Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 1 › Conversation 001-059

Nixon phone call with Ziegler on Paul McCracken and Press relations

Friday, April 9, 1971 · 11:01 AM–11:02 AM ET · White House Telephone · 38 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.Conversation001-059 on Tape 1 (tape position 02:07:05–02:07:46)StartFriday, April 9, 1971 at 11:01 AMEndFriday, April 9, 1971 at 11:02 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 001-059 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon instructed Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler to preemptively address a speculative Washington Post report suggesting that Paul McCracken, Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, was planning to resign. Nixon directed Ziegler to dismiss the story as entirely unfounded during the upcoming press briefing. By affirming the President's full confidence in McCracken’s leadership and policies, Nixon aimed to stabilize the administration's economic messaging.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yeah.
Yes, sir.
One thing, if you can volunteer, plant at the press conference, is this.
There was a story in the Washington Post that McCracken was thinking of going back or something.
I, of course, I suppose it's on your calendar, I don't know, that I met with him this morning.
Right.
You could say that the speculation about the chairman of the council was completely erroneous.
Totally without foundation.
That the way that Chairman McCracken has
and his policies have the complete confidence of the president.
Just lay it that way, okay?
Yes, sir.
Good luck.
Right.

NARA Description

On April 9, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 11:01 am to 11:02 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 001-059 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 1-59

Date: April 9, 1971
Time: 11:01 am - 11:02 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Ronald L. Ziegler.

[See Conversation No. 476-11B]

     Future press briefing
          -Washington Post story
                -Paul W. McCracken
                -President's position

Also recorded on April 9, 1971

  • 001-056 10:27 AM · 2 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone from 10:27 am to 10:28 am.
  • 476-009 10:27 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, unknown person(s), and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:27 am and 10:28 am.
  • 001-057 10:28 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 10:28 am to 10:31 am.
  • 476-010 10:28 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:28 am to 10:31 am.
  • 001-058 10:31 AM · 1 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:31 am and 11:01 am.
  • 476-011 10:33 AM · 30 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Paul W. McCracken, White House operator, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:33 am to 11:05 am.
  • 476-012 11:05 AM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at 11:05 am.
  • 476-013 11:05 AM · 34 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, David M. Kennedy, White House photographer, and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:05 am to 11:38 am.

All 42 conversations from April 9, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 001-059, April 9, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/001-059 (accessed October 23, 2026).