Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 450 › Conversation 450-022

Nixon & Ziegler on Press conference and Laos

Wednesday, February 17, 1971 · 5:25 PM–5:26 PM ET · Oval Office · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.Conversation450-022 on Tape 450 (tape position 03:34:23–03:36:10)StartWednesday, February 17, 1971 at 5:25 PMEndWednesday, February 17, 1971 at 5:26 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 450-022 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with Ronald L. Ziegler to briefly discuss public relations surrounding the President’s recent press conference, specifically regarding Laos, integration, and North Vietnam. Additionally, the two addressed a minor logistical matter concerning an escort for a guest attending an upcoming White House dinner. The brief exchange focused on managing the administration's messaging and event protocol.

Audio

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NARA Description

On February 17, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:25 pm to 5:26 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 450-022 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 450-22

Date: February 17, 1971
Time: 5:25 pm - 5:26 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler

     Previous press conference
          -Laos
          -Integration
          -North Vietnam

******************************************************************************

[Previous PRMPA Privacy (D) reviewed under deed of gift 08/08/2019. Segment cleared for
release.]
[Privacy]
[450-022-w001]
[Duration: 28s]

     John [last name unknown] attendance at forthcoming dinner with the President
          -Separated from wife
                 -Wish to bring a different woman as escort
                      -The President’s response

******************************************************************************

Ziegler left at 5:26 pm

                                                                    Conversation
                                                                    Conv. No. 450-25
                                                                                 No. 450-23
                                                                                     (cont.)

Date: February 17, 1971
Time: 5:26 pm - 5:53 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with John D. Ehrlichman and Daniel J. Evans; the White House photographer
was present at the beginning of the meeting

     Supersonic Transport [SST]
          -President’s position
          -Impact on economy

Show the rest of the log (166 more lines)

          -Importance
          -Administration efforts

     Hanford nuclear reactor
          -Office of Management and Budget [OMB]
                -Funding
                -George P. Shultz
                -Status
                      -Evans’ meeting with Donald B. Rice
                           -Evans’ concerns
                           -Seattle power supply
                -OMB decision
                -Evans’ efforts
                -Funding
          -Effect in Washington state
                -Funding
                -Evans’ view
                -Employment
                -Future developments
          -Administration efforts
                -Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger
                      -Budget

     Revenue sharing
         -Administration’s position
         -Importance to people
         -Importance to local and state government
         -Problems
         -Benefits
         -Federal bureaucracy
         -Increases in local debt
         -Opposition by establishment
         -Welfare reform
               -Effect
               -Administration’s efforts

******************************************************************************

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 08/02/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[450-023-w002]
[Duration: 2m 9s]

      Revenue sharing
            -Welfare reform
                    -Conversation with John D. Ehrlichman
                          -Executive Office Building [EOB], Christmas 1970
                          -Jerrold L. Schecter [?]
                          -$90 million
                                  -Devoted to change
                          -Last half of 1971

      Dean Rusk
            -Embarrassment in 1968
            -Liberal staff
            -Tearing up of defense

      Possible nomination of Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy
             -The President’s opinion of prospects
                    -Democratic Party
                    -Position on Vietnam
             -John D. Ehrlichman’s opinion

******************************************************************************

Evans left at an unknown time before 5:53 pm

     Health insurance
          -Health maintenance organizations [HMO]
                -The Vice President’s position
                      -Edgar F. Kaiser
                      -President’s position
                -Kaiser Permanente Plan
                      -Focus

     Appointments
         -Law Enforcement Assistance Administration [LEAA]
               -Myles J. Ambrose
                     -John N. Mitchell’s view
                     -Richard G. Kleindienst
                     -John B. Connally
               -Jerris Leonard
         -David Norman
         -Peter M. Flanigan
               -Work effectiveness
                     -Efforts
               -Role
               -William P. Rogers
         -Michael Collins
               -Air and Space Museum
         -Judgeship for unknown men
               -Wallace H. Johnson
               -Thomas J. Dodd
               -Kleindienst
         -Dr. James R. Schlesinger
               -Rogers C. B. Morton’s view
         -Ambassadorial positions
               -Flanigan
               -John W. Rollins
               -Frank J. Shakespeare
               -Fred J. Russell
                     -Qualifications

     Revenue sharing

          -Administration efforts
              -Democrats
              -Hubert H. Humphrey
                    -Conversation with Ehrlichman
                    -Legislation
                    -Possible conversation with President

     Previous press conference
          -Domestic policy

     Revenue sharing
         -Administration’s position
         -Clark R. Mollenhoff
         -Public support

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 5:26 pm

     Schedule
          -Dr. W. Kenneth Riland
          -Instructions
                -Henry A. Kissinger
                -Rose Mary Woods

Bull left at an unknown time before 5:53 pm

     Farm policy
          -Robert J. Dole
                -Efforts
          -White House gala
                -Compared to White House Labor dinner
                -Possible program
                -Public relations
                      -Film
          -Hyde Park
                -Possible appointment
          -Importance of farmers and farm vote
                -Dole
                -Support for President
          -Staff assignment
                -John C. Whitaker
                      -Dole

     Wage and price controls
         -Shultz
         -Cost of Living Council [COLC] action
         -Herbert Stein
         -Administration position
              -Wage controls
                     -Construction
         -John T. Dunlop
         -George W. Romney
         -James M. Hutton, III
         -Businessmen

     Schedule

     Media
         -Los Angeles Times

Ehrlichman left at 5:53 pm

Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 1 minute of this recording (about 43% 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

Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).

Sir, if you're down on the same track, you're probably going to open it by 5 o'clock.

I'll stop it already.

I'd like to hear your answer on the force integration.

I have really very clearly laid that out.

I've had those issues.

You know, we've got that.

It's on the market.

And, well, I don't know if you guys are aware of this, but you'll have that word on the blog.

I mean, well, I can't listen to you.

But the main thing is, in relation to that, is...

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

Correct.

Also recorded on February 17, 1971

450-019 12:00 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:00 am and 4:04 pm.
450-020 4:04 PM · 50 min — President Richard M. Nixon and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:04 pm to 4:51 pm.
450-021 4:52 PM · 31 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Walter Scheel, William P. Rogers, Henry A. Kissinger, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:52 pm to 5:24 pm.
450-023 5:26 PM · 42 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John D. Ehrlichman, Daniel J. Evans, White House photographer, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:26 pm to 5:53 pm.
450-024 5:53 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Dwight L. Chapin met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:53 pm to 5:59 pm.
450-025 6:20 PM · 22 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 6:20 pm to 6:32 pm.

Nixon, Phouma & Khammao on Laos and People's Republic of China September 30, 1971 · 16 min
Nixon, Kissinger & Phouma on Vietnam War and Laos October 27, 1972 · 52 min
Nixon phone call with Kissinger on Vietnam War and General Creighton Abrams April 18, 1971 · 8 min
Nixon phone call with Kissinger on Melvin R. Laird and Laos April 20, 1971 · 3 min
Nixon phone call with Saxbe on Laos and Southeast Asia April 21, 1971 · 2 min
Nixon, Kissinger & Sanchez on People's Republic of China and Vietnam War April 21, 1971 · 7 min

Cite this conversation

Conversation 450-022, February 17, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/450-022 (accessed November 2, 2026).