Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 380 › Conversation 380-043

Nixon alone in his EOB office on Douglas W. Downs and Second term

Thursday, December 28, 1972 · 12:39 PM–2:20 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President)Conversation380-043 on Tape 380StartThursday, December 28, 1972 at 12:39 PMEndThursday, December 28, 1972 at 2:20 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 380-043 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon dictated a letter to Douglas W. Downs to formally express gratitude for a gift, a sculpture titled the “Tinker,” received by the First Lady during the Christmas season. The correspondence addresses Downs’ earlier letter, acknowledging his reflections on the presidency and his metaphorical advice regarding the political climate of the upcoming second term. The President concluded the dictation by including New Year’s greetings from both himself and Mrs. Nixon.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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'm going to put you down.
It says that you can't carry this money around.
So I'm going to send you down.
So don't send this money around.
I'm going to put you down.
Thank you.
1-3-4-3-4

NARA Description

On December 28, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:39 pm and 2:20 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 380-043 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 380-43
                                              -30-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                              Conversation No. 380-43 (cont’d)

Date: December 28, 1972
Time: Unknown between 12:39 pm and 2:20 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President dictated a letter to Douglas W. Downs.

       Instruction on sending letter

       The President’s appreciation for Downs’ gift
            -Sculpture, the “Tinker”
                  -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
                  -Timing
                         -Christmas
                  -Downs’ letter to the President
                         -Tone
                               -The President’s second term
                         -The Presidency
                         -Admonition
                               -Metaphor
                                     -Wind, clouds

       New Year’s greeting
           -Mrs. Nixon

Also recorded on December 28, 1972

  • 035-027 12:39 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:39 pm and 2:26 pm.
  • 380-014 12:39 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:39 pm and 2:20 pm.
  • 380-015 12:39 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:39 pm and 2:20 pm.
  • 380-016 12:39 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:39 pm and 2:20 pm.
  • 380-017 12:39 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:39 pm and 2:20 pm.
  • 380-018 12:39 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:39 pm and 2:20 pm.
  • 380-019 12:39 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:39 pm and 2:20 pm.
  • 380-020 12:39 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:39 pm and 2:20 pm.

All 76 conversations from December 28, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 380-043, December 28, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/380-043 (accessed October 11, 2026).