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Conversation 019-112

TapeTape 19StartWednesday, January 26, 1972 at 3:58 PMEndWednesday, January 26, 1972 at 4:01 PMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Stanton, FrankRecording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

President Nixon called CBS President Frank Stanton to offer formal commendation for the professionalism of the technical crews who produced recent broadcasts, specifically citing Julie Nixon Eisenhower's Christmas special, Dan Rather's interview, and his own January 25, 1972, Vietnam address. Stanton reciprocated by sharing positive viewership ratings for the President's recent speech and noting the high public engagement. The conversation concluded with Nixon requesting that Stanton document his praise in the employees' personnel files and convey his appreciation to CBS Chairman William S. Paley.

CBSTelevision productionMedia relationsPublic opinionVietnam WarPresidential speeches
AudioNARA Description

On January 26, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Frank Stanton talked on the telephone from 3:58 pm to 4:01 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 019-112 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 19-112

Date: January 26, 1972
Time: 3:58 pm - 4:01 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Frank Stanton.

[See Conversation No. 318-3E]

     Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS] television technical crews
         -Julie Nixon Eisenhower's Christmas show
         -Dan Rather's interview
         -The President's speech, January 25, 1972
         -Professionalism

     The President's speech, January 25, 1972, on Vietnam
          -Stanton's conversation with Charles W. Colson
               -Ratings

     Stanton’s health

     The President's health

     The President’s schedule
          -Speechwriting
               -State of the Union speech
               -Vietnam speech
               -Forthcoming trip to People’s Republic of China [PRC]
               -Press conference

     CBS television technical crews
         -Message from the President
         -William S. Paley
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

Hello.
Frank Stanton.
Hello, Frank.
Yes, Mr. President.
You know, you probably think that sometimes when we call you from down here that we're always bitching about something, but I wanted you to know that I mentioned it to your crews, but I don't know whether they get it to the others, and I know a lot of people work on it, but...
I thought that the cruise, the production of the Christmas night thing that we did, the Julie show, what I call Julie's show on Christmas night, and of the Dan Rather thing, and
and the crew that did the thing last night, that it just was about the best we've had.
So I wondered if you would pass that to your production people and tell them that there's a guy down here that appreciates CBS's fine technical crews.
Would you do that?
I certainly shall do that.
You know, those guys, sometimes they work their butts off and they wonder if anybody appreciates it.
But I really thought, first, they made me feel comfortable, which was good.
The second thing was that they appreciated
They're just damned highly professional.
Well, thank you very much for telling, and I'll pass it along.
And I thought you did a hell of a job last night yourself.
Well, thank you.
Well, we had a lot to say, of course.
It was, as you know, a very important speech, very important speech.
I passed along to Chuck Colson this morning the ratings in New York, which ran along the order of 60% of all the families here were looking.
Boy, that's 60% of all families in New York.
Wow.
That's a tremendous turnout.
Right.
That's really high, is it?
It certainly is.
Yeah, yeah.
Very interesting.
Fine, fine.
How have you been?
You feel good?
I've been fine, but how have you been?
Me?
Yeah.
Well, you know, I'm the only president in history who's been in three years and never missed a day.
I mean, I should have missed some.
But I feel fine.
Oh, that's wonderful.
Of course, this is, as you know, I...
I probably spend more time working on my speeches.
They aren't pieces of alkyl.
But all the time I was working in the last two weeks on writing the State of the Union, nobody knew, but I was also writing this one.
So it was a very hard two weeks for me.
i'm glad it's over now you have to get ready for your trip to the east yeah the trip to the east and in between i'll do a press conference or so well is there any if there's anything i can do please don't hesitate to pick up the phone i appreciate it frank but if you look past that
you know i don't know how you do in your shop but put a little memo in their in their what you call their uh their rating file i mean the files of the people the producer the cameraman the director etc that that i called that and said this so that they can next time you give a pay raise they'll know it i'll do it i'll do it immediately but the pay rate should be only five and five tenths percent
Fair enough?
Okay.
Okay.
And also, pass it to Bill Paley, too, will you?
Certainly, sir.
Thank you very much.
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