Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 714 › Conversation 714-007

Nixon, Carlson & Carson on Presidential protocol and Condolences

Thursday, April 20, 1972 · 11:43 AM–11:46 AM ET · Oval Office

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Carlson, Clifford D.; Carson, Carol A.; Friedersdorf, Max L.; Bull, Stephen B.; White House photographerConversation714-007 onTape 714 (tape position 02:31:10–02:35:23)StartThursday, April 20, 1972 at 11:43 AMEndThursday, April 20, 1972 at 11:46 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 714-007 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with Clifford D. Carlson, Carol A. Carlson, and Max L. Friedersdorf for a brief, informal social visit in the Oval Office. The conversation included expressions of presidential condolences regarding the recent death of Carlson's wife and lighthearted exchanges about family and personal appearances. The meeting concluded with a formal photograph session and the distribution of presidential gifts, including cuff links and golf balls.

Audio

Download MP3 (part 1) · 167.4 MB ·Download MP3 (part 2) · 168.2 MB ·Download MP3 (part 3) · 48.7 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 02:31:10 into the tape and ends around 02:35:23.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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

2:32:09Let's stop on that.

2:32:11I think it's such a beautiful ride.

2:32:13Do you want to read it for me?

2:32:19There's a seal here.

2:32:23See the pretty flowers?

2:32:25You saw those on the other dimension.

2:32:34There's no flowers here.

2:32:37No, I mean out the window, out in the garden.

2:32:45I'm sorry.

2:32:46Hey, get off.

2:32:47Get off the train for the tracking.

2:32:49Oh, I'm sorry.

2:32:52I'm coming across the field.

2:33:01Mr. Grissom?

2:33:03I'd like for you to meet Congressman Carlson.

2:33:06Well, how are you?

2:33:07We know each other very well.

2:33:09Good to see you.

2:33:10Is that Mother Carol, your friend?

2:33:12She's 21?

2:33:13She doesn't look that old.

2:33:16Like my older girl, she just looks, who's now 26, and she looks 15.

2:33:21You were very gracious when Chuck had the troop in L.A. That's right.

2:33:26That's right.

2:33:28You were there.

2:33:29I never thought I'd be in Congress.

2:33:31Yeah, well...

2:33:33Well, I must say, while we're off, of course, glad to welcome you here.

2:33:40It's such a tragedy, your wife.

2:33:42Unbelievable.

2:33:44Unbelievable that this could happen.

2:33:46Well, you're a strong man and you're a strong girl.

2:33:48Right.

2:33:49That's right.

2:33:50She's here now.

2:33:51Now, let's get a picture.

2:33:53That's what we do when we do a congressman.

2:33:55Come on over here.

2:33:56First, you alone.

2:33:58Like this.

2:33:59This will be all right.

2:34:02All of you.

2:34:07Good, now when you come over, we'll get our daughter in here.

2:34:13Right between, so I think we should have you on the end.

2:34:16Now, here's our daughter.

NARA Description

On April 20, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Clifford D. Carlson, Carol A. Carson, Max L. Friedersdorf, Stephen B. Bull, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:43 am to 11:46 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 714-007 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 714-7

Date: April 20, 1972
Time: 11:43 am - 11:46 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Cliffard D. Carlson, Carol A. Carlson and Max L. Friedersdorf; Stephen
B. Bull and the White House photographer were present at the beginning of the meeting.

     Greetings and introductions

     Carol Carlson
          -Age
                -Compared with Tricia Nixon Cox

     Cliffard Carlson
           -Previous meeting with the President
           -Death of wife

     [Photograph session]
          -Arrangements

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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 40s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3

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

     Presidential gifts
          -Cuff links
          -Pin
          -Golf balls

           -Tie clips

     White House
          -Tour of Rose Garden
               -Plants

     Cliffard Carlson's residence in Washington area
           -Washington property as investment
           -Cliffard Carlson's tenure in Congress

Cliffard Carlson et al. left at 11:46 am.

Also recorded on April 20, 1972

099-005 11:39 AM — Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., Egil ("Bud") Krogh, and the Domestic Council met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 11:39 am and 3:07 pm.
099-006 11:39 AM — Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., Egil ("Bud") Krogh, Jr., and the Domestic Council met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 11:39 am and 3:07 pm.
099-008 11:39 AM — a White House tour group met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 11:39 am and 3:07 pm.
099-009 11:39 AM — unknown person(s) met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 11:39 am and 3:07 pm.
023-047 11:46 AM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:46 am and 11:48 am.
714-008 11:46 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at 11:46 am.
714-009 11:46 AM · 48 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:46 am and 11:48 am.
714-010 11:46 AM · 41 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:46 am and 11:48 am.

All 56 conversations from April 20, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 714-007, April 20, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/714-007 (accessed September 18, 2026).