Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 432 › Conversation 432-031
Nixon & Ziegler on White House documentation and Watergate scandal
Wednesday, May 9, 1973 · 12:31 PM–12:34 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 2 min
AI Summary
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler held a brief, cryptically recorded meeting concerning the handling of sensitive documents. The conversation focuses on ensuring that certain papers are organized and verified as unrelated to the President's personal involvement. The interaction concludes with instructions to deactivate the recording equipment, highlighting the administration's cautious approach to document management during the height of the Watergate investigations.
- White House documentation
- Watergate scandal
- Press Secretary
- Document handling
- Presidential records
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 1 minute of this recording (about 49% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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 9, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 12:31 pm to 12:34 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 432-031 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 432-31 Date: May 9, 1973 Time: 12:31 pm - 12:34 pm Location: Executive Office Building The President talked with Ronald L. Ziegler. [See Conversation No. 45-168]
Also recorded on May 9, 1973
- 432-027 12:03 PM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:03 pm and 12:22 pm.
- 432-028 12:03 PM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:03 pm and 12:22 pm.
- 045-167 12:05 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:05 pm and 12:31 pm.
- 045-168 12:31 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 12:31 pm to 12:34 pm.
- 432-032 12:31 PM · 8 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 12:31 pm and 2:24 pm.
- 432-033 12:31 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:31 pm and 2:24 pm.
- 432-034 12:31 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:31 pm and 2:24 pm.
- 045-169 12:34 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:34 pm and 2:24 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 432-031, May 9, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/432-031 (accessed October 5, 2026).