Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 46 › Conversation 046-083

Nixon phone call with Buzhardt on Watergate and Legal Counsel

Wednesday, May 16, 1973 · 2:57 PM–2:58 PM ET · White House Telephone · 13 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Buzhardt, J. Fred, Jr.Conversation046-083 on Tape 46StartWednesday, May 16, 1973 at 2:57 PMEndWednesday, May 16, 1973 at 2:58 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 046-083 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon initiated this brief exchange to coordinate an in-person meeting with White House counsel J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. The President requested that Buzhardt come to the Oval Office immediately to discuss urgent matters. This logistical communication facilitated a follow-up session between the two key figures during the height of the Watergate investigation.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I'm in the Oval Office if you and I want to come in now.
All right, sir.
Okay.

NARA Description

On May 16, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. talked on the telephone from 2:57 pm to 2:58 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 046-083 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 46-83

Date: May 16, 1973
Time: 2:57 pm - 2:58 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr.

      President’s location
            -Oval Office

Also recorded on May 16, 1973

  • 046-079 2:44 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 2:44 pm to 2:46 pm.
  • 437-007 2:44 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:44 pm to 2:46 pm.
  • 046-080 2:46 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:46 pm and 2:51 pm.
  • 437-008 2:46 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:46 pm and 2:51 pm.
  • 046-081 2:51 PM · 35 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. talked on the telephone from 2:51 pm to 2:52 pm.
  • 437-009 2:51 PM · 35 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:51 pm to 2:52 pm.
  • 046-082 2:52 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:52 pm and 2:58 pm.
  • 919-032 3:02 PM · 1 hr 31 min — President Richard M. Nixon, J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr., Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:02 pm to 4:08 pm.

All 73 conversations from May 16, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 046-083, 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/046-083 (accessed October 12, 2026).