Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 217 › Conversation 217-020

Nixon phone call with Woods on Radio address and Federal spending

Saturday, October 7, 1972 · 10:28 AM–11:55 AM ET · Camp David Hard Wire ·4 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Woods, Rose MaryConversation217-020 onTape 217StartSaturday, October 7, 1972 at 10:28 AMEndSaturday, October 7, 1972 at 11:55 AMRecording deviceCamp David Hard WireSourceNixon Library record for 217-020 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and his personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, reviewed a draft of an upcoming radio address regarding Federal spending. Their discussion focused on refining specific terminology, particularly the use of the word "insurance" in the context of government expenditures. Nixon directed Woods to consult with an external contact to identify a more impactful or "striking" term to replace the current phrasing.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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OK.

They're going to take it off down there.

Oh, I see.

OK. And we have to put a little 6A there.

All right.

We'll be right back.

all right

What is that kind of insurance?

It's called, uh...

It's for something.

Uh... For, uh... One I have.

One in various states...

Something, like I said, spending would be insurance, and then the petrogram would be absolutely insurance.

I don't want that.

I can't think of any better word.

I'm just leaving the term.

Call somebody on the phone and see if they can think of a word, a striking word on that.

NARA Description

On October 7, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:28 am and 11:55 am. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 217-020 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 217-20

Date: October 7, 1972
Time: Unknown between 10:28 am and 11:55 am
Location: Camp David Hard Wire

The President met with Rose Mary Woods.

        Draft of radio speech on Federal spending, October 7, 1972
            -Retyping
                 -Insert
                      -Congress

        [Pause]

            -Insurance
                -Spending
                -Word choice
                     -Request that Woods call an unknown person

                                        (rev. Oct-06)

Woods left at an unknown time before 11:55 am.

Also recorded on October 7, 1972

147-006 10:16 AM · 11 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone at Camp David from 10:16 am to 10:28 am.
217-014 10:16 AM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 10:16 am to 10:28 am.
217-015 10:28 AM · 12 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:28 am and 11:55 am.
217-016 10:28 AM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:28 am and 11:55 am.
217-017 10:28 AM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:28 am and 11:55 am.
217-018 10:28 AM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:28 am and 11:55 am.
217-019 10:28 AM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:28 am and 11:55 am.
217-021 10:28 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, and unknown person(s) met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:28 am and 11:55 am.

All 41 conversations from October 7, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 217-020, October 7, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/217-020 (accessed September 18, 2026).