Conversation 403-025

TapeTape 403StartWednesday, January 31, 1973 at 12:24 PMEndWednesday, January 31, 1973 at 12:36 PMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Ziegler, Ronald L.Recording deviceOld Executive Office Building

President Nixon met with Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler to discuss the selection and management of personnel for upcoming administrative roles. The two conferred on the necessity of choosing individuals who could effectively handle significant responsibilities and carry a substantial workload. They concluded by considering the internal dynamics of these prospective appointees, weighing whether professional friction might actually serve as a constructive mechanism for mutual oversight.

Personnel managementStaffingAdministrative appointmentsWhite House operations

On January 31, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 12:24 pm to 12:36 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 403-025 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 403-25

Date: January 31, 1973
Time: 12:34 pm – 12:36 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Ronald L. Ziegler.

[See Conversation No. 43-8]

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

Yeah.
I wanted you to tell, uh... Mm hmm.
Thank you.
I've never been in the office.
I told you, I'm a student.
And now, there were many ways to select them too, but they've also got to carry a hell of a chunk of it.
They're likely to carry that.
They certainly have to carry that.
They won't worry a little about the fact that they're not best friends with each other.
Maybe they'll watch out for each other.
Maybe they might.