Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 43 › Conversation 043-008

Nixon phone call with Ziegler on Executive Privilege and Press Relations

Wednesday, January 31, 1973 · 12:34 PM–12:36 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.Conversation043-008 on Tape 43StartWednesday, January 31, 1973 at 12:34 PMEndWednesday, January 31, 1973 at 12:36 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 043-008 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon directs Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler to have John Ehrlichman and John Dean draft an obfuscatory executive privilege statement to deflect questioning from Clark Mollenhoff. The two also review the success of a recent press conference, with Ziegler noting positive public and media reception regarding the President’s stance on amnesty, North Vietnam, and the impoundment of congressional funds. Nixon expresses his satisfaction with the press conference location and reaffirms his decision to restrict future press access to the Oval Office.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yeah.
Yes, sir.
I wanted you to tell Ehrlichman, he was down at the U.S. News when I tried to call him this morning, that I'd like for him to take charge.
Of course, John Dean will work on it and get out a statement on executive privilege.
In other words, of course, they know how to do it.
They'll just fuzz up the goddamn thing so much nobody can figure it out.
But it's good to have one out.
uh which will uh which will give molinov something that he can chew on a bit right and uh we'll we'll have it okay okay i i think that i think the conference went well mr president part on amnesty amnesty was good i think the north vietnamese part was good and also dealing with the congress on the the impounding of funds i probably drove them right up the wall they uh well i got in a one lick which of course uh
I know all of our peaceniks around the staff will not appreciate when I said those who seem to be least.
Right.
I mean, it's quite true, isn't it?
That's right.
And also, the other one, it takes two to heal wounds.
That's right.
The other point you made, which was a good point.
What are they doing?
How are they generally feeling?
Are they behaving well, or are they mad again?
No, no, they're fine.
You know, they have a lot of leads out of there.
One is the impounded lead that he will continue to...
impound funds uh if they're not doing so would would increase taxes right um then the kissinger lead of course yeah that's the big one yeah and uh that's all that's moved up to this yeah i'm glad we did it in the room out there i am too is it i am too i'm glad we did uh now we've crossed that bridge and i'm not never going to have them in the office again anyway you know we don't need to i mean
They'll be on the tube.
Why let them filter it?
Well, they'll filter anyway because they'll select what they get in the tube, but they've also got to carry a hell of a chunk of it tonight.
And they're likely to carry that impoundment.
They're certainly going to carry the amnesty.
Don't you think?
A little about the fact that an investment in peace.
Those are the three leads as I see it.
Maybe a little on gun control.
Maybe some.
Doubtful, but they might.
They might, but
little crap there.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I thought it was a good session.
Thank you.

NARA Description

On January 31, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 12:34 pm to 12:36 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 043-008 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 43-8

Date: January 31, 1973
Time: 12:34 - 12:36 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Ronald L. Ziegler

[See Conversation No. 403-25]

       Executive privilege statement
            -John D. Ehrlichman
                  -John W. Dean, III
            -Clark R. Mollenhoff

       Press conference reaction
             -Amnesty issue
             -North Vietnam
             -Congress
                   -Funding impoundment issue
             -White House Press Corps
                   -Ziegler’s view
                         -Press stories
             -Announcement of Henry A. Kissinger’s trip
             -Location of press conference
                   -The President’s view
             -Television [TV] coverage
                   -Impoundment
                   -Amnesty
                                                -6-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                          Conversation No. 43-8 (cont’d)

                   -Gun control

Also recorded on January 31, 1973

  • 043-009 12:36 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:36 pm and 12:38 pm.
  • 043-010 12:38 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Peter J. Brennan talked on the telephone from 12:38 pm to 12:41 pm.
  • 403-026 12:38 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 12:38 pm.
  • 403-027 12:38 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Peter J. Brennan met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 12:38 pm to 12:41 pm.
  • 403-028 12:41 PM · 10 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 12:41 pm and 2:40 pm.
  • 403-029 12:41 PM · 7 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 12:41 pm and 2:40 pm.
  • 403-030 12:41 PM · 8 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 12:41 pm and 2:40 pm.
  • 403-031 12:41 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:41 pm and 2:40 pm.

All 86 conversations from January 31, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 043-008, January 31, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/043-008 (accessed October 1, 2026).