Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 641 › Conversation 641-009

Nixon & Woods on Holiday preparations and Christmas gifts

Thursday, December 23, 1971 · 12:09 PM–12:27 PM ET · Oval Office ·4 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Woods, Rose MaryConversation641-009 onTape 641 (tape position 00:50:45–00:56:43)StartThursday, December 23, 1971 at 12:09 PMEndThursday, December 23, 1971 at 12:27 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 641-009 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and his personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, discuss personal holiday arrangements and the welfare of various acquaintances experiencing health issues. The conversation focuses on coordinating the delivery of Christmas gifts and cards, as well as checking on the condition of several mutual friends, including Ben Freeman. Woods concludes the meeting by coordinating the placement of holiday packages under the President's tree.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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 want you to get those canary island cigars.
I want you to get those canary island cigars.
Yeah.
No, I know you don't care.
It's all right.
I don't know about the other examples, but the names are fun.
People that I know have been sick, like Justin Macintosh Berry, just got a heart stop for a full minute or so.
Ralph Cates, who is a general cancer person, he called his wife just to wish her well.
Anna Rogers St. John, Ben Freeman, now he may not be able to talk, but his wife, well, Tony told me some days he's rational.
Or maybe just to call his wife.
They went up to him.
I don't know.
I'll have to put it down for him to see.
And I'll call him.
I think tomorrow I'll call him again.
And I'll get him down.
And then Noah will have to stand up.
Because we have to find him someone.
I'd love you to end one of these songs, Josh.
Because the box is called.
They'll have to do it.
And we're sending a box of some things over.
A box of, a small box of Christmas cards that you might want to look at.
Good.
And some gifts that are wrapped so you'll like them most.
Well, I hope they're nice and black.
I hope they're nice.
And some gifts that are wrapped that will be put under the cherry tree.
And I'll send those over now.
I think it's all right, isn't it?
That they can be put under the cherry tree.
I will.
I will.

NARA Description

On December 23, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:09 pm and 12:27 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 641-009 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 641-9

Date: December 23, 1971
Time: Unknown between 12:09 pm and 12:27 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Rose Mary Woods.


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 3m 42s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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Ms. Woods left at an unknown time before 12:27 pm.
                                            8

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. 10/06)
                                                                    Conv. No. 641-9 (cont.)

Also recorded on December 23, 1971

  • 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.
  • 641-010 12:27 PM · 48 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Rose Mary Woods, unknown person(s), and John D. Ehrlichman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:27 pm to 1:15 pm.

All 20 conversations from December 23, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 641-009, December 23, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/641-009 (accessed September 18, 2026).