Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 409 › Conversation 409-019

Nixon with unidentified visitors in his EOB office on Privacy

Thursday, February 8, 1973 · 1:49 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 13 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation409-019 on Tape 409StartThursday, February 8, 1973 at 1:49 PMEndThursday, February 8, 1973 at 1:49 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 409-019 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon instructed the White House operator to close the door to his office, signaling a need for privacy regarding a series of upcoming sensitive discussions. He expressed his intention to consult with numerous individuals on an unspecified but significant matter. This brief exchange served as a preparatory step for the President to conduct private deliberations away from staff interruption.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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 going to ask you to close the door.
I'm going to talk to a lot of people about it.

NARA Description

On February 8, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 1:49 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 409-019 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 409-19

Date: February 8, 1973
Time: 1:49 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with the White House operator.

[See Conversation No. 43-53]

Also recorded on February 8, 1973

  • 853-013 1:19 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:19 pm and 1:21 pm.
  • 853-014 1:21 PM · 17 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, John L. Campbell, John D. Ehrlichman, Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., White House photographer, Jane Campbell, Charles J. DiBona, George P. Shultz, and Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:21 pm to 2:33 pm.
  • 409-018 1:28 PM · 33 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Zosimo Monson met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:28 pm and 1:49 pm.
  • 409-021 1:28 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:28 pm and 1:49 pm.
  • 043-053 1:49 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 1:49 pm.
  • 043-054 1:50 PM · 13 sec — Charles W. Colson and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:50 pm and 2:15 pm.
  • 043-055 1:50 PM · 1 min — Charles W. Colson and W. Richard Howard talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:50 pm and 2:15 pm.
  • 409-020 1:50 PM · 21 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, unknown person(s), and W. Richard Howard met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:50 pm to 2:15 pm.

All 38 conversations from February 8, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 409-019, February 8, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/409-019 (accessed October 1, 2026).