Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 502 › Conversation 502-016

Nixon with unidentified visitors in the Oval Office on Congressman Harris

Thursday, May 20, 1971 · 2:05 PM–2:08 PM ET · Oval Office · 4 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation502-016 on Tape 502 (tape position 02:26:20–02:26:46)StartThursday, May 20, 1971 at 2:05 PMEndThursday, May 20, 1971 at 2:08 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 502-016 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon initiates a call to the White House operator to request a telephone connection with Congressman Harris. This brief administrative interaction serves as a bridge to facilitate communication between the President and a member of Congress. The primary outcome of the exchange is the commencement of the dialing process to reach the congressman.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Congressman Harris, please.

NARA Description

On May 20, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:05 pm and 2:08 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 502-016 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 502-16

Date: May 20, 1971
Time: Unknown between 2:05 pm and 2:08 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President talked with the White House operator.

[See Conversation No. 3-86]

Also recorded on May 20, 1971

  • 502-014 1:45 PM · 15 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, Justin W. Dart, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, John A. Scali, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:45 pm to 2:05 pm.
  • 003-086 1:47 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:47 pm and 2:08 pm.
  • 502-015 2:05 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:05 pm and 2:08 pm.
  • 003-087 2:08 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Leslie C. Arends talked on the telephone from 2:08 pm to 2:09 pm.
  • 502-017 2:08 PM · 28 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and Leslie C. Arends met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:08 pm to 2:09 pm.
  • 003-088 2:09 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:09 pm and 3:43 pm.
  • 502-018 2:09 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:09 pm and 2:16 pm.
  • 502-019 2:09 PM · 21 min — President Richard M. Nixon, William P. Rogers, and Charles W. Colson met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:09 pm and 2:46 pm.

All 48 conversations from May 20, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 502-016, May 20, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/502-016 (accessed October 10, 2026).