Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 697 › Conversation 697-023

Nixon, Landers & Finamore on National Cancer Act of 1971 and Cancer research

Thursday, March 30, 1972 · 12:31 PM–12:39 PM ET · Oval Office

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Finamore, Mike; Landers, Ann; Letton, A. Hamblin; Letton, A. Hamblin (Mrs.); Ebersol, Charles R.; Ebersol, Charles R. (Mrs.); Adams, Lane W.; Adams, Lane W. (Mrs.); Rimer, Irving I.; Davis, Alan; Finamore, John; Finamore, John (Mrs.); Finamore, Deborah; Letton, Alice; Cole, Kenneth R., Jr.; Cavanaugh, James H.; White House photographerConversation697-023 on Tape 697 (tape position 02:58:38–03:09:26)StartThursday, March 30, 1972 at 12:31 PMEndThursday, March 30, 1972 at 12:39 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 697-023 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with a delegation of advocates, including columnist Ann Landers and representatives from the American Cancer Society, to discuss the National Cancer Act and public support for cancer research. The conversation included a photo session and an exchange of gifts, with Nixon acknowledging the group's efforts to generate public interest and funding for the cause. The President also humorously addressed requests from visitors regarding the potential travel of the newly acquired giant pandas from the Washington National Zoo to other American cities.

  • National Cancer Act of 1971
  • Cancer research
  • Giant pandas
  • National Zoo
  • Public relations

Audio

Download MP3 (part 1) · 167.9 MB ·Download MP3 (part 2) · 167.8 MB ·Download MP3 (part 3) · 141.2 MB

This conversation has not yet been cut into its own clip, so the player above contains the full tape segment shared with neighbouring conversations. It begins about 02:58:38 into the tape and ends around 03:09:26.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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

· Timestamps are positions within the full tape recording.
2:58:50How are you going to get along now, George?
2:58:53Well, we can't, we can't.
2:58:55You know, one of the things, President, that you do is that you look at concepts and figures.
2:59:01He's an extraordinary master of the English language.
2:59:04You're right, Steve.
2:59:06And those of you in Midland, I hope that takes care of you now.
2:59:09You're very, very generous there.
2:59:11You're very smart.
2:59:12Thank you, Mr. President.
2:59:14And I'm mad focused about it, President, but I'd like to say something.
2:59:17We appreciate it very much.
2:59:19All the work.
2:59:21We're just wishing you the very best.
2:59:25Appreciate it very much.
2:59:28Join me in calling because I'm in trouble right now.
2:59:32I'll be around.
2:59:33Someday, you're probably going to have to serve us your money.
2:59:37That's right.
2:59:38That's right.
2:59:39Thank you.
2:59:40Thank you.
2:59:46Why don't you give her a comment on this?
2:59:49One of the little things, too.
2:59:50We'll bring in the boy first, and then the rest, and then we'll introduce the family afterwards after the press conference.
3:01:10And so, the ability to do this, this work, you go to a material field, all the things you do in the speech today, it is the best.
3:01:24This is the best.
3:01:25Right.
3:01:25The peers are great.
3:01:28That's 13.
3:01:29That's 13.
3:01:30That's great.
3:01:54It does get pulled because of
3:02:22We all have friends, you know, but I, in particular, one of my very best friends is Kyle Tomer.
3:02:31He was the political editor of the Los Angeles Times.
3:02:37He is a marvelous man.
3:02:39We used to kid around him.
3:02:42And I said to Kyle, I said to the vice president, I said to Kyle, I said, you're the vice president.
3:03:07I think he said that you are the Arden Kroc of the West Coast.
3:03:12He says, what do you mean?
3:03:14He says, Kroc is the Kyle Palmer of the East Coast.
3:03:18And he got the gig in two years.
3:03:20Two years, that was all.
3:03:25Well, Bill, it's just the beginning, but you know, there's a lot of hands to work, a lot of people to work, a lot of brains, trying to utilize it all, but you, your example is going to, a lot of people out there know that they've got to have support.
3:03:51That's all we keep.
3:03:52The vote, the vote is more important than the body.
3:03:56This is what you get.
3:03:58You have to take a group photograph.
3:04:01All right.
3:04:01This is the, this is the photo.
3:04:47Now we have a little present for each of you.
3:04:55But then, you've got couplings, which is a seal and a couplet, and part of the seal is a lace.
3:05:04And you have the lace.
3:05:08We have the same thing, but you can't use couplets.
3:05:11Of course, the seal will be pulled from where it is.
3:05:15And that seal is like this.
3:05:19Well, we appreciate this.
3:05:21This is a great cause.
3:05:23If anybody has a little fight for it, I wish we could do more.
3:05:28I can sign a bill and the rest of you can go out and talk and charge people up and give them money.
3:05:44You know me.
3:05:45I'm Mr. Markle.
3:05:46Mr. Markle.
3:05:48Markle.
3:05:48Markle.
3:05:48Markle.
3:05:49Markle.
3:05:50Markle.
3:05:50Markle.
3:05:50Markle.
3:05:51Markle.
3:06:08Oh, yeah.
3:06:10Isn't that charming?
3:06:12But, you know, we in Chicago want to see one of the pandas.
3:06:19So what happens is, we finally sent them to Washington because it's the national zoo, and they're coming from the Peking.
3:06:27So everybody can come to Washington and see them.
3:06:30I even haven't had a good name to check to see whether we can put the pandas on the road.
3:06:35I'm serious.
3:06:35You know, to see whether they can move.
3:06:38The problem is that we've got to check the health thing, you know, whether they're fragile animals.
3:06:46But it would be a really wonderful thing if they could spend a week in Chicago.
3:06:49There are several great ones.
3:06:50Chicago has a great one.
3:06:51St. Louis has a very good one.
3:06:53San Francisco.
3:06:55Thank you.
3:06:55Thank you.
3:06:56Thank you.
3:06:57Thank you.
3:06:58Thank you.
3:07:18Thank you.
3:07:36I know.
3:07:50Good, good.
3:08:13uh...
3:09:03Is that right?
3:09:06Is that right?
3:09:07Is that right?

NARA Description

On March 30, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Mike Finamore, Ann Landers, A. Hamblin Letton, Mrs. A. Hamblin Letton, Charles R. Ebersol, Mrs. Charles R. Ebersol, Lane W. Adams, Mrs. Lane W. Adams, Irving I. Rimer, Alan Davis, John Finamore, Mrs. John Finamore, Deborah Finamore, Alice Letton, Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., James H. Cavanaugh, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:31 pm to 12:39 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 697-023 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 697-23

Date: March 30, 1972
Time: 12:31 pm - 12:39 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Mike Finamore, Ann Landers, Mr. and Mrs. A. Hamblin Letton, Mr. and
Mrs. Charles R. Ebersol, Mr. and Mrs. Lane W. Adams, Irving Rimer, Alan Davis, Mr. and Mrs.
John Finamore, Deborah Finamore, Alice Letton, Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., and James H.
Cavanaugh; members of the press and the White House photographer were present at the
beginning of the meeting.

      Greetings

      Landers

     [Photograph session]

     Kyle Palmer
          -Los Angeles Times
          -Arthur Krock

     Mike Finamore
          -Cancer
               -Lifespans

     Group photograph
         -Finamore family

     Gifts

     Cancer
         -National Cancer Act of 1971
         -Crusade

     The People's Republic of China [PRC]
          -Dwarf tree
          -Pandas
               -Chicago
               -Washington National Zoo
               -Travel
                     -Health
                     -Chicago
                     -St. Louis
                     -San Francisco
                     -San Diego
                     -New York

     Gifts

     General conversation

     Guam

Finamore et al. left at 12:39 pm.

Also recorded on March 30, 1972

  • 697-019 12:21 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Donald L. Jackson, Peter M. Flanigan, Stephen B. Bull, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:21 pm to 12:25 pm.
  • 697-020 12:25 PM · 28 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:25 pm to 12:26 pm.
  • 697-021 12:26 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Carl W. Tiller, George P. Shultz, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:26 pm to 12:30 pm.
  • 697-022 12:30 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:30 pm to 12:31 pm.
  • 697-024 12:39 PM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:39 pm and 12:45 pm.
  • 697-025 12:39 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:39 pm and 12:45 pm.
  • 697-026 12:39 PM · 37 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:39 pm and 12:45 pm.
  • 697-027 12:39 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:39 pm and 12:45 pm.

All 48 conversations from March 30, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 697-023, March 30, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/697-023 (accessed October 12, 2026).