Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 44 › Conversation 044-155

Nixon phone call with Ziegler on Public Relations and Press Relations

Thursday, April 12, 1973 · 2:23 PM–2:24 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.Conversation044-155 on Tape 44StartThursday, April 12, 1973 at 2:23 PMEndThursday, April 12, 1973 at 2:24 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 044-155 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler discussed the logistics of recording the President's upcoming remarks to the press. They weighed the merits of taping the event versus keeping the process informal to allow for spontaneity. Ultimately, they decided to record the remarks discreetly and defer the decision on public release until after the delivery, ensuring the press remained unaware of the taping plan.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yes, sir.
Ron, I had spoken to Bob about the possibility of taping the remarks to the president.
I think it's going to be so rather uncertain about the time and everything that I'm probably isn't really worth doing.
All right.
Have you told him by the chance?
No, sir.
You haven't.
Let's keep it loose.
Shall we do that?
Actually, what we could do is tape record them, and then after you deliver them, we decide.
Decide, yeah.
And not say anything to them, but just say, well... Don't say anything about it.
I'm not sure that... You never know what they're going to say or how long they talk and all that sort of thing.
It's freer and easier for me, too, than if I don't worry about it.
Sure.
Why don't we just tape them, and then after you deliver them, I'll check with you to see if you want them released.
Fine, Ron.
And handle it on that basis.
We won't let the press know anything until the decision is made.
Addressed.
Well, fine.
Okay.
Okay, Ron.
Thank you.

NARA Description

On April 12, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:23 pm and 2:24 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 044-155 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 044-155

Date: April 12, 1973
Time: 2:23-2:24 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Ronald L. Ziegler.

[See also Conversation No. 428-9]

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

       President's schedule
             -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
             -Taping of remarks to press
                    -Possible release

Also recorded on April 12, 1973

  • 044-154 1:21 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:21 pm and 2:23 pm.
  • 428-005 1:21 PM · 23 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:21 pm and 2:23 pm.
  • 044-164 2:23 PM · 6 sec — unknown person(s) and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:23 pm and 2:24 pm.
  • 428-009 2:23 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 2:23 pm.
  • 428-010 2:25 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:25 pm to 2:27 pm.
  • 044-156 2:27 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Julie Nixon Eisenhower talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:27 pm and 2:28 pm.
  • 428-011 2:27 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Julie Nixon Eisenhower met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:27 pm to 2:28 pm.
  • 428-012 2:30 PM · 1 hr 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:30 pm to 3:45 pm.

All 46 conversations from April 12, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 044-155, April 12, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/044-155 (accessed October 5, 2026).