Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 434 › Conversation 434-003
Nixon & Ziegler on Watergate scandal and Media relations
Wednesday, May 9, 1973 · 6:03 PM–6:08 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 5 min
AI Summary
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler discuss strategic responses to ongoing political investigations and the media's manipulation of leaked materials. Nixon expresses frustration over the tactics used by political adversaries to build narratives through the selective release of information, while emphasizing the need for patience before attempting to discredit them. The two also touch upon the necessity of reassuring Henry Kissinger, who is expected to return from travel the following day, amidst the prevailing atmosphere of political instability.
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 2 minutes of this recording (about 42% 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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data
Each line starts with a timestamp button; press it to play the audio from that point.
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 6:03 pm to 6:08 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 434-003 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 434-3
Date: May 9, 1973
Time: 6:03 pm - 6:08 pm
Location: Old Executive Office Building
The President talked with Ronald L. Ziegler.
-2-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 434-3 (cont’d)
[See Conversation No. 45-176]Also recorded on May 9, 1973
- 045-176 6:03 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 6:03 pm to 6:08 pm.
- 434-004 6:08 PM · 13 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 6:08 pm and 6:17 pm.
- 434-005 6:17 PM · 37 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 6:17 pm and 6:35 pm.
- 434-006 6:17 PM · 1 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 6:17 pm and 6:35 pm.
- 434-007 6:17 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 6:17 pm and 6:35 pm.
- 434-008 6:17 PM · 9 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 6:17 pm and 6:35 pm.
- 434-038 6:17 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 6:17 pm and 6:35 pm.
- 045-177 6:35 PM · 13 sec — Alexander M. Haig, Jr. and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:35 pm and 7:55 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 434-003, 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/434-003 (accessed October 5, 2026).