Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 46 › Conversation 046-073

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

Tuesday, May 15, 1973 · 11:37 PM ET · White House Telephone · 20 sec

ParticipantsWhite House operator; Nixon, Richard M. (President)Conversation046-073 on Tape 46StartTuesday, May 15, 1973 at 11:37 PMEndTuesday, May 15, 1973 at 11:37 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 046-073 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with a White House operator to determine the whereabouts of Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler. Upon learning that Ziegler had already left his office and was heading home, the President requested that a message be left for him to return the call. This brief exchange served primarily to facilitate communication between the President and his senior staff late in the evening.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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

Hello?
Sir, apparently he's en route home.
I just called his residence and he has left the office.
May I leave word?
Yeah, uh, how long is it?
Oh, well, sure, he can call me.
Okay, thank you, sir.

NARA Description

On May 15, 1973, White House operator and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at 11:37 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 046-073 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 46-73

Date: May 15, 1973
Time: 11:37 pm
                                                  -43-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Location: White House Telephone

The White House operator talked with the President.

      Ronald L. Ziegler’s location

Also recorded on May 16, 1973

  • 046-072 11:08 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:08 pm and 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 046-073, 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/046-073 (accessed October 1, 2026).