Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 3 › Conversation 003-096
Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on Ronald L. Ziegler
Thursday, May 20, 1971 · 7:46 PM ET · White House Telephone · 7 sec
AI Summary
President Nixon instructed the White House operator to redirect his communication efforts by canceling a pending call to Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler. He requested an immediate connection to Director of Communications Herbert G. Klein instead. This brief administrative exchange reflects the President's shifting priorities regarding his public relations and messaging strategy.
- Ronald L. Ziegler
- Herbert G. Klein
- White House communications
- administrative directives
- press relations
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
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NARA Description
On May 20, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 7:46 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 003-096 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 003-096
Date: May 20, 1971
Time: 7:46 pm
Location: White House Telephone
Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542
The President talked with the White House operator; background noise can be heard in the
original recording.
Call to Ronald L. Ziegler
Call to Herbert G. KleinAlso recorded on May 20, 1971
- 003-095 3:57 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:57 pm and 7:46 pm.
- 502-021 3:58 PM · 19 sec — unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:58 pm and 9:43 pm.
- 003-097 7:46 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Herbert G. Klein talked on the telephone from 7:46 pm to 7:50 pm.
- 003-098 7:50 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:50 pm and 7:52 pm.
- 003-099 7:52 PM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 7:52 pm.
- 003-100 7:53 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 7:53 pm.
- 003-101 7:53 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:53 pm and 7:59 pm.
- 003-102 7:59 PM · 32 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 7:59 pm to 8:00 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 003-096, May 20, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/003-096 (accessed October 22, 2026).