Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 46 › Conversation 046-072

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

Tuesday, May 15, 1973 · 11:08 PM–11:37 PM ET · White House Telephone · 18 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation046-072 on Tape 46StartTuesday, May 15, 1973 at 11:08 PMEndTuesday, May 15, 1973 at 11:37 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 046-072 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon initiates a call through the White House operator to reach Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler. The brief exchange serves as a logistical bridge to facilitate a conversation with his primary spokesperson during a period of intense scrutiny regarding the Watergate scandal. No policy decisions or substantive discussions occur between the President and the operator.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Yes, please.
Mr. Sittler, please.
Thank you, sir.

NARA Description

On May 15, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:08 pm and 11:37 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 046-072 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 46-72

Date: May 15, 1973
Time: Unknown between 11:08 pm and 11:37 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with the White House operator.

     Telephone call to Ronald L. Ziegler

Also recorded on May 16, 1973

  • 046-073 11:37 PM · 20 sec — White House operator and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at 11:37 pm.
  • 919-001 8:51 AM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:51 am and 9:07 am.
  • 919-002 8:51 AM · 30 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:51 am and 9:07 am.
  • 919-003 9:07 AM · 19 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:07 am to 9:25 am.
  • 919-004 9:25 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:25 am and 9:30 am.
  • 919-005 9:25 AM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:25 am and 9:30 am.
  • 919-006 9:25 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:25 am and 9:30 am.
  • 919-007 9:30 AM · 18 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:30 am to 9:48 am.

All 73 conversations from May 16, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 046-072, May 16, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/046-072 (accessed October 1, 2026).