1972 · 2:24 PM–2:26 PM ET · Camp David Study Table · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Gleason, Thomas W.Conversation153-018 on Tape 153StartTuesday, November 14, 1972 at 2:24 PMEndTuesday, November 14, 1972 at 2:26 PMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 153-018 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon spoke with International Longshoremen’s Association leader Thomas W. Gleason to express gratitude for the support of maritime unions during the 1972 presidential election. Gleason congratulated Nixon on his landslide victory, specifically praising the President’s handling of the Vietnam War in contrast to his Democratic opponents. The conversation concluded with Nixon requesting that Gleason extend his thanks to the union staff for their political contributions.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Hello.
Yes, we have Mr. Gleason now.
Hello.
Go ahead, please.
Hello.
Hello, Mr. President.
How are you?
Fine.
Well, you know, I understand you're having a great storm up there.
All right.
Well, it's not too bad now.
Yeah, I understand that a lot of people couldn't get in.
Well, I just wanted you to know that of all the excitement of the election, I just learned from Chuck Colson that your birthday was the day after election, and I want to tell you to congratulate you and tell you that we hope we gave you a good birthday present.
Oh, yes, you really did.
In a telegram I sent you, Mr. President, I was going to say that was a great birthday present.
Well, I'll send you.
We said, I think I told Chuck that we were going to take New York by 800,000, free in Jersey by 150,000.
Yeah, yeah.
You did better.
Yeah, we even did better.
Terrific, terrific.
Well, I'll tell you, we, the way our fellows, you know, and all of them,
the maritime groups and, of course, our union people generally came through.
It was just great.
They were the ones that made the difference.
They did.
We're most grateful, and we look forward to working with you over these next four years.
Appreciate that, Mr. President.
For the good of everybody.
Right.
I think that you deserved it, and I'm not saying this.
You know, I've taken different stands at other times, and I think you deserved it.
And you're on the right road, and at least you have guts.
You didn't have that kind of guts, and
And some of the Democrats that was running that Vietnam situation before you had done what you did then, we might have been out of it.
Right.
Yeah, well, I appreciate that.
I appreciate your call, Mr. President.
It's one of those things that you never forget.
Well, you give the people in your office that help with all these things my best, too, will you?
I certainly will, Mr. President.
Tell them I thank them very much.
Thank you very much.

NARA Description

On November 14, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Thomas W. Gleason talked on the telephone at Camp David from 2:24 pm to 2:26 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 153-018 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 153-18

Date: November 14, 1972
Time: 2:24 pm - 2:26 pm
                                           -19-

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                           Conversation No. 153-18 (cont’d)

Location: Camp David Study Table

The President talked with Thomas W. (“Teddy”) Gleason.

[See Conversation No. 224-24]

      Greetings

      Weather in New York

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

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift during
chronological review 2007-2013]

      Gleason’s birthday
           -Charles W. Colson

      1972 Election
           -Telegram
           -The President’s victory
                  -Gleason’s conversation with Colson
                        -New York
                        -New Jersey
           -Unions
                  -Maritime groups
                  -Support for the President
                        -Work with the President
           -The President compared to [George S. McGovern]
           -Democrats
                  -Vietnam
           -[International Longshoremen’s Association]
                  -The President’s thanks

******************************************************************************
                                               -20-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                              Conversation No. 153-18 (cont’d)

Also recorded on November 14, 1972

  • 153-015 2:05 PM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at 2:05 pm.
  • 153-017 2:22 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David from 2:22 pm to 2:24 pm.
  • 224-023 2:22 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 2:22 pm to 2:24 pm.
  • 224-024 2:24 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Thomas W. Gleason met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 2:24 pm to 2:26 pm.
  • 153-019 2:26 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 2:26 pm and 2:40 pm.
  • 224-025 2:26 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 2:26 pm and 2:40 pm.
  • 153-020 2:40 PM · 27 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at Camp David from 2:40 pm to 3:08 pm.
  • 224-026 2:40 PM · 12 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 2:40 pm to 3:08 pm.

All 56 conversations from November 14, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 153-018, November 14, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/153-018 (accessed October 9, 2026).