Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 342 › Conversation 342-018

Nixon & Smith on Maine politics and Elections

Tuesday, June 20, 1972 · 12:53 PM–12:55 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Smith, Margaret ChaseConversation342-018 on Tape 342 (tape position 04:33:43–04:37:32)StartTuesday, June 20, 1972 at 12:53 PMEndTuesday, June 20, 1972 at 12:55 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 342-018 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 417186609 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon spoke with Senator Margaret Chase Smith to congratulate her on a significant primary victory in Maine. The discussion touched upon her low-budget campaign strategy and the political landscape in Maine following the exit of Edmund Muskie. Nixon expressed his desire to visit the state and urged Smith to focus on securing strong Republican candidates for upcoming congressional races.

Audio

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NARA Description

On June 20, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Margaret Chase Smith met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 12:53 pm to 12:55 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 342-018 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 342-18

Date: June 20, 1972
Time: 12:53-12:55 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Margaret Chase Smith.

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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 02/19/2019.
Segment cleared for release]
[Personal Returnable]
[342-018-w001]
[Duration: 1m 56s]

[See Conversation No. 25-76]

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).

Hello?
Hello?
Hello?
Well, I just wanted to congratulate you.
I picked up the paper this morning and found it was two to one.
I thought that was great.
I frankly expected it, but you know, you kept telling me you had a close race.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Well, you were right.
You played a line.
You know, I noticed a note, too, that you only spent $10,000.
Yeah, whatever it was.
That was really a great victory for you.
And I hope I can get up there sometime.
Because, you know, I never forget my first campaign.
It was done at the national level in Maine in 1952.
Four days.
I know that state like the back of my hand.
Yeah.
Well, I mean... Yeah, well, without Big Ed on there, we ought to be all right with you then in Maine.
What do you think?
Sure.
Oh, yeah, you go slower.
But we deserve one.
Yeah.
Oh, we... Be sure you get good candidates for those congressional seats.
Well, maybe we could...
But anyway, the main thing is you won, and you know, you can take a little rest.
Okay.

Also recorded on June 20, 1972

  • 025-075 12:46 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 12:46 pm.
  • 025-076 12:53 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Margaret Chase Smith talked on the telephone from 12:53 pm to 12:55 pm.
  • 025-077 12:55 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:55 pm and 1:30 pm.
  • 025-078 12:55 PM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:55 pm and 1:30 pm.
  • 342-019 12:55 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:55 pm and 1:30 pm.
  • 342-020 12:55 PM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:55 pm and 1:30 pm.
  • 342-021 12:55 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:55 pm and 1:30 pm.
  • 342-022 12:55 PM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:55 pm and 1:30 pm.

All 56 conversations from June 20, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 342-018, June 20, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417186609). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/342-018 (accessed October 29, 2026).