Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 23 › Conversation 023-138
Ehrlichman & Ziegler on L. Patrick Gray III and FBI
Wednesday, May 3, 1972 · 2:53 PM–3:10 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min
AI Summary
John D. Ehrlichman coordinates with Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler regarding the upcoming press conference to announce the appointment of L. Patrick Gray III as acting FBI Director. Ehrlichman outlines the procedural flow of the announcement, instructs Ziegler on how to field press inquiries, and clarifies the technical employment status of Gray for salary purposes. The two agree to meet in person to finalize the specific language Ziegler should use when announcing that a permanent nomination for the position will be deferred until after the election.
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
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NARA Description
On May 3, 1972, John D. Ehrlichman, White House operator, and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:53 pm and 3:10 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 023-138 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 23-138
Date: May 3, 1972
Time: Unknown between 2:53 and 3:10 pm
Location: White House Telephone
John D. Ehrlichman talked with the White House operator.
Request for a call to Ronald L. Ziegler
Ehrlichman talked with an unknown woman in Ziegler's office at an unknown time.
Request to talk to Ziegler
Ehrlichman talked with an unknown woman in Ziegler's office at an unknown time.
Call on hold
Ehrlichman talked with Ziegler at an unknown time.
Richard G. Kleindienst
-Press conference
-Ziegler's introduction
-Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
-L. Patrick Gray III
-Statement
-Questions
-Ziegler's handling
-Present position
-Reasons
-Ziegler's announcement
-Permanent appointment
-Ziegler's meeting with Ehrlichman
-Statement
-Richard A. MooreAlso recorded on May 3, 1972
- 023-136 2:30 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 2:30 pm.
- 335-012 2:30 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 2:30 pm.
- 335-013 2:30 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 2:30 pm.
- 335-014 2:30 PM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John K. Andrews, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:30 pm to 2:40 pm.
- 335-015 2:40 PM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:40 pm and 2:41 pm.
- 335-016 2:41 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, unknown person(s), and John D. Ehrlichman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:41 pm to 2:49 pm.
- 023-137 2:48 PM · 38 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman talked on the telephone from 2:48 pm to 2:49 pm.
- 335-017 2:50 PM · 36 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Richard G. Kleindienst, L[ouis] Patrick Gray, III, unknown person(s), John D. Ehrlichman, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:50 pm to 3:35 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 023-138, May 3, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/023-138 (accessed October 10, 2026).