Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 16 › Conversation 016-112

Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on Muriel L. Hartley

Saturday, December 18, 1971 · 1:46 PM–2:45 PM ET · White House Telephone · 12 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation016-112 on Tape 16 (tape position 03:54:28–03:54:39)StartSaturday, December 18, 1971 at 1:46 PMEndSaturday, December 18, 1971 at 2:45 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 016-112 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon instructed the White House operator to place a call to Muriel L. Hartley, who served as General Alexander Haig’s secretary. The President initiated the contact specifically to inquire about Hartley's well-being, noting his understanding that she was currently ill at home. The call was placed to facilitate communication with her despite her reported health issues.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Please.
Would you get me Mrs. Hartley, please?
I think she is ill at home, but she's General Hague's secretary.
Yes, thank you.

NARA Description

On December 18, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:46 pm and 2:45 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 016-112 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 16-112

Date: December 18, 1971
Time: Unknown between 1:46 pm and 2:45 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with the White House operator.

[See Conversation No. 310-8]

     Request for a call to Muriel L. Hartley

     Muriel L. Hartley’s health

Also recorded on December 18, 1971

  • 639-007 1:09 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:09 pm and 11:11 pm.
  • 639-009 1:11 PM · 22 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:11 pm to 1:34 pm.
  • 639-010 1:34 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:34 pm and 1:36 pm.
  • 639-011 1:36 PM · 29 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Nawabzada Am Raza, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:36 pm to 2:06 pm.
  • 016-111 1:40 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John B. Connally talked on the telephone from 1:40 pm to 1:46 pm.
  • 639-012 2:06 PM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:06 pm and 2:10 pm.
  • 639-013 2:06 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:06 pm and 2:10 pm.
  • 639-014 2:10 PM · 20 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:10 pm to 2:31 pm.

All 52 conversations from December 18, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 016-112, December 18, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/016-112 (accessed October 10, 2026).