Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 37 › Conversation 037-024

Nixon phone call with Ziegler on Vietnam settlement

Thursday, March 1, 1973 · 4:48 PM–4:50 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.Conversation037-024 on Tape 37StartThursday, March 1, 1973 at 4:48 PMEndThursday, March 1, 1973 at 4:50 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 037-024 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 417195193 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler consulted on anticipated questions for an upcoming press conference. They discussed strategies for addressing concerns regarding potential concessions in the Vietnam settlement, the status of the cease-fire, and the role of U.S. influence. Additionally, they identified likely inquiries regarding the Middle East, rising food prices, and the ongoing Watergate investigations involving L. Patrick Gray III. Nixon instructed Ziegler to prepare a prioritized list of these topics for his final review.

Audio

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NARA Description

On March 1, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 4:48 pm to 4:50 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 037-024 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 37-24

Date: March 1, 1973
Time: 4:48 pm-4:50 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Ronald L. Ziegler.

[See Conversation No. 416-14]

       Preparation for President's press conference
              -Vietnam settlement
                      -Concessions
                      -Terms of treaty
                              -South Vietnam
                                      -Police
                                      -Living conditions
                              -Nguyen Van Thieu
                              -US influence
                      -Cease-fire
                      -Prisoners of War [POWs]
              -Middle East
                      -Meeting
              -Food prices
              -Watergate
              -L. Patrick Gray III
                                            - 16 -

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yes, sir.
Ron, what are the questions you assume would be the major ones that will come up tomorrow?
Have you thought that through yet?
Well, not totally, but I think on the whole area, the question of whether or not...
This came about as a result of any concessions.
I've been asked that and have shot it down.
That'll come up.
I'd just say no.
I have said that.
Concessions on what?
I don't think it'll come in a bludgering way.
I just think... No, but I mean, I was wondering if they...
Well, did we agree or commit to the North Vietnamese that we would police the South and give them better living conditions and that type of thing?
And that will probably come in that too.
Right.
Now, we've said that we've used our influence in our contacts with all parties to adhere to the thing, and we expect it very well.
I do...
feel that the ceasefire is being observed in a satisfactory way in terms of...
I'll tell you what to do.
Why don't you just sit down and jot off the questions.
Get them until you'd write them.
The eight or ten that you think are the most likely.
I'll have them right up to you.
My guess is that the POW thing tends to
I mean, it's so diffused that they're not likely to try to press it particularly.
I don't think they'll press it.
I just assume for them to press it, as a matter of fact.
You might get a question in the Mideast, I think.
You might, I don't know, in the Mideast area and so forth, is getting a little stale now, I guess.
Right.
Although they'll still be on that.
Food prices, maybe.
Watergate, obviously.
Grady, maybe.
What else would you think?
No?
Middle East issues.
I'll put together Tim right away for you and get him right over to you as well.
Right.

Also recorded on March 1, 1973

  • 037-022 4:46 PM · 34 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 4:46 pm to 4:47 pm.
  • 416-012 4:46 PM · 24 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:46 pm to 4:47 pm.
  • 037-023 4:47 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:47 pm and 4:48 pm.
  • 416-013 4:47 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:47 pm and 4:48 pm.
  • 416-014 4:48 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:48 pm to 4:50 pm.
  • 416-015 4:50 PM · 26 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:50 pm and 5:40 pm.
  • 416-016 4:50 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:50 pm and 5:40 pm.
  • 416-017 4:50 PM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:50 pm and 5:40 pm.

All 53 conversations from March 1, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 037-024, March 1, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417195193). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/037-024 (accessed November 15, 2026).