Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 46 › Conversation 046-108
Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on J. Fred Buzhardt
Thursday, May 17, 1973 · 7:58 PM–8:01 PM ET · White House Telephone · 11 sec
AI Summary
President Nixon instructed the White House operator to connect him with J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr., who was serving as Special Counsel to the President at the time. This brief interaction served as a logistical step to facilitate direct communication with legal counsel amid the escalating Watergate investigation. No further substantive discussion was captured beyond the request to initiate the call.
Audio
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
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NARA Description
On May 17, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:58 pm and 8:01 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 046-108 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 46-108
Date: May 17, 1973
Time: Unknown between 7:58 pm and 8:01 pm
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with the White House operator.
Telephone call to J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr.Also recorded on May 17, 1973
- 046-102 4:01 PM · 55 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone from 4:01 pm to 4:02 pm.
- 438-021 4:02 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:02 pm and 4:08 pm.
- 046-103 4:08 PM · 26 sec — Rose Mary Woods and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone from 4:08 pm to 4:09 pm.
- 438-022 4:08 PM · 25 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and Rose Mary Woods met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:08 pm to 4:34 pm.
- 046-104 4:36 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:36 pm and 4:58 pm.
- 046-105 4:58 PM · 16 min — President Richard M. Nixon and J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. talked on the telephone from 4:58 pm to 5:16 pm.
- 046-106 7:52 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:52 pm and 7:55 pm.
- 046-107 7:55 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone from 7:55 pm to 7:58 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 046-108, May 17, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/046-108 (accessed October 12, 2026).