{"conversationCode":"034-050","tapeNumber":34,"conversationNumber":50,"identifier":"37-wht-conversation-034-050","startDateTime":"1972-12-12T00:54:00.000Z","endDateTime":"1972-12-12T00:55:00.000Z","startDate":"11-Dec-1972","startTime":"7:54 PM","endDate":"11-Dec-1972","endTime":"7:55 PM","dateCertainty":"certain","timeCertainty":"certain","participants":"Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.;","description":"On December 11, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 7:54 pm to 7:55 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 034-050 of the White House Tapes.","locationCode":"WHT","recordingDevice":"White House Telephone","latitudeEstimated":38.89767,"longitudeEstimated":-77.03655,"chronCode":"5.2","chronRelease":"Fifth Chronological Release: Part II","chronReleaseDate":"2-Dec-2008","aogpRelease":null,"aogpSegment":null,"lastModified":"2015-07-27T17:04:10.235Z","findingAid":"Conversation No. 34-50\n\nDate: December 11, 1972\nTime: 7:54 pm - 7:55 pm\nLocation: White House Telephone\n\nThe President talked with Ronald L. Ziegler.\n\n       Press relations\n             -Washington Post reporters\n             -Constance M. (Cornell) (“Connie”) Stuart\n             -Photographer\n             -White House\n                    -Press conferences, briefings\n                    -Church services\n\n*****************************************************************\n[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]\n\n                   -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon\n\n[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]\n*****************************************************************\n\f                                              -45-\n\n                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM\n\n                                                          Conversation No. 34-50 (cont’d)\n\n                   -Photographers\n                   -Ziegler’s tenure","filename":["034-050.mp3"],"tapeStart":"","tapeEnd":"","participantsList":["Nixon, Richard M. (President)","Ziegler, Ronald L."],"prevCode":"034-049","nextCode":"034-051","transcript":[{"start":0.62,"end":2.26,"text":"Hello."},{"start":2.4,"end":3.52,"text":"Mrs. Ziegler, sir."},{"start":3.54,"end":3.69,"text":"Hi."},{"start":4.03,"end":4.39,"text":"How are you?"},{"start":4.77,"end":5.17,"text":"Hi, Ron."},{"start":5.29,"end":6.51,"text":"Yes, Mr. President."},{"start":6.53,"end":7.43,"text":"I just talked to Connie."},{"start":7.45,"end":10.45,"text":"She fully understands the Washington Post situation."},{"start":10.49,"end":15.62,"text":"There was no reporter today at the ceremony."},{"start":15.64,"end":25.31,"text":"There was a photographer there, but apparently they screwed up on their desk assignment today, and there was no reporter present from the Post."},{"start":25.89,"end":30.05,"text":"I want it clearly understood that from now on, ever,"},{"start":30.44,"end":34.3,"text":"no reporter from the Washington Post is ever to be in the White House."},{"start":34.48,"end":35.01,"text":"Is that clear?"},{"start":35.1,"end":35.61,"text":"Absolutely."},{"start":36.11,"end":37.09,"text":"Unless it's a press conference."},{"start":37.11,"end":37.37,"text":"Yes, sir."},{"start":38.15,"end":40.55,"text":"Briefings here, but— Not a briefing."},{"start":40.57,"end":41.55,"text":"But never in the White House."},{"start":42.03,"end":43.03,"text":"No church service."},{"start":44.09,"end":45.4,"text":"Nothing that Mrs. Nixon does."},{"start":45.42,"end":48.04,"text":"You tell Connie, don't tell Mrs. Nixon because she'll approve it."},{"start":48.62,"end":55.15,"text":"No reporter from the Washington Post is ever to be in the White House again, and no photographer either."},{"start":55.72,"end":56.98,"text":"No photographer, is that clear?"},{"start":57.44,"end":57.74,"text":"Yes, sir."},{"start":57.8,"end":59.36,"text":"None ever to be in."},{"start":59.38,"end":63.83,"text":"Now, that is a total order, and if necessary, I'll fire you."},{"start":64.19,"end":64.67,"text":"You understand?"},{"start":64.83,"end":65.98,"text":"I do understand."},{"start":66.02,"end":66.48,"text":"Okay."},{"start":67.08,"end":67.94,"text":"All right."},{"start":68.12,"end":68.4,"text":"Good."},{"start":71.04,"end":71.14,"text":"Okay."},{"start":71.17,"end":71.36,"text":"Thank you."}],"aiSummary":{"text":"President Nixon directs Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler to implement a total ban on Washington Post reporters and photographers within the White House, excluding only formal press conferences. Nixon insists that the restriction apply to all events, including church services and activities involving First Lady Pat Nixon, and emphasizes that the order is absolute under threat of termination. The discussion follows a report from Connie Stuart regarding the absence of a Post reporter at a recent ceremony, prompting Nixon to enforce the directive immediately.","topics":["Washington Post","White House press relations","Ronald Ziegler","media access","presidential directives"],"generatedAt":"2026-04-06T04:30:58.627Z"},"topicSlugs":["washington-post","white-house-press-relations","ronald-ziegler","media-access","presidential-directives"],"audioDurationSec":76,"audioFiles":[{"file":"034-050.mp3","bytes":1832768,"durationSec":76.24,"bitrate":192315,"missing":false}],"audioIsShared":false,"audioProbedAt":"2026-09-18T02:19:29.541Z","findingAidSource":"nixonlibrary.gov subject log (2024-05), reslice-v2","findingAidUpdatedAt":"2026-09-18T08:42:41.144Z","audio":["https://nixon.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/audio/034-050.mp3"],"url":"https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/034-050","nixonLibraryUrl":"https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/white-house-tapes/34/conversation-034-050","license":"Public domain (U.S. Government work). AI-generated fields (transcript, aiSummary) are provided as-is without warranty."}