Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 406 › Conversation 406-038

Nixon with unidentified visitors in his EOB office on Presidential operations

Tuesday, January 30, 1973 · 9:01 PM–9:07 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 21 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation406-038 on Tape 406StartTuesday, January 30, 1973 at 9:01 PMEndTuesday, January 30, 1973 at 9:07 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 406-038 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon expressed frustration to the White House operator regarding a telephonic connection to a hospital. He insisted that the operator prioritize the request to ensure the call was completed successfully. The exchange highlights the President's urgent demeanor concerning sensitive or time-critical communications.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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

I can't understand what you're doing, Sean.
You know, it's no good.
You've got to get this done.
You've got to get this done.
It's quite the hospital thing.
I know what it is.

NARA Description

On January 30, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 9:01 pm and 9:07 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 406-038 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 406-38

Date: January 30, 1973
Time: Unknown between 9:01 pm and 9:07 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with the White House operator.

[See Conversation No. 36-128]

Also recorded on January 31, 1973

  • 036-127 8:59 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 8:59 pm to 9:01 pm.
  • 406-037 8:59 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 8:59 pm to 9:01 pm.
  • 036-128 9:01 PM · 26 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:01 pm and 9:07 pm.
  • 406-039 9:01 PM · 24 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 9:01 pm and 9:07 pm.
  • 036-129 9:07 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 9:07 pm to 9:09 pm.
  • 036-130 9:10 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Coy H. Stennis talked on the telephone from 9:10 pm to 9:15 pm.
  • 406-040 9:10 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Mrs. John C. Stennis met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 9:10 pm to 9:15 pm.
  • 036-131 9:15 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:15 pm and 9:17 pm.

All 86 conversations from January 31, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 406-038, January 31, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/406-038 (accessed October 7, 2026).