Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 8 › Conversation 008-012
Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on William L. Safire
Monday, August 16, 1971 · 8:54 PM–8:59 PM ET · White House Telephone · 9 sec
AI Summary
President Nixon contacted the White House operator to place a follow-up call to speechwriter William L. Safire. The brief interaction served exclusively to facilitate communication with Safire. No further substantive policy discussions occurred during this exchange.
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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 August 16, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:54 pm and 8:59 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 008-012 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 8-12
Date: August 16, 1971
Time: Unknown between 8:54 pm and 8:59 pm
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with the White House operator.
Request for call to William L. SafireAlso recorded on August 17, 1971
- 008-009 8:41 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 8:41 pm to 8:46 pm.
- 008-010 8:50 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Peter M. Flanigan talked on the telephone from 8:50 pm to 8:54 pm.
- 008-011 8:54 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:54 pm and 8:59 pm.
- 008-013 8:59 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles G. ("Bebe") Rebozo talked on the telephone from 8:59 pm to 9:02 pm.
- 008-014 9:03 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William L. Safire talked on the telephone from 9:03 pm to 9:05 pm.
- 008-015 9:05 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:05 pm and 9:07 pm.
- 008-016 9:07 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods talked on the telephone from 9:07 pm to 9:10 pm.
- 008-017 9:28 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 9:28 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 008-012, August 17, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/008-012 (accessed October 12, 2026).