Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 641 › Conversation 641-002

Nixon & Woods on Holiday planning and Elmer H. Bobst

Thursday, December 23, 1971 · 11:21 AM–11:25 AM ET · Oval Office · 5 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Woods, Rose MaryConversation641-002 on Tape 641 (tape position 00:06:30–00:15:21)StartThursday, December 23, 1971 at 11:21 AMEndThursday, December 23, 1971 at 11:25 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 641-002 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 417183169 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and his personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, met to discuss personal scheduling arrangements, upcoming holiday travel to Florida, and administrative tasks for the Christmas season. The conversation focused on managing the President's correspondence, coordinating phone calls, and finalizing logistics regarding Woods's time away. They also exchanged seasonal well-wishes and brief updates concerning mutual acquaintances, including Elmer H. Bobst.

Audio

Download MP3 · 2.7 MB

NARA Description

On December 23, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:21 am to 11:25 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 641-002 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 641-2

Date: December 23, 1971
Time: 11:21 am - 11:25 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Rose Mary Woods.

     Woods's schedule
         -Florida

     The President’s schedule
          -Elmer H. Bobst
               -Note
                      -Reservation
          -Possible telephone call to Alice Roosevelt Longworth

     Holiday greetings

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

[Previous archivists categorized this section as unintelligible. It has been rereviewed and
partially opened. The withdrawal is now categorized as a Personal Returnable (G) and was
reviewed under deed of gift 04/18/2022. 17s segment cleared for release. 20s remain closed as
641-002-w001.]
[Personal Returnable]
[641-002-w001]
[Duration: 17s]

       The President’s schedule
              -Christmas plans
              -Previous Christmas party
**************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[641-002-w001]
[Duration: 20s]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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

       The President’s appearance
              -Rose Mary Woods’ opinion
Show the rest of the log (28 more lines)
**************************************************************************

     The President’s schedule
          -Telephone call to Paul W. Keyes, December 22, 1971

     Herbert J. (“Jackie”) Gleason
          -Christmas greetings
                 -Flowers
          -Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo

     Woods's schedule
         -Travel plans
               -Unknown pilot
                    -Plane
               -Akron-Canton, Ohio

     The President’s schedule
          -Florida
          -California

     Christmas greetings

     President's Christmas calls
           -Keyes
           -Operator

Woods left at 11:25 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.

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).

I think they arrested us.
I have an opportunity to have free ride homes.
That's your number.
Is that all right?
Absolutely.
And then, do you want me to go to the corner?
It's really not necessary.
We've done all the work on the Florida thing.
There's not going to be any out of that.
Then I think I'll wait for that on Monday.
Three months, we'll be out there.
Stay home.
And Elmer asked me to give you a note.
He's very tired this year.
Well, the student did a reservation back.
Everyone's so proud of him today.
Oh.
And he does not need my attention, but I know that.
But he just wants you to know he's hungry.
I thought I said on my phone, I would probably give a call.
We heard you had a new prayer letter.
No.
And I hope you have a very merry Christmas.
Oh, well, I hope you do.
Have a nice time.
It's going to be a nice time, a nice year.
It is.
It's going to be, you know, very warm.
Oh, good.
I'm so glad.
Oh, did you?
Do you know exactly...
They were calling everyone to do it.
Everyone was talking about it.
And he said, I don't think so.
Well, they were calling.
I had a little bit of some yellow roses and some baby, some baby babies.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Maybe it's my mistake.
Oh, yeah.
I heard the name of a person.
Oh, yeah.
Well, that's great.
You've got a body of work.
Okay.
Okay.
And you've got to stay with your sister.
Stay with my sister, and I'll leave the numbers here.
Oh, well, that's not a problem.
That's good.
That's what you say.
Then I'll be back.
I'm coming back Monday anyway, because I have to try the holidays here, too.
Yeah, here.
Well, then, if you don't keep track, go to Florida.
That's what I'm asking.
I would say that in California you probably ought to go out there.
That would be great.
Well, thank you.
Have a wonderful day.
Thank you.
Well, I'll give you that.
I have a lot of calls to make on Christmas Day.
Leave it for me.
All right.
If I can, I'll call the operator.
I'll call them, and I'll call all these, and I'll call these.
They're all done.
So now I'll just leave it.
All right.
If I think of people, I'll call.
And if I get anything, I'll come in with the operator.
Yeah.
Well, yeah.
Yeah.
Sure.
You know what I mean?
Somebody is... Yeah.
What's that?
And I have a question.
I'll try to give it to the creative party.
Okay.
That's also fine.
Okay.
Five.
Five.

Also recorded on December 23, 1971

  • 641-001 11:14 AM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:14 am and 11:21 am.
  • 641-003 11:25 AM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:25 am and 11:32 am.
  • 641-004 11:32 AM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Luigi Raimondi, Peter M. Flanigan, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:32 am to 11:37 am.
  • 641-005 11:37 AM · 13 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:37 am to 11:53 am.
  • 017-001 12:09 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:09 pm and 1:25 pm.
  • 641-006 12:09 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:09 pm and 12:27 pm.
  • 641-007 12:09 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:09 pm and 12:27 pm.
  • 641-008 12:09 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:09 pm and 12:27 pm.

All 20 conversations from December 23, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 641-002, December 23, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417183169). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/641-002 (accessed November 1, 2026).