Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 635 › Conversation 635-003

Nixon & Woods on Cornelius V. Whitney and Social planning

Friday, December 10, 1971 · 8:38 AM–8:48 AM ET · Oval Office · 9 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Woods, Rose MaryConversation635-003 on Tape 635 (tape position 00:06:11–00:15:15)StartFriday, December 10, 1971 at 8:38 AMEndFriday, December 10, 1971 at 8:48 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 635-003 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 417180337 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and his personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, coordinated logistical details for the President's upcoming schedule and personal social arrangements. They discussed the handling of correspondence and an appointment regarding Cornelius V. “Sonny” Whitney, as well as the timing for a visit to Camp David. Additionally, the pair planned logistics for a theater outing involving Julie Nixon Eisenhower, specifically debating the timing of dinner and pre-theater preparations to ensure a smooth schedule.

Audio

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NARA Description

On December 10, 1971, President Richard M.Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:38 am to 8:48 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 635-003 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 635-003

Date: December 10, 1971
Time: 8:38 am - 8:48 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Rose Mary Woods.

     The President's schedule
          -Cornelius V. (“Sonny”) Whitney
               -Correspondence
               -Possible telephone call
               -Appointment
                      -Withdrawal from consideration
               -John N. Mitchell
               -Form of address

**********************************************************************

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 07/18/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[635-003-w001]
[Duration: 4m 17s]

     Robert H. Finch
          -California
          -Contributions
                -Check

     The President’s schedule
          -Tricia Nixon Cox
          -Julie Nixon Eisenhower
          -New York
                -Dinner
                      -Club 21
                            -Timing
                      -Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon
                -Theater
                      -Start time
                      -Preparations
                      -Hotel
                            -Meal

**********************************************************************

     The President's schedule
          -Camp David
               -Timing

     Julie Nixon Eisenhower's television show
           -Timing

Woods left at 8:48 am.

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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Morning.
Morning.
Oh, Steve.
I don't have anything to watch you watch.
I'm not, you know, I think maybe you can look at the Whitney letter with Steve in mind after this.
What can I do to you?
I don't know whether you know it or not.
He's trying to avoid that, you know, he's saying that the ancient pastor told him, he had never heard about that, and he's almost begging him then and then, but of course I will withdraw my name from the creation at the end.
And Peter just thought it was better to just, uh,
I think he should be called Sonny.
Why do you think it's Sonny?
Don't you think so?
Well, I think so.
You use Manning.
Mm-hmm.
And, uh...
I call on Sonny.
Yeah.
Do it that way.
You're calling on me.
Okay.
And it's all right.
This, uh, benefit game which Bob Finch helped them get back on the track out in California.
Sorry if we send out, like, a $100 contribution, but I'll send it in cash.
What is it?
The, uh... Two coaches got killed.
Yeah.
Good God.
I thought you said a check.
I'll stop begging you.
You didn't want a check.
But he didn't take it out of here all night.
Oh, hell no.
You could be right.
I brought her in the check.
Oh, and I have to find you this time again, right?
Yeah, we have to.
Well, they seem to be, uh, apparently asking to be departmentalized.
I don't know what to do.
I'm pretty sure that's what they're gonna come to New York.
She knows that you can't see.
You can't.
You can't cut.
The other thing is that I talked to another woman about going later.
Going into the theater first and then eating.
Yeah.
I think it's more game.
And, uh... Was that earlier?
We did that movie when we were 21.
You see the reference.
Yeah.
Would not be...
I don't know.
I don't think they have a play at 1030 or anything.
I think, uh, going late, 21 would be maximum.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Downstairs and everything.
But I mean, you know,
It seems that Julie would like 21.
Julie wants whatever you want.
And 21 would be fine with Julie.
That much I know as far as it goes.
Well, why are you called up for the 21?
She wants Pat to be downstairs rather than upstairs.
Connor?
But see, the theater starts at 7.30 now, and in order to have any kind of dinner, you really have to rush it.
What you can do is have a sandwich or something at the hotel.
Yeah.
Problem.
Pat, is it, uh... She hasn't drank yet.
Well, I think that's what I was saying.
You know, you ought to plan, I think, to have something at the hotel so that she can drink.
She can have a sandwich or something and then go to the theater.
That's a signal I have on the plane, but that's good enough.
It's only 45 minutes.
Yeah, we've said it all about challenge already.
You could eat the challenge now.
The main thing is just being sure she couldn't get something in there.
If she's the test of the flame, I can do it.
Then you're, then you know, changing clothes and so forth.
She can't have two or three dishes.
I'm going to tell her to do two dishes.
I'm going to tell her to want a sandwich.
I can't wait to be more gay.
And the whole evening will be more fun, I just don't cry.
Oh, that's good.
And then come back, what, Saturday night so you can see her for me?
What time is Julie here Sunday?
Eleven?
I think so.
Just so you remember the time, okay?
Come on.

Also recorded on December 10, 1971

  • 016-077 8:23 AM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:23 am and 12:14 pm.
  • 635-001 8:23 AM · 54 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:23 am and 8:38 am.
  • 635-002 8:23 AM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:23 am and 8:38 am.
  • 637-001 8:32 AM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:32 am and 8:38 am.
  • 637-002 8:38 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at 8:38 am.
  • 637-003 8:45 AM · 1 hr 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:45 am to 9:42 am.
  • 635-004 8:48 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:48 am and 9:10 am.
  • 635-005 8:48 AM · 30 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:48 am and 9:10 am.

All 84 conversations from December 10, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 635-003, December 10, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417180337). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/635-003 (accessed November 1, 2026).