Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 46 › Conversation 046-129
Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on White House operator
Monday, May 21, 1973 · 5:25 PM ET · White House Telephone · 10 sec
AI Summary
President Nixon initiated a brief telephone call through the White House operator to place an outgoing call. Due to the unintelligible nature of the request, the intended recipient, believed to be First Lady Pat Nixon, remains unconfirmed. No substantive policy discussions or administrative decisions occurred during this connection.
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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 21, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at 5:25 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 046-129 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 46-129
Date: May 21, 1973
Time: 5:25 pm
Location: White House Telephone
-81-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
The President talked with the White House operator.
[See also Conversation No. 439-23]
[Unintelligible request] [Telephone call to Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon?]Also recorded on May 21, 1973
- 046-130 5:25 PM · 23 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon talked on the telephone at 5:25 pm.
- 046-131 5:25 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:25 pm and 5:28 pm.
- 439-023 5:25 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 5:25 pm.
- 439-024 5:25 PM · 22 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 5:25 pm.
- 439-025 5:25 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 5:25 pm and 5:28 pm.
- 046-132 5:28 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 5:28 pm to 5:29 pm.
- 439-026 5:28 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:28 pm to 5:29 pm.
- 046-133 5:29 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:29 pm and 5:34 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 046-129, May 21, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/046-129 (accessed October 12, 2026).