Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 42 › Conversation 042-045

Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on Robert H. Finch

Thursday, April 15, 1971 · 3:44 PM ET · White House Telephone · 10 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation042-045 on Tape 42 (tape position 00:52:28–00:52:41)StartThursday, April 15, 1971 at 3:44 PMEndThursday, April 15, 1971 at 3:44 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 042-045 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to determine the whereabouts of Robert H. Finch. The operator informed the President that Finch had departed for New York and would not return until the following morning. Nixon inquired if any other staff could assist him in Finch's absence.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Mr. President, Mr. Finch just left for New York.
He won't be back till midnight.
He'll be back in the office in the morning.
Anyone else help you?

NARA Description

On April 15, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 3:44 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 042-045 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 42-45

Date: April 15, 1971

Time: 3:44 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The White House operator talked with the President.

[See Conversation No. 249-12]

     Robert H. Finch's location

     Call to Donald H. Rumsfeld

Also recorded on April 15, 1971

  • 249-012 3:44 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 3:44 pm.
  • 042-046 3:45 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Donald H. Rumsfeld talked on the telephone from 3:45 pm to 3:48 pm.
  • 249-013 3:45 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Donald H. Rumsfeld met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:45 pm to 3:48 pm.
  • 042-047 3:48 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:48 pm and 4:31 pm.
  • 249-014 3:48 PM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:48 pm and 4:05 pm.
  • 249-015 3:48 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:48 pm and 4:05 pm.
  • 249-016 4:05 PM · 17 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:05 pm to 4:32 pm.
  • 249-017 4:05 PM · 6 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 4:05 pm and 4:31 pm.

All 71 conversations from April 15, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 042-045, April 15, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/042-045 (accessed October 3, 2026).