Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 3 › Conversation 003-024

Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on Leslie C. Arends

Wednesday, May 12, 1971 · 4:32 PM–5:28 PM ET · White House Telephone · 8 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation003-024 on Tape 3 (tape position 00:27:34–00:27:43)StartWednesday, May 12, 1971 at 4:32 PMEndWednesday, May 12, 1971 at 5:28 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 003-024 ↗

President Nixon directs the White House operator to place a telephone call to Congressman Leslie C. Arends. This brief administrative interaction serves as a precursor to a legislative outreach effort. No further substantive discussion occurs during this recording.

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Yeah.
Please.
Would you get me Congressman Ahrens, please?
Yes, sir.

On May 12, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:32 pm and 5:28 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 003-024 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 003-024

Date: May 12, 1971
Time: Unknown between 4:32 pm and 5:29 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with the White House operator.

     Call to Leslie C. Arends

       Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542
  • 003-017 4:10 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:10 pm and 4:17 pm.
  • 003-018 4:17 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 4:17 pm.
  • 003-019 4:17 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and unknown person(s) talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:17 pm and 4:24 pm.
  • 003-020 4:24 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 4:24 pm.
  • 003-021 4:24 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:24 pm and 4:30 pm.
  • 003-022 4:24 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:24 pm and 4:30 pm.
  • 499-001 4:29 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, David M. Kennedy, and Peter G. Peterson met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:29 pm and 5:27 pm.
  • 003-023 4:30 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Gerald R. Ford talked on the telephone from 4:30 pm to 4:32 pm.

Conversation 003-024, May 12, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/003-024 (accessed September 28, 2026).