Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 36 › Conversation 036-086

Nixon phone call with Ziegler on White House press relations and Time magazine

Tuesday, January 23, 1973 · 4:09 PM–4:10 PM ET · White House Telephone · 43 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.Conversation036-086 on Tape 36StartTuesday, January 23, 1973 at 4:09 PMEndTuesday, January 23, 1973 at 4:10 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 036-086 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon contacted Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler to enforce a strict directive barring White House staff from communicating with Time magazine journalists Jerrold L. Schecter and Hugh S. Sidey. Nixon demanded that his orders to freeze all cooperation with the publication be fully understood and upheld for the remainder of his term. He confirmed that he would also coordinate with H. R. Haldeman to ensure the policy was consistently implemented across the administration.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Hello.
Mr. Sigler.
Ron.
Yes, sir.
I just wanted you to be totally sure, and I'll also call Haldeman to be sure that he picked you up, that my order on Schechter and all, and Seide, and all the bastards at Time is totally understood and totally enforced.
For four years I am in office under no circumstances, whatever, that he called to be returned to Time magazine.
that everything had anybody to see them.
Is that totally, absolutely understood and clear?
Yes, sir.
I made the call yesterday.

NARA Description

On January 23, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:09 pm and 4:10 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 036-086 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 36-86

Date: January 23, 1973
Time: Unknown between 4:09 pm and 4:10 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Ronald L. Ziegler.

[See also Conversation No. 407-4]

       Time
              -The President’s instructions
                    -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
              -Jerrold L. Schecter
              -Hugh S. Sidey
              -White House staff dealings

Also recorded on January 23, 1973

  • 407-003 4:09 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 4:09 pm.
  • 407-004 4:09 PM · 42 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:09 pm to 4:10 pm.
  • 407-005 4:10 PM · 17 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 4:10 pm and 4:14 pm.
  • 407-006 4:10 PM · 24 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 4:10 pm and 4:14 pm.
  • 407-007 4:14 PM · 15 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and Raymond K. Price, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:14 pm to 4:34 pm.
  • 407-008 4:55 PM · 26 min — 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 4:55 pm and 5:24 pm.
  • 407-009 5:24 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:24 pm to 5:29 pm.
  • 407-010 5:29 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:29 pm and 6:19 pm.

All 94 conversations from January 23, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 036-086, January 23, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/036-086 (accessed October 8, 2026).