Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 203 › Conversation 203-014

Nixon phone call with Meany on Personal relations and AFL-CIO

Thursday, August 17, 1972 · 10:56 AM–10:58 AM ET · Camp David Hard Wire · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Meany, GeorgeConversation203-014 on Tape 203StartThursday, August 17, 1972 at 10:56 AMEndThursday, August 17, 1972 at 10:58 AMRecording deviceCamp David Hard WireSourceNixon Library record for 203-014 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon initiated this brief exchange with AFL-CIO President George Meany to offer personal birthday congratulations to Meany and his grandson. The conversation served as a social gesture to build rapport rather than to address policy or administrative business. The brief interaction concluded with an acknowledgment of their shared commitment to the labor movement's values.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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So I just wanted to say that in case the White House operator told you that I tried to reach out and I can't do it.
I didn't have any big thing, but I learned from one of my spies that you and your grandson had your birthday yesterday.
So I just wanted to congratulate you.
You're really lucky to have a boy.
He's born the same day you were.
That's the national right.
Right.
That's the guts of the organization.
Right.
Sure.
We understand.
Hard work.

NARA Description

On August 17, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and George Meany met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 10:56 am to 10:58 am. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 203-014 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 203-14

Date: August 17, 1972
Time: 10:56 am - 10:58 am
Location: Camp David Hard Wire

The President talked with George Meany.

[See Conversation No. 140-24]

Also recorded on August 17, 1972

  • 140-023 10:16 AM · 12 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Camp David operator, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David from 10:16 am to 10:54 am.
  • 140-024 10:56 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Camp David operator, and George Meany talked on the telephone at Camp David from 10:56 am to 10:58 am.
  • 140-025 11:10 AM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at 11:10 am.
  • 203-015 11:10 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at 11:10 am.
  • 203-016 11:10 AM · 24 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 11:10 am and 11:22 am.
  • 140-026 11:22 AM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Camp David operator, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David from 11:22 am to 11:29 am.
  • 203-017 11:22 AM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 11:22 am to 11:29 am.
  • 203-018 11:29 AM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 11:29 am and 1:15 pm.

All 49 conversations from August 17, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 203-014, August 17, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/203-014 (accessed October 12, 2026).