Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 812 › Conversation 812-010
Nixon, Tullio & Rhatican on 1972 Presidential Campaign and Erie, Pennsylvania
Friday, November 3, 1972 · 11:05 AM–11:15 AM ET · Oval Office · 9 min
AI Summary
President Nixon met with Erie, Pennsylvania Mayor Louis J. Tullio, his wife Grace, and aide William F. Rhatican to discuss the 1972 presidential campaign and local municipal issues. The discussion covered Tullio's political support for Nixon despite his Democratic affiliation, as well as specific federal assistance for infrastructure projects in Erie, including railroad track removal. Additionally, the group addressed the recent death of Grace Tullio’s brother in the Vietnam War, with the President offering condolences and discussing the administration's policy regarding military settlements.
- 1972 Presidential Campaign
- Erie, Pennsylvania
- Louis J. Tullio
- Vietnam War
- Revenue Sharing
- Infrastructure Development
Audio
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
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How are you?
How are you?
Oh, I know, I know.
That was funny.
I know it's really sad.
But I didn't want to say that.
He's a pretty decent age.
You know, he's a pretty decent age.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
We worked with you in the last four years.
I'm going to work with you in the next five years.
We want you to win.
I know.
Don't worry about it.
I'll be around you in the future.
All right, let's see this.
And the parents and the daughter were there hopping and...
We're going to need to know that we've got a ramp, so...
My brother was killed with a direct result of the stopping of that bombing.
He had four days to come.
He's been there a whole year.
And it was killed with four days to finish up.
When I believe so.
Oh, he's a career man.
He's been in for 18 years.
Oh, he's a career man.
He's an officer.
And he was invited to the Pentagon.
He was coming back here.
He was an officer.
No, I'm an officer.
And he had worked as a general officer for many years.
It's not a real problem.
Oh, I'm so sorry.
But we are.
And we're proud of him.
He's a good man.
No.
My family, if I didn't have this... Where's that tissue?
There.
Oh, come on.
Yeah, yeah.
He admired you greatly.
Yes, he did.
I can see that.
And I know he died before you were elected.
I know that.
Well, we're going to be sure that he did not have that.
Yeah, that's right.
He won't.
He won't.
Yes, that's right, sir.
We are.
This is what we've got.
Now, Mr. President, we have a very small sum of public savings.
We are.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.
Well, sir, I said earlier in the campaign, you see, you had that question.
That's right.
I'm the president of the republic, so I got it after all the work.
And it was so funny.
He was there in the campaign.
He said, you really don't know some Democrats.
Well, I don't really know them.
Yes, I do.
I knew a lot of them back at that time.
I was with Mr. Wilson because he was an Democrat.
The Congress was part of the Congress.
But he said, well, twice he said, I don't know what.
He said, well, if you do, I think I'm going to have a call with you.
I'm going to do it.
He's my fellow speaker.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God.
uh uh
I don't know.
We have a, remember they supplied the Pumasco, I had a final specification, the best central was this, and what part was this, and they're going to go down through here at the top line.
So, what, I think people appreciate looking at this, and I can share our generation.
It's going to be about three and a half days, and it's about two and a half miles of traffic as we went up.
And it's going to literally be an eight o'clock in the morning in our city.
And it's just time to follow traffic going north and south.
So we got this agreement laid out.
We're going to put money in the state.
So there's this money in that footway that's growing this field.
And I was hoping, I was hoping, when the time comes, I can take this to your corporation, the time comes, to get some money back.
I need to hear about it.
Now, you know, so...
All right.
I was telling him that while I was in the nursing home, there isn't the only theater he'd want me to be in to prepare for home recovery.
I said, I can't get with you because there's only other people I can get with.
I said, I'm really worried about his medicine.
He gets up there and does that never-ending thing.
I said, what?
I said, I told you I was in the nursing home.
I didn't exactly say that to him.
I said, that's all right, we'll get a big enterprise.
I said, we'll get a vacuum mixer.
I said, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
Don't worry, that's just a prospect.
I actually see a seal there with a safety chain.
Don't worry, I'm happy you're safe.
I'm sorry you've got this.
This is great.
I'm going to take your time.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I told you that when it comes to the problems of the city, as a major to the economy, as long as it's a democratic republic, we're going to have a city.
And I told you that.
That's what I told you.
That's not going to happen.
That's not going to happen.
That's not going to happen.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
NARA Description
On November 3, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Louis J. Tullio, Grace Tullio, White House photographer, and William F. Rhatican met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:05 am to 11:15 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 812-010 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 812-10
Date: November 3, 1972
Time: 11:05 am - 11:15 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Louis J. Tullio, Grace Tullio, and William F. Rhatican. The White
House photographer was present at the beginning of the conversation.
Greetings
Erie
1972 campaign
-Erie
-Democratic majority
-Margin
-Louis Tullio’s conversation with Rhatican
-14-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 812-13 (cont’d)
-Planned Variations [PV] City. 1971
-Endorsement of George S. McGovern
-Revenue sharing
-Louis Tullio
-Advisory Board of US Conference of Mayors
-Support for the President
-Criticism by Democrats
*****************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift during
chronological review 2007-2013]
1972 campaign
-Erie
-Collaboration with the President
-First and second term
-Tullio’s plans
-Primaries
-Democratic party
-John V. Lindsay
-Independent
-John A. Volpe
*****************************************************************
Vietnam War
-Maj. David Gunster, Grace Tullio’s brother
-Frank L. Rizzo
-Letter to Joan Davis [?] of State Department
-Resumption of bombing, blockade
-Settlement agreement
-The President’s recent speech, “Look to the Future”
-Death
-Cessation of 1968 bombing
-Age
-Air Force military service
-Pentagon
-15-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 812-13 (cont’d)
-Gen. Richard M. Montgomery
-Family
-Photograph
-Death
-Timing
-1968 election
-Settlement agreement
[Photograph session]
-Sun
*****************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift during
chronological review 2007-2013]
1972 campaign
-Louis Tullio’s endorsement
-Republican candidate
-George S. McGovern
-Democratic Party
Presidential gifts
-Ash tray
Vietnam War
-Cooperation
-The President’s letter
*****************************************************************
Vietnam War
-Gunster’s death
-Settlement agreement
-The President’s statement for Louis Tullio’s use
Erie
-PV city
-16-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 812-13 (cont’d)
-Revenue sharing
-Penn Central Railroad
-John A. Volpe’s visit, November 2, 1972
-Norfolk & Western railroad tracks
-Removal
-Funding
-Pennsylvania
-Federal assistance
*****************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift during
chronological review 2007-2013]
Erie
-The President’s cooperation
-Volpe
-Republicans
1972 campaign
-Louis Tullio’s support for the President
-Democrats for Nixon
-Mayoral race
-Success
-[Erie]
*****************************************************************
Presidential gifts
-Ash trays
-Presidential seal
1972 campaign
-Endorsement issue for Louis Tullio
-Cities
-Problems
-The President’s concerns
-Partisanship
-17-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 812-13 (cont’d)
-The President’s statement for Louis Tullio’s use
-The President’s possible victory
Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
Lousi Tullio, Grace Tullio, and Rhatican left at 11:15 am.Also recorded on November 3, 1972
- 812-005 10:37 AM · 27 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:37 am and 10:41 am.
- 812-008 10:46 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:46 am and 10:54 am.
- 812-014 10:54 AM · 38 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:54 am and 11:00 am.
- 812-015 10:54 AM · 11 sec — unknown person(s) and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:54 am and 11:00 am.
- 812-009 11:00 AM · 54 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, unknown person(s), and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:00 am and 11:05 am.
- 812-011 11:16 AM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at 11:16 am.
- 812-012 11:17 AM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, Alexander P. Butterfield, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:17 am to 11:27 am.
- 812-013 11:27 AM · 27 sec — Alexander P. Butterfield and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:27 am and 11:28 am.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 812-010, November 3, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/812-010 (accessed October 12, 2026).