Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 12 › Conversation 012-016
Nixon phone call with Ziegler on John N. Mitchell
Wednesday, October 20, 1971 · 5:40 PM–5:49 PM ET · White House Telephone ·12 sec
AI Summary
President Nixon initiated a series of telephone calls through the White House operator, primarily attempting to reach Attorney General John N. Mitchell. The brief sequence of exchanges also included administrative interactions with Ronald L. Ziegler and unidentified personnel. These communications reflect the President's ongoing coordination with high-level cabinet members and staff during this period.
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
Download transcript (.txt) ·JSON data · Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Each line starts with a timestamp button; press it to play the audio from that point.
NARA Description
On October 20, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, unknown person(s), White House operator, and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:40 pm and 5:49 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 012-016 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 12-16
11
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Date: October 20, 1971
Time: Unknown between 5:40 pm and 5:49 pm
Location: White House Telephone
The President conferred with an unknown person.
[See Conversation No. 282-32A]
Manolo Sanchez
The President talked with the White House operator.
Request for call to John N. Mitchell
The President conferred with Ronald L. Ziegler.Also recorded on October 20, 1971
- 012-015 5:33 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John N. Mitchell talked on the telephone from 5:33 pm to 5:40 pm.
- 282-030 5:33 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John N. Mitchell met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:33 pm to 5:40 pm.
- 282-031 5:40 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:40 pm and 5:49 pm.
- 282-032 5:40 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, Manolo Sanchez, White House operator, and John N. Mitchell met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:40 pm and 5:49 pm.
- 012-017 5:49 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John N. Mitchell talked on the telephone from 5:49 pm to 5:50 pm.
- 012-018 5:50 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:50 pm and 6:05 pm.
- 282-033 5:53 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:53 pm to 6:05 pm.
- 282-034 5:53 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:53 pm and 6:05 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 012-016, October 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/012-016 (accessed September 18, 2026).