Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 829 › Conversation 829-023

Nixon, Warren & Sanchez on Roberto Clemente and Harry S. Truman

Tuesday, January 2, 1973 · 8:45 AM–8:56 AM ET · Oval Office · 4 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Sanchez, Manolo; Warren, Gerald L.Conversation829-023 on Tape 829StartTuesday, January 2, 1973 at 8:45 AMEndTuesday, January 2, 1973 at 8:56 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 829-023 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with Manolo Sanchez regarding his eyeglasses before meeting with Gerald L. Warren to coordinate administrative and ceremonial duties. The participants discussed the drafting of a presidential statement on the death of Roberto Clemente and noted the cancellation of inaugural festivities in Puerto Rico. Additionally, Nixon reviewed protocol for the upcoming Harry S. Truman memorial service, confirming that he would not deliver a eulogy and delegating the handling of the event to the State Department.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Check all these glasses, sir.
No, sir.
Check the only one you need from the O.V.
Oh, that one's for the house.
No, sir.
Don't check those, too.
Uh, the one.
This is for the wrong distance, sir.
Check this one.
Okay, they better check this one.
These here, too.
to make sure they're all the same.
So they can check the ones in here and go over to the EOB2.
You have an idiot.
I think it would be rather quiet.
I would like to get an expression of presidential sentiment out on the Roberto Clemente death this morning.
Do you agree with that?
I think it's very necessary.
Ray Price is working on it right now.
And I just think it's necessary.
Oh, of course it's necessary.
I thought you would have had something to say.
No.
I just don't think so yet, because they haven't found the body or the wreckage.
Now they have canceled all public expressions of joy during the inauguration of the governor down there.
They're going to go ahead with the inauguration, but they've canceled the gala and that sort of thing.
So that's one of the things this morning.
Kissinger's returned today, of course.
and whether or not he'll see you each day or in the morning.
He said he'll see me when he returns.
All right.
Then there are recurring questions, of course, about the Truman Memorial Service on the 5th, whether or not what your participation in that would be.
It's a... What is it?
What are the questions?
Well, whether or not you would deliver a eulogy in the loyal service.
There are no plans for this.
Relations.
I mean, because we have no, uh, uh, that's handled.
That isn't handled.
See, that's my highest regard.
We handle it from here.
It's right back where it's supposed to be.
And by the State Department protocol.
Yeah.
Well, I guess, uh, I have no, uh, suggestion.
Nobody suggested I have to give an eulogy.
Don't say that.
Yes.
Yes, sir.
Find out what the plans are and say the plans are that it will be something that will be handled in a certain way.
I'll get out of the Roberto committee.
They should have had the issue.
They're supposed to get that out.
Okay.

NARA Description

On January 2, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Manolo Sanchez, and Gerald L. Warren met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:45 am and 8:56 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 829-023 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 829-23

Date: January 2, 1973
Time: Unknown between 8:45 am and 8:56 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Manolo Sanchez.

       Eyeglasses
            -Prescription
            -Location

Gerald L. Warren entered at 8:53 am. Sanchez left at an unknown time between 8:45 am and
8:53 am.

       Roberto W. Clemente's death
            -The President’s statement
                  -Raymond K. Price, Jr.
            -Funeral arrangements
                                              -29-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                                 Conversation No. 829-23 (cont’d)

             -Puerto Rican gubernatorial inaugural festivities
                   -Cancellation
             -Henry A. Kissinger's return to Washington

       Harry S. Truman’s memorial service
            -The President’s participation
            -The President's delivery of eulogy
                  -Dwight D. Eisenhower's funeral
                  -State Department protocol
            -Plans

       Clemente statement

Gerald L. Warren left at 8:56 am.

Also recorded on January 2, 1973

  • 035-050 8:45 AM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:45 am and 8:53 am.
  • 829-017 8:45 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John McKay met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:45 am and 8:53 am.
  • 829-018 8:45 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Wayne Woodrow ("Woody") Hays met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:45 am and 8:53 am.
  • 829-019 8:45 AM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:45 am and 8:53 am.
  • 829-020 8:45 AM · 22 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:45 am and 8:53 am.
  • 829-021 8:45 AM · 22 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:45 am and 8:53 am.
  • 829-022 8:45 AM · 47 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 8:45 am and 8:53 am.
  • 035-051 8:56 AM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Warren E. Burger talked on the telephone from 8:56 am to 9:03 am.

All 52 conversations from January 2, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 829-023, January 2, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/829-023 (accessed October 12, 2026).