Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 818 › Conversation 818-006

Nixon, Taylor & Zimmerman on Pennsylvania politics and 1972 election

Tuesday, December 5, 1972 · 12:31 PM–12:37 PM ET · Oval Office · 6 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Taylor, M. Harvey; Zimmerman, Leroy S.; Butterfield, Alexander P.Conversation818-006 on Tape 818StartTuesday, December 5, 1972 at 12:31 PMEndTuesday, December 5, 1972 at 12:37 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 818-006 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 417182041 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with Pennsylvania political figure M. Harvey Taylor and District Attorney Leroy S. Zimmerman, accompanied by Alexander P. Butterfield, for a courtesy visit to the Oval Office. The discussion focused on Pennsylvania politics, reflections on the 1972 election results, and the exchange of gifts and presidential mementos. During the meeting, Nixon encouraged Taylor to return for future visits and touched upon Zimmerman’s potential future career path in the judiciary.

Audio

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NARA Description

On December 5, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, M. Harvey Taylor, Leroy S. Zimmerman, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:31 pm to 12:37 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 818-006 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 818-6

Date: December 5, 1972
                                              - 13 -

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                            Conversation No. 818-8 (cont’d)

Time: 12:31 pm - 12:37 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with M. Harvey Taylor, Leroy S. Zimmerman and Alexander P. Butterfield.

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

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift during
chronological review 2007-2013]

     Introductions

     Greetings

     1952 Campaign
         -Vice President

     Pennsylvania
         -Politics

     1972 Election
         -The President’s victory
         -Massachusetts

     Employees of Taylor

     Gifts
             -Gifts for the President
             -Gifts from the President
                  -Cuff links
                  -Seal
                  -Taylor’s age

     1972 Election
         -The President’s leadership
         -Congressional races
              -Republican candidates
              -Pennsylvania election results
                                              - 14 -

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                             Conversation No. 818-8 (cont’d)

      Taylor’s return visit to the White House
          -Retirement

      Zimmerman
         -District Attorney
         -Age
         -Future plans
              -Judge
              -Money

      Nixon’s daughter [not specified]

      Vice President Spiro T. Agnew

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

Taylor, Zimmerman and Butterfield left at 12:37 pm.

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 heard him over in 1952.
You better take a picture over here.
Now, did you remember the 52 campaign?
Uh, 52, uh, convention.
Oh, well, did you remember?
I was sitting right in front of you.
You were sitting right in front of me.
You were sitting right in front of me.
I said, you've never seen that?
I've always been the vice president of the committee.
I've never seen that.
You were the man.
You were the man.
That was something.
I believe he was the boss of Pennsylvania.
Yes, he was.
But you'll go down.
This is the boss of the United States.
And when I wear out, the first marigold leaves will still be staying up there.
You'll never have them.
You'll compare them.
Nixon was this.
That was the president.
He had younger tears, but he had white hair.
White hair.
I don't know those girls you had around.
I'm still dead.
I always remembered.
I called out.
Yeah, I called out.
She's a commitment in our district.
Yeah.
Do you mind if I give it to you?
I'm going to take a second.
Sure, of course you can.
You've carried that district 1128 and 325, 803, which are where we live, she and I.
Got it.
Yeah, I know you are.
I know you are.
Now, who sent you this?
The committee woman?
This is...
The committee woman.
I'll get her some.
I want to give you a couple.
And listen, when you carry a district like that, when you carry a district of 830, one voting district, that's what I mean.
How many work for it?
I've got a couple little things for you.
There's the new president.
That's the seal right on the floor.
I'm going to tell her what I paid for it.
Yeah, you paid for it.
I'll tell you.
All right.
Well, maybe you'll give your whole life to politics or something of your own.
All right.
All right.
All right.
All right.
All right.
All right.
I'm 96, 7 months.
I want to get your signature with mine.
I'll get it for you.
Now, this is only for special guests.
This is the seal with the signature.
You can keep it or give it to one of your girlfriends.
All right.
Now, you come back in one year.
Every year, you're going to come in.
Every time you come in, you encourage it.
You will do that now.
That means in one year, you're going to have a guest.
And I can't congratulate you.
Right.
Nobody ever, I'm an old guy.
Right.
I remember back, you know, for 80 years, you handled this time better than any man ever did this year.
in the United States of America.
I followed up on you.
Oh, you did, didn't you?
Good heavens.
Wait.
I think we're smart.
We probably answered one of the timers.
Well, we had some awesome candidates.
What are you talking about?
So did we.
We had some.
We were apologizing.
I haven't made you sick at all.
When something came close, it's my fault.
They said I can't be running around.
In the 10 counties that I was responsible for, that's what I said.
Well, you just remember now that the day you don't come in, it's going to worry you.
So next one year, you're going to come in.
I'm still there.
You're going to be submitting next year.
I hope not.
And I'll be here two years from now to have you appointed judge.
Do you want me to judge to come?
Let me know about it.
I don't recall you.
I'm 38.
I'll be 38 on December 22nd.
I'll become a judge at this age.
No, no, no.
You should know yet.
I'm going to wait.
You're not too young in years, but I think...
He didn't make a lot of money first.
He was a judge without steel.
He didn't want steel.
We could have made him judge of ice cream first.
But he said no harm.
A judge has to retire from the country.
I still want to take a drink at the bar.
That's what my daughter gave me four years ago.
She had the cruel word of law.
I don't know what I should say.
She's done.
God bless you.
We're so glad to see you.
God bless you.
And happy, Merry Christmas.
Happy New Year.
You know who's your best politician?
Not him.
Not me.
You, dear boy, and I do.
Okay.
All right.
Thank you.
See you.
Great.
Thank you.

Also recorded on December 5, 1972

  • 818-003 12:05 PM · 21 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Adm. Horacio Rivero, Jr., Col. Richard T. Kennedy, White House photographer, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:05 pm to 12:25 pm.
  • 818-004 12:26 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry O. Dormann, Herbert G. Klein, White House photographer, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:26 pm to 12:30 pm.
  • 818-005 12:30 PM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:30 pm and 12:31 pm.
  • 818-007 12:37 PM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:37 pm and 12:42 pm.
  • 818-008 12:37 PM · 24 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:37 pm and 12:42 pm.
  • 818-009 12:37 PM · 16 sec — Manolo Sanchez and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:37 pm and 12:42 pm.
  • 034-022 1:09 PM · 45 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 1:09 pm to 1:10 pm.
  • 034-147 1:09 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 1:09 pm.

All 55 conversations from December 5, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 818-006, December 5, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417182041). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/818-006 (accessed November 2, 2026).