Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 45 › Conversation 045-159

Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on Ronald L. Ziegler

Tuesday, May 8, 1973 · 6:51 PM ET · White House Telephone · 20 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation045-159 on Tape 45StartTuesday, May 8, 1973 at 6:51 PMEndTuesday, May 8, 1973 at 6:51 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 045-159 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon requested that the White House operator facilitate a callback from Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler. The President specified that Ziegler should not be interrupted during his ongoing meeting at Blair House, but should return the call at his earliest convenience. This interaction served to coordinate a private communication between the President and his Press Secretary.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Operator, I think Mr. Ziegler's in a meeting at Blair House.
I don't want him called up, but when he returns to a phone, he can call me at his convenience.
All right, Mr. President.

NARA Description

On May 8, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at 6:51 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 045-159 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 45-159

Date: May 8, 1973
Time: 6:51 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with the White House operator.

[See also Conversation No. 433-69]

     Telephone call from Ronald L. Ziegler
          -Meeting at the Blair House

Also recorded on May 8, 1973

  • 913-006 6:27 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 6:27 pm and 6:30 pm.
  • 913-007 6:27 PM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 6:27 pm and 6:30 pm.
  • 913-008 6:30 PM · 17 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the Oval Office of the White House from 6:30 pm to 7:37 pm.
  • 433-069 6:51 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 6:51 pm.
  • 433-070 6:51 PM · 14 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 6:51 pm and 6:59 pm.
  • 433-071 6:51 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:51 pm and 6:59 pm.
  • 433-072 6:51 PM · 18 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 6:51 pm and 6:59 pm.
  • 433-073 6:59 PM · 28 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Manolo Sanchez, and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 6:59 pm to 7:37 pm.

All 51 conversations from May 8, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 045-159, May 8, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/045-159 (accessed October 5, 2026).