Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 385 › Conversation 385-022

Nixon, Eisenhower & Sanchez on White House living arrangements

Monday, December 11, 1972 · 5:42 PM–7:10 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 15 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Eisenhower, Julie Nixon; Sanchez, ManoloConversation385-022 on Tape 385StartMonday, December 11, 1972 at 5:42 PMEndMonday, December 11, 1972 at 7:10 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 385-022 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with Julie Nixon Eisenhower and White House aide Manolo Sanchez to discuss domestic arrangements and personal projects at the White House. The conversation focused on logistical plans for a third-floor movie projection area and the installation of a small refrigerator in the President's living quarters for refreshments. They also briefly touched on upcoming travel preparations, including Julie's interest in potential visits to the People's Republic of China, and general family matters.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 8 minutes of this recording (about 56% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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The greater need for me, actually, is to have you here.
I know you would be a bundle of people.
Somebody who's got you.
People who are not, like, balanced.
Then he doesn't have to be there.
But that's been very good.
Steve is very good at getting around people.
But he'll wear out his belt, too.
They don't like him that way.
And Steve, too.
I'm not sure if he'll ever come in, but they have those.
They're great at it.
And they're great at it, man.
They're great at it, too.
So I think the bumper, it's a very important job, very important.
It will be such a thing.
Like I'm working on a schedule.
See how you heard me.
And it's getting it to us.
And frankly, we can't, I mean, they're so much, they're all petrified of what we're doing.
You shouldn't be terrified like this.
They are.
But me, they walk in all the time, and they say, you know what, I'm not going to do that.
No, I do that.
No, I do that.
They know it.
Nobody ever hesitates to bring anything up.
Nobody ever does.
I'm the most bold person in the world, and that's why I make the first decision.
But the point is, it's disposable.
I had to go all around the bush.
I had a client that mattered on that.
I said, oh, she did.
Come on.
Of course she should be disposable.
She could turn it down and sure as be save her in the world.
But I have a good choice.
I think maybe, you know, if I just decide to go to California, they ask me how this is going to be in a year.
Maybe go to California and talk to them.
And of course, I'd like to find a good place to go to California.
And then if I decide to go to California, that requires California.
What is it?
Yeah, I think so.
I have money.
I have money.
Provided she could ever get this girl.
She goes in by herself.
She must have been afraid of Laurie and the two kids.
And I can't believe Donnie and his kids.
And Laurie and her kids.
You know what I mean?
Those are the things I'm starting to understand.
Marlene must have been afraid by herself.
But she cannot bring Jackie.
Maybe she does not bring Jackie.
No, we didn't.
He's not right now.
We have to burn him to bring her.
That's what he should do.
He should have a chance.
That's why he's a very good fighter.
Do you think he's still dating me?
No.
He's a nice person.
He's a nice person.
He's a nice person.
No.
He's smart.
He's smart.
But you know, he's a good boy.
He's got a good heart.
He's a good guy.
He's got to find you a house for a reason.
Go ahead.
You have to find a house for a reason.
You have to find a house for a reason.
I think it would be really great.
I think it would be really great.
I agree with you.
I agree with you.
I agree with you.
I agree with you.
You're tired.
You're tired.
I'm a little upset that she didn't realize that she was going to have to go to the next one.
We have both right now.
Well, I don't think she can do it.
She doesn't know.
Well, it's not the way to think.
That's why I want to put something in the White House.
And I think we can put that here.
I'm going to go to the White House.
Don't raise your hand.
I'll check in with you.
Just check in and see if...
They can put the proper projector in upstairs.
But that's easier for us.
But that is easy.
That's what we are doing.
The third floor.
In the evening, nobody's up there to make all the holes.
So if we can't put the theater in the third floor, we've got a theater right there.
And so we put our chairs up.
break the thing down and have it there.
Let's do that.
Okay.
And then we have a full screen.
There.
And we'll build it right there.
Okay.
Yeah.
But then you see, you take the, take your little one and probably put some projections in there.
And then when you build this thing, that's a real thing.
And here's the drill about the third floor thing.
Let's jump and see what happens.
You can't do this.
You can't do it all.
You can't do it all.
It's got all those things, those hard chairs.
Oh, Danny, you should.
It's a beautiful room.
It's not uncomfortable.
It's in your mind.
Well, and tonight is dinner.
Let's talk about that.
It should be really happy, you know, when you say it.
Because if we didn't get a chance to talk about it, tonight we'd be over here and she'd be playing down there.
Oh, really?
Okay.
Well, I can't find it.
Yes, sir.
I know where he is.
Oh, good.
Remember anything you did about the two months ago?
No, I didn't.
Isn't it a terrific idea?
Yes, sir.
All right.
Do you like it?
Why not?
On the third floor, what's happening?
I was going to ask you about on the third floor.
You don't want a room built up there.
You want to just use the hallway, don't you, for the ceiling?
What do you need is a projection.
I do need a place to put the projection.
Right.
We don't need any more than that can't be rejected.
No.
Sure, you can't run 36 television things, but we don't care how much of ours is good.
Let's just recommend down below they can put on the big screen, but we just won't use that.
And now here's another thing I want to say.
Then you see what I can do with the thing down below me.
I can make that into my golden hour, my place to be.
So we're going to be on my team after that song.
Let me tell you another idea I had about bullying.
You know, I've gone through some kinds of chosen movies that I think, you know, I could have, I've looked them up and found the ratings and all.
And lots of times, if I'm not waiting for you on the weekend, you don't know that you're going to be there.
So what I've asked the physicians to do now is to try, when I ask them to get a cell phone to me, where you write up the synopsis, it's going to try to be really resonant.
How about that?
So if you're a former, and I'm not here, you're a donor, and you're going to be there.
Does that make sense to you?
Oh, she likes it.
Do you think my idea of a little icebox would be fun?
I think it'd make so much sense.
I don't tell her, of course, to pay.
But if we put it there, we could repair an icebox.
I'll have a... Nope.
And now...
They can fix it every day.
I'll have it, and I'll have it repaired.
I'll have a statue.
I'll have a statue.
I'll have a statue.
I'll have a statue.
I'll have a statue.
I'll have a statue.
I'll have a statue.
Because when I was in college, a lot of my friends got refrigerators in their room.
And all you do is plug it in.
I think it's a terrific idea.
The way they're going to do it here, it's going to be better.
Oh.
Well, they'll plug in the refrigerator, put it in a couple of shelves.
Great.
Put it on the floor or something like that.
Just back and then just off.
Maybe we should change it.
Yeah, I think it's a good idea.
So the fact that we're walking in the kitchen, the place is just good.
I agree with you.
And then to keep your expression, please, just in there.
That way that, you know, mommy has brought me this.
No, I keep my, I agree with you.
Wow, that's great.
I wish you the best.
I am so appreciative of you for what you've done for us.
I agree with you.
Now, if you're going to go to China, I'm going to tell you, I'm going to tell you all the names, right, all of your
I don't know.
I don't feel like that at all.
I'm just bothered.
If you're really nice to me, please let me know.
We'll see.
I don't know.
I don't know if you're asking.
I'm going to ask Mr. Hall.
I'll ask him.
I'll call him and ask him.
He'll say, look, but I just saw that you got a secretary.
It's nice to meet you.
It's nice to meet you.
I just need to know.
Well, I'm sure you will.
I don't want Bob to be a guy asking for you.
If I could do it, I'd do it.
I'm sure to make it.
But he'll do a good job.
He did it.
He did a good job.
But he's, uh, he did a good job.
He did a good job.
He did a good job.
He did a good job.
He did a good job.
He did a good job.
He did a good job.
You want me to get that book to you that I think is so good that you want me to do it?
Like I don't want to do it?
There wasn't too much left?
You don't want that in there?
No.

NARA Description

On December 11, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Julie Nixon Eisenhower, and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:42 pm and 7:10 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 385-022 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 385-22

Date: December 11, 1972
Time: Unknown between 5:42 pm and 7:10 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with Julie Nixon Eisenhower.

       Second term reorganization
             -Julie Nixon Eisenhower
                                                       -32-

                       NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                                           Conversation No. 385-22 (cont’d)

                          -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
                                  -Conversation with the President or Julie Nixon Eisenhower
                          -White House
                                  -Alexander P. Butterfield
                          -Stephen B. Bull
                          -Dwight L. Chapin
                          -White House staff
                                  -The President
                                  -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
                                  -The President’s and Mrs. Nixon’s schedule
                                         -Rose Bowl
                                                 -Herbert G. Klein

        The President’s schedule
               -California
               -Florida
               -Mrs. Nixon
               -San Clemente
               -Return to Washington, DC
               -Florida
               -Vietnam negotiations
                      -Henry A. Kissinger
                             -Return from Hanoi
                                     -California
                      -Washington, DC
               -California

*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 1s          ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Helene (Colesie) Drown
                                               -33-

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                           Conversation No. 385-22 (cont’d)

              -Visits
              -Children
              -Jack Drown
              -Compared to Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo
                      -Girlfriend

       House purchase
             -Alice Roosevelt Longworth
             -The President’s health
             -The President’s leisure time

[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************

       White House
             -Movie projector
                   -Dwight D. and Mamie G. D. Eisenhower
                           -Third floor
                                   -Hall
                   -Theater
                           -Third floor
                                   -Mrs. Nixon
                                   -Edward V. Jones
                                   -Furnishings
                                          -Clement E. Conger
                                   -Dinner
                                          -Mrs. Nixon

Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 5:42 pm.

       Wine
              -Location
                     -Bedroom
              -Delivery
                     -Instruction to Sanchez

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 7:10 pm.

       White House
                              -34-

    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                              Conversation No. 385-22 (cont’d)

-Florida
-Movie projector
       -Theater
               -Third floor
                       -Hall
       -Camp David
-Whirlpool, sauna
-Theater
       -Meetings
       -Briefings
               -Constance M. (Cornell) (“Connie”) Stuart
               -The President
                       -Cambodia
-Movies
       -Ratings
       -Julie Nixon Eisenhower’s schedule
               -Instruction for Paul Fisher
                       -Synopsis
-The President’s schedule
       -Trader Vic’s
       -The Presidential party
               -Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo
-Refrigerator in bedroom
       -Mrs. Nixon
       -Refreshments
               -Beer, milk, juice, scotch
       -Installation
               -Julie Nixon Eisenhower
                       -College
                               -Rooms
               -Shelves
       -Snacks
               -Cheese
       -Kitchen
       -The President’s schedule
       -Refreshments
               -Juice
       -Mrs. Nixon
       -Tricia Nixon Cox’s view
                                                       -35-

                       NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                                           Conversation No. 385-22 (cont’d)

        Julie Nixon Eisenhower
               -People’s Republic of China [PRC] trip
                       -Preparations

*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Personal returnable]
[Duration 48s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        The President’s schedule
               -“Irene”
                       -Capital Center
               -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
               -Mamie G. D. Eisenhower
                       -John S. D. Eisenhower
                       -Barbara Eisenhower
               -Randolph Churchill
                       -Death
               -Book recommendation
                       -Winston S. Churchill

[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************

Julie Nixon Eisenhower left at an unknown time before 7:10 pm.

Also recorded on December 11, 1972

  • 034-047 5:37 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone from 5:37 pm to 5:42 pm.
  • 034-048 5:42 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:42 pm and 7:49 pm.
  • 385-017 5:42 PM · 27 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Julie Nixon Eisenhower, and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:42 pm and 7:10 pm.
  • 385-018 5:42 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:42 pm and 7:10 pm.
  • 385-019 5:42 PM · 11 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Julie Nixon Eisenhower met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:42 pm and 7:10 pm.
  • 385-020 5:42 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Julie Nixon Eisenhower, and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:42 pm and 7:10 pm.
  • 385-021 5:42 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:42 pm and 7:10 pm.
  • 385-023 5:42 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Manolo Sanchez, and Julie Nixon Eisenhower met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:42 pm and 7:10 pm.

All 40 conversations from December 11, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 385-022, December 11, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/385-022 (accessed October 1, 2026).