Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 44 › Conversation 044-043

Nixon phone call with Ziegler on Press relations and Public address

Wednesday, March 28, 1973 · 12:28 PM–12:30 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.Conversation044-043 on Tape 44StartWednesday, March 28, 1973 at 12:28 PMEndWednesday, March 28, 1973 at 12:30 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 044-043 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler coordinate the scheduling and strategy for an upcoming presidential address. Ziegler advises postponing the announcement until the following morning to avoid unnecessary press speculation regarding potential topics like the economy or the Watergate scandal. The two agree to request a 9:00 a.m. time slot for the briefing, with Ziegler tasked to manage the logistics.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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.
Sir, Ron, what is your advice now?
I'd prefer to wait until tomorrow.
I see.
You had a pretty rough time today?
No, no, it wasn't rough at all.
As a matter of fact, Jerry briefed because we had the drug law enforcement thing going.
They asked a little more about Cambodia, but there was no problem on that.
What do you think, waiting until tomorrow is a little...
I think it's better.
Otherwise, you build up the idea that maybe you're going to talk about the other thing.
Is that your point?
Well, no, not so much.
That's not really about Watergate.
It goes more to, I think, then we start a whole series of speculation about the second part of what you might say in terms of the economy and so forth.
I think you're right.
Okay, then you'll...
They asked today whether or not...
They asked Jerry, and that's one reason I had him... You want to freeze?
No.
No, ask if you were going to have a statement, a public statement at the end of the withdrawal, and Jerry said he'd have to check.
So they're sort of up for it.
All right, do it tomorrow, Ron.
That's fine.
Yes, sir.
We'll do it first thing in the morning.
And you work out the time and everything?
Yes, sir.
Is that what we're going for?
Yes, sir.
We're going to request 9 o'clock.
Good.
Okay.

NARA Description

On March 28, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:28 pm and 12:30 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 044-043 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 044-043

Date: March 28, 1973
Time: Unknown between 12:28 pm and 12:30 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Ronald L. Ziegler.

[See also Conversation No. 425-5]

       Press relations
             -Announcement of President’s March 29 speech
             -Briefing
                    -Gerald L. Warren

       Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542

                           -Drugs
                           -Cambodia
             -Watergate
             -Economy
             -Warren
                   -Price controls
             -President’s public statement
                   -Troop withdrawal
                         -Vietnam

Also recorded on March 28, 1973

  • 425-005 12:28 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 12:28 pm to 12:30 pm.
  • 425-006 12:28 PM · 9 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 12:28 pm and 12:34 pm.
  • 425-007 12:28 PM · 9 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 12:28 pm and 12:34 pm.
  • 044-044 12:30 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:30 pm and 12:34 pm.
  • 044-045 12:30 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:30 pm and 12:34 pm.
  • 044-046 12:34 PM · 52 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:34 pm and 12:35 pm.
  • 425-008 12:34 PM · 47 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 12:34 pm to 12:35 pm.
  • 044-047 12:35 PM · 34 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:35 pm and 12:36 pm.

All 65 conversations from March 28, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 044-043, March 28, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/044-043 (accessed October 2, 2026).