Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 43 › Conversation 043-147

Nixon phone call with Ziegler on Gridiron Dinner

Wednesday, February 21, 1973 · 11:16 AM–11:17 AM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.Conversation043-147 on Tape 43StartWednesday, February 21, 1973 at 11:16 AMEndWednesday, February 21, 1973 at 11:17 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 043-147 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler discuss the President's decision to decline attendance at the upcoming Gridiron dinner. Nixon expresses concern that his presence would improperly elevate political opponents like George McGovern to his own stature, a view supported by Henry Kissinger. To manage the optics, Nixon decides that Vice President Spiro Agnew should attend the Gridiron dinner instead, while Nixon will exclusively attend the White House Correspondents' dinner.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Oh, yes, sir.
Oh, you're in with the Vice President now?
Yes, sir.
This may involve something you wanted.
Just a second.
I've been thinking about the gridiron thing, and I've sort of reflected on it.
I really feel that we should come down against doing it, and we ought to decide it now.
I agree.
And, for example, Henry's point was that it would just...
raise McGovern to our level and so forth.
Don't you agree?
I agree.
Now, when can you get the other fellow in?
Four o'clock.
Four o'clock.
Okay, good.
Now, the other point is, though, that...
They can move it to the 14th.
They can, fine.
Which loosens it up.
Fine.
Now, the other thing is, I'd like for him...
I think it's very important the Vice President do the greener, you see?
Yes, sir.
Okay, fine.
Fine, you can say that I'm not going, but that he would have, he should under the circumstances, but I'll do the White House correspondence and he won't have to do that, make that deal with him.
Fair enough.
Good.

NARA Description

On February 21, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 11:16 am to 11:17 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 043-147 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 43-147

Date: February 21, 1973
Time: 11:16 am - 11:17 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Ronald L. Ziegler.

[See Conversation No. 859-25]

       The President’s schedule
            -Gridiron dinner
                  -The President’s attendance
                  -Henry A. Kissinger
                         -George S. McGovern
                                             -85-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                  -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
                  -White House Correspondents dinner

Also recorded on February 21, 1973

  • 859-025 11:16 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:16 am to 11:17 am.
  • 043-148 11:17 AM · 25 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:17 am and 11:19 am.
  • 859-026 11:17 AM · 25 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:17 am and 11:19 am.
  • 043-149 11:19 AM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 11:19 am.
  • 859-027 11:19 AM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at 11:19 am.
  • 859-028 11:19 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:19 am and 11:33 am.
  • 859-029 11:19 AM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:19 am and 11:33 am.
  • 859-030 11:19 AM · 34 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:19 am and 11:33 am.

All 88 conversations from February 21, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 043-147, February 21, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/043-147 (accessed October 11, 2026).