{"conversationCode":"401-005","tapeNumber":401,"conversationNumber":5,"identifier":"37-wht-conversation-401-005","startDateTime":"1973-01-09T19:30:00.000Z","endDateTime":"1973-01-09T19:39:00.000Z","startDate":"9-Jan-1973","startTime":"2:30 PM","endDate":"9-Jan-1973","endTime":"2:39 PM","dateCertainty":"certain","timeCertainty":"certain","participants":"Nixon, Richard M. (President); Hope, Lelsie T. (\"Bob\");","description":"On January 9, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Lelsie T. (\"Bob\") Hope met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:30 pm to 2:39 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 401-005 of the White House Tapes.","locationCode":"EOB","recordingDevice":"Old Executive Office Building","latitudeEstimated":38.897567,"longitudeEstimated":-77.039147,"chronCode":"5.3","chronRelease":"Fifth Chronological Release: Part III","chronReleaseDate":"23-Jun-2009","aogpRelease":null,"aogpSegment":null,"lastModified":"2015-07-27T17:04:10.235Z","findingAid":"Conversation No. 401-5\n\nDate: January 9, 1973\nTime: 2:30 pm - 2:39 pm\nLocation: Executive Office Building\n\nThe President talked with Leslie T. (“Bob”) Hope.\n\n[See Conversation No. 35-108]\n\f                                             -3-\n\n                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM","filename":["401-005.mp3"],"tapeStart":"","tapeEnd":"","participantsList":["Nixon, Richard M. (President)","Hope, Lelsie T. (\"Bob\")"],"prevCode":"401-004","nextCode":"401-006","transcript":[{"start":1.13,"end":3.17,"text":"Hello?"},{"start":17.91,"end":20.21,"text":"Hello?"},{"start":23.57,"end":25.18,"text":"Well, I didn't pay for that wedding in the commercial."},{"start":25.2,"end":25.54,"text":"I was hired to..."},{"start":25.56,"end":27.32,"text":"I want to tell you that I noticed a very interesting thing when I was writing this work."},{"start":27.34,"end":28.62,"text":"It was something about the Super Bowl respect for the audience."},{"start":29.68,"end":43.21,"text":"They expect a 47 rating, and the article said that the only, the only rating that even approached that, that was that high was your rating of your Christmas show in 71, which was 46."},{"start":46.02,"end":47.58,"text":"Isn't that something?"},{"start":47.64,"end":53.2,"text":"Yeah, yeah, yeah, but what I meant is, isn't that something?"},{"start":53.23,"end":58.05,"text":"That the biggest rating on television, except for the Super Bowl, the rating of your Christmas show,"},{"start":58.96,"end":74.92,"text":"What time is your, uh, well, this was number one."},{"start":79.42,"end":84.47,"text":"No, well, what I meant is, wasn't this article sitting, was it yours, wasn't it?"},{"start":84.49,"end":85.19,"text":"Well, it was last year."},{"start":85.21,"end":85.75,"text":"Right, right, right, right."},{"start":85.77,"end":87.27,"text":"Well, that was a, I don't remember celebrating anything a lot of the time."},{"start":87.29,"end":88.27,"text":"You're 60, I heard you were 15, 18."},{"start":89.1,"end":102.16,"text":"Yeah, even though I'm not with you today, it's not my fault."},{"start":102.18,"end":102.28,"text":"Yeah."},{"start":102.4,"end":102.58,"text":"Oh, yeah?"},{"start":102.6,"end":103.1,"text":"Yeah, I'm just fine."},{"start":103.12,"end":105.62,"text":"I'm just fine."},{"start":105.64,"end":110.11,"text":"I'm visiting for the few things done."},{"start":110.13,"end":110.25,"text":"Right."},{"start":110.27,"end":110.43,"text":"Oh, boy."},{"start":115.47,"end":142.02,"text":"All right."},{"start":142.04,"end":142.22,"text":"I got it."},{"start":144.29,"end":163.68,"text":"Well, I'll tell you today, there's actually a great career event."},{"start":163.7,"end":165.68,"text":"When this thing is settled, which I'm hoping is my point, it'll be because of what they did for me."},{"start":165.7,"end":166.54,"text":"And, you know, that's what you have to do."},{"start":166.56,"end":167.5,"text":"It's only a blank piece that I have to hand on."},{"start":171.8,"end":184.04,"text":"Exactly."},{"start":184.06,"end":187.72,"text":"Just because I grow old, they do as soon as it's purchased."},{"start":187.74,"end":193.35,"text":"But wait a minute."},{"start":193.37,"end":196.87,"text":"Just as with, well, I don't have any interest in some of the work, for instance, if it's for all time."},{"start":196.89,"end":197.03,"text":"Right."},{"start":197.05,"end":197.15,"text":"Okay."},{"start":197.17,"end":197.27,"text":"Okay."},{"start":197.29,"end":199.37,"text":"The more time I watch their shit, the more I see those things come back."},{"start":199.39,"end":200.56,"text":"You've got to be sure that it's coming along."},{"start":200.57,"end":201.01,"text":"It's coming along."},{"start":202.01,"end":218.39,"text":"And, uh, we don't know what I say."},{"start":219.89,"end":223.91,"text":"Come on, I don't mean to say that everybody knows the report, except that we're talking."},{"start":223.93,"end":224.68,"text":"And I'm talking very tough right now."},{"start":224.69,"end":224.96,"text":"Very serious."},{"start":224.97,"end":225.24,"text":"Very serious."},{"start":225.25,"end":228.1,"text":"Tell me this, uh, how are you feeling?"},{"start":228.12,"end":229.1,"text":"How's it going?"},{"start":229.12,"end":229.58,"text":"That's how you take it."},{"start":229.6,"end":230.06,"text":"That's how you take it."},{"start":230.08,"end":231,"text":"I've been trying to get you to take that call."},{"start":231.02,"end":231.64,"text":"It's been going well overnight."},{"start":234.97,"end":242.22,"text":"All right, I'll take it."},{"start":242.24,"end":247.12,"text":"That's quiet, of course."},{"start":247.14,"end":250.23,"text":"Yeah, but I'm gonna turn on your part."},{"start":250.25,"end":252.57,"text":"I'm gonna turn on the other part."},{"start":252.59,"end":252.97,"text":"Okay."},{"start":252.99,"end":253.33,"text":"Bye."},{"start":253.35,"end":257.4,"text":"Hey, Bernie, just, uh, do me a favor, because you've got one."},{"start":257.42,"end":260.68,"text":"Yes, because I'm a 10-year-secretary of the Senate, and you've got several, and I'm ready to apply."},{"start":260.7,"end":260.92,"text":"See you."},{"start":261.17,"end":264.3,"text":"Please watch."},{"start":265.96,"end":270.33,"text":"Please have the president, Joey, have the problem."},{"start":270.35,"end":270.65,"text":"We can do that."},{"start":270.67,"end":272.59,"text":"And believe me, I will watch it."},{"start":272.61,"end":278.88,"text":"And I still want to go back to the house, but I forget these things because I don't usually watch television."},{"start":278.9,"end":280.06,"text":"All right."},{"start":280.08,"end":280.42,"text":"Send me the bill."},{"start":280.44,"end":282.34,"text":"Or no, send it."},{"start":282.36,"end":285.77,"text":"Send it over to, uh, what's that other bill?"},{"start":285.79,"end":287.65,"text":"The first and bigger bill."},{"start":287.67,"end":287.87,"text":"All right."},{"start":287.89,"end":289.8,"text":"I mean, uh, the, not the big, but the, uh,"},{"start":292.56,"end":305.48,"text":"You know the guy who always puts the pickles in the spa?"},{"start":305.5,"end":306.16,"text":"That's right."},{"start":307.02,"end":315.46,"text":"Jack, man, I even love it that you got him an apron."},{"start":315.48,"end":316.46,"text":"Just send me the wire or send it to the building."},{"start":316.48,"end":317.6,"text":"Tell them, tell them that I attached it to the building."},{"start":317.62,"end":317.86,"text":"Fair enough."},{"start":317.88,"end":318.56,"text":"It'll be the best day of the week."},{"start":318.58,"end":318.88,"text":"That was funny."},{"start":318.9,"end":319.02,"text":"Frank."},{"start":325.99,"end":345.94,"text":"So, I'll tell you what you do after that, so that I can put it at your second turn."},{"start":345.96,"end":349.62,"text":"In this case, send a note to your god to, if you can remember, Leonard Darnley."},{"start":349.64,"end":350.22,"text":"Leonard Darnley, G-R-I-N-D-E."},{"start":352.09,"end":366.29,"text":"I mean, he's in charge of whatever comes up."},{"start":366.43,"end":372.58,"text":"And the state, the great guy, he said, well, then you give him a call on the phone."},{"start":372.6,"end":373.02,"text":"He's a wonderful guy."},{"start":373.04,"end":373.8,"text":"He said he was just a fellow partner."},{"start":373.82,"end":374.92,"text":"He's a great, one of the best saxophones in the world."},{"start":374.94,"end":375.7,"text":"So you call him and tell him to do it."},{"start":375.72,"end":376.32,"text":"Tell him what I said."},{"start":376.34,"end":376.44,"text":"Yeah."},{"start":376.46,"end":376.84,"text":"I'll tell you what."},{"start":376.86,"end":379.29,"text":"I'll have the White House border action closed."},{"start":379.31,"end":379.73,"text":"What's that?"},{"start":379.75,"end":380.19,"text":"All right."},{"start":380.21,"end":381.75,"text":"Good to talk to you, Mr. Hunter."},{"start":381.77,"end":382.05,"text":"Good night."}],"aiSummary":{"text":"President Nixon and entertainer Bob Hope engaged in a informal, wide-ranging conversation that covered television ratings for Hope's past Christmas specials and brief administrative tasks. The discussion included lighthearted banter regarding personal projects and media appearances, as well as a request for Hope to contact Leonard Grinde to facilitate a specific professional matter. The call concluded with the President acknowledging receipt of information and directing coordination through his staff.","topics":["Television ratings","Bob Hope","Administrative coordination","Media appearances"],"generatedAt":"2026-04-06T18:15:27.844Z"},"topicSlugs":["television-ratings","bob-hope","administrative-coordination","media-appearances"],"audioDurationSec":389,"audioFiles":[{"file":"401-005.mp3","bytes":9328821,"durationSec":388.55,"bitrate":192076,"missing":false}],"audioIsShared":false,"audioProbedAt":"2026-09-18T02:19:45.437Z","findingAidSource":"nixonlibrary.gov subject log (2024-05), reslice-v2","findingAidUpdatedAt":"2026-09-18T08:43:33.956Z","transcriptGapSeconds":98,"transcriptGapShare":0.25,"transcriptQuality":"incomplete","audio":["https://nixon.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/audio/401-005.mp3"],"url":"https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/401-005","nixonLibraryUrl":"https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/white-house-tapes/401/conversation-401-005","license":"Public domain (U.S. Government work). AI-generated fields (transcript, aiSummary) are provided as-is without warranty."}