Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 20 › Conversation 020-136

Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on White House operator

Wednesday, March 1, 1972 · 11:19 AM ET · White House Telephone · 15 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation020-136 on Tape 20 (tape position 04:48:34–04:48:49)StartWednesday, March 1, 1972 at 11:19 AMEndWednesday, March 1, 1972 at 11:19 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 020-136 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon contacted the White House operator to place a call to First Lady Pat Nixon to discuss her current schedule. Upon learning she was already on another line, the President opted not to interrupt her conversation. No further action was taken, as Nixon instructed the operator that there was no urgency regarding the request.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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

Yes, please.
Mrs. Nixon, please.
Mr. President, she is on the phone.
Do you want me to interrupt her?
She's on the phone.
All right.
So she hangs up?
Oh, no hurry.
No hurry.
All right, Mr. President.
Fine.

NARA Description

On March 1, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 11:19 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 020-136 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 20-136

Date: March 1, 1972
Time: 11:19 am

Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with the White House operator.

[See Conversation No. 676-16]

     Request for a call to Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon

     Mrs. Nixon’s schedule

Also recorded on March 1, 1972

  • 676-016 11:19 AM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at 11:19 am.
  • 020-137 11:22 AM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 11:22 am.
  • 020-138 11:22 AM · 24 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:22 am and 11:27 am.
  • 020-139 11:22 AM · 54 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:22 am and 11:29 am.
  • 676-017 11:22 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at 11:22 am.
  • 676-018 11:22 AM · 28 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:22 am and 11:26 am.
  • 676-019 11:22 AM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:22 am and 11:26 am.
  • 676-020 11:22 AM · 26 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:22 am and 11:26 am.

All 40 conversations from March 1, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 020-136, March 1, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/020-136 (accessed October 12, 2026).