Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 439 › Conversation 439-044

Nixon, Yates & Sanchez on Watergate scandal and Presidential administration

Wednesday, May 23, 1973 · 3:36 PM–3:58 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 8 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Yates, Nellie L.; Sanchez, ManoloConversation439-044 on Tape 439StartWednesday, May 23, 1973 at 3:36 PMEndWednesday, May 23, 1973 at 3:58 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 439-044 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with Nellie L. Yates and Manolo Sanchez to discuss the prevailing climate of the administration during the ongoing Watergate scandal. The participants exchanged impressions regarding public reaction, the President’s current mood, and the departure of key aides H.R. Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman. Nixon also provided administrative instructions to Yates concerning the delivery of a book to Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 3 minutes of this recording (about 46% 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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I don't know what you're saying.

Well, I figured.

I felt something like that all of a sudden.

Everybody would be happy.

Everybody.

Well, it goes a way, and we try to keep people happy.

There are lots of people in the country, not only in the country, but here in Washington.

We have a lot of friends out there.

We're going to be able to meet them.

But now, this is part of the self-reflection.

I think we've got a copy.

Well, that was the nicest thing that ever happened to me.

For a long time, I was in a roster of others.

So that is what happened.

One time for me, that was because I was in a secure house.

And one day, I was on the side of the circle.

One day, I was on the side of the circle.

I had to walk away.

One day, I was on the side of the circle.

As a matter of fact, you know, I have a couple of connections with Mike.

I have a connection with Joe.

That's what we're talking about.

You know what?

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Okay.

Hey.

Okay.

I just wonder if you could, if you have to do the rest of the day, if you don't know how to do it, if you have to know how to do it, if you have to learn it, if you have to learn how to do it, if you have to learn how to do it,

Did you say that I was sick?

I didn't know.

You can go around.

You can laugh.

That's okay.

What do you want?

Here.

I saw this.

Sugar.

I got your coffee, but sugar.

Oh, we can give that to Ron, he'll say, rather than rip that, we'll just give this to Kevin over here.

Don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't.

NARA Description

On May 23, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Nellie L. Yates, and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:36 pm and 3:58 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 439-044 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 439-44

Date: May 23, 1973
Time: Unknown between 3:36 pm and 3:58 pm
Location: Old Executive Office Building

President met with Nellie L. Yates and Manolo Sanchez.

       Greeting

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 3:58 pm.

*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

       Yates’s note to President
              -Watergate
                      -President’s impressions
                              -Public reaction

       Refreshments

       Yates’s note to President
              -Watergate
              -President’s impression
                      -Sadness of Yates

       President’s conduct of office
              -President’s mood
                                                -35-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                               Conversation 439-44 (cont’d)

              -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman
              -Response to Watergate

       Yates’s schedule

       Instruction to Yates
               -Ronald L. Ziegler
               -Delivery of book

       Refreshments

       Instruction to Yates
               -Delivery of book
               -Ziegler

       Yates’s note to the President

[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************

Yates left at an unknown time before 3:58 pm.

Also recorded on May 23, 1973

046-171 3:27 PM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at 3:27 pm.
439-041 3:27 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 3:27 pm.
439-042 3:32 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:32 pm to 3:35 pm.
439-043 3:35 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:35 pm to 3:36 pm.
046-172 3:39 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:39 pm and 3:58 pm.
439-045 3:39 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:39 pm and 3:58 pm.
046-173 3:58 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 3:58 pm to 4:01 pm.
439-046 3:58 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:58 pm to 4:01 pm.

All 56 conversations from May 23, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 439-044, May 23, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/439-044 (accessed October 12, 2026).