Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 169 › Conversation 169-028

Nixon phone call with Rebozo on Brezhnev visit and Watergate

Wednesday, June 20, 1973 · 3:28 PM–3:31 PM ET · Camp David Study Table · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Rebozo, Charles G. ("Bebe")Conversation169-028 on Tape 169StartWednesday, June 20, 1973 at 3:28 PMEndWednesday, June 20, 1973 at 3:31 PMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 169-028 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and his close associate Bebe Rebozo discuss the ongoing press coverage of Leonid Brezhnev’s visit to Camp David, noting that it successfully diverted media attention away from the Watergate scandal. Rebozo reports on his efforts to resolve the legal handling of a Howard Hughes campaign contribution involving an individual referred to as 'Calhoun.' Rebozo confirms that legal counsel Kenneth Gemmill reviewed the matter and concluded that Rebozo bears no legal liability regarding the funds.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I think your coverage has been very good
There'll be more the rest of the week, too.
Yeah, I think it's all a big plus.
Yeah, yeah.
Well, we finally got something in other than Watergate.
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
How's your project?
That's what I was calling about.
I finally got a hold of Calhoun.
Did you?
Yeah, I kept calling, and by golly, kind of boxed him in.
And I delivered his things up to North, and...
He's, uh, they're supposed to, uh, pick it up Thursday.
Calhoun will?
Uh, Calhoun's, uh, man, his, uh, head, their head attorney for their company.
And they've agreed?
Yeah, well, he's meeting with Gimel Thursday.
And, uh, he sees no reason why it, uh, wouldn't be okay.
Yeah.
I took it on.
See, I heard he was in New York, so I went on to tell him yesterday that New York
And by the time I arrived, I called him and I found that he had just left for Houston back there.
So it's pretty well off his road.
Good.
Well, and how does your man think about the return?
He thinks that we've done everything we could do, and he seems to think that he doesn't know anything in the statues that would...
make me, you know, liable for anything.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Is that right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I specifically asked him.
You know, I didn't know.
Nobody told me.
No, he said nothing.
Yeah.
And then... Well, that's good.
Turned out we had just a little bit more there than I had supposed to have.
Really?
One extra one.
Yeah?
Yeah.
Very good.
Well, that's good.
Yeah, I think it's going to be fine.
Fine.
Well, yeah.
Okay.
Well, we'll see you in California Wednesday, huh?
All right.
See you in California.
Okay.
When are you?
Tuesday, I think.
Perhaps Tuesday.
Tuesday the 26th?
Mm-hmm.
Uh-huh.
Good.
I'll be in touch with Jack.
Good.
Good.
All right, sir.
All right.
Good to talk to you.
Bye.
Okay.
Bye.
Thanks.

NARA Description

On June 20, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles G. ("Bebe") Rebozo talked on the telephone at Camp David from 3:28 pm to 3:31 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 169-028 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 169-28

Date: June 20, 1973
Time: 3:28 pm - 3:31 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table

The President talked with Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo.

     Leonid I. Brezhnev’s visit
          -Camp David
          -Negotiations
          -Press coverage
                 -Watergate

     Watergate
          -Howard Hughes contribution
               -“Calhoun” [nickname of unknown person] [attorney]
               -Conversation with Rebozo
               -Package from Rebozo
                                              -19-

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                             Conversation No. 169-28 (cont’d)

                         -Attorney
                    -Meeting with Kenneth Gemmill, June 21, 1973

The President conferred with an unknown person at an unknown time.

[Begin conferral]

     Entrance

[End conferral]

     Watergate
          -“Calhoun”
               -Rebozo’s attempts to locate
          -Contribution
          -Gemmill’s views concerning legal culpability

     President schedule
           -California
           -Meeting with Rebozo
           -Jack [Last name unknown] or Pete [Last name unknown]

Also recorded on June 20, 1973

  • 169-022 11:58 AM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone at Camp David from 11:58 am to 12:02 pm.
  • 169-023 12:02 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 12:02 pm and 12:20 pm.
  • 169-024 12:20 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone at Camp David from 12:20 pm to 12:22 pm.
  • 169-025 12:22 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 12:22 pm and 12:29 pm.
  • 169-026 12:29 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone at Camp David from 12:29 pm to 12:31 pm.
  • 169-027 12:31 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 12:31 pm and 12:51 pm.
  • 169-029 3:31 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 3:31 pm and 7:23 pm.
  • 169-030 7:23 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone at Camp David from 7:23 pm to 7:30 pm.

All 31 conversations from June 20, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 169-028, June 20, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/169-028 (accessed October 9, 2026).