Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 658 › Conversation 658-021

Nixon with unidentified visitors in the Oval Office on Press relations

Thursday, January 27, 1972 · 2:24 PM–2:32 PM ET · Oval Office

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation658-021 on Tape 658 (tape position 04:20:15–04:24:48)StartThursday, January 27, 1972 at 2:24 PMEndThursday, January 27, 1972 at 2:32 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 658-021 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon instructed the White House operator to strictly limit the number of press photo opportunities during his daily schedule to avoid repetitive and unnecessary media coverage. He requested that the operator monitor his calendar and alert him whenever multiple photo requests arise so that he can consolidate or decline them. Additionally, the President commended the operator for her role in achieving a recent 13% reduction in crime within the district and requested that she convey his appreciation to the relevant staff.

Audio

Download MP3 (part 1) · 168.3 MB ·Download MP3 (part 2) · 168.3 MB ·Download MP3 (part 3) · 131.3 MB

This conversation has not yet been cut into its own clip, so the player above contains the full tape segment shared with neighbouring conversations. It begins about 04:20:15 into the tape and ends around 04:24:48.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

· Timestamps are positions within the full tape recording.
4:21:53Yes, you can call me when he returns.
4:22:54What I want you to do is set off a few wood on these that you put around.
4:23:09The problem is that if I change that rule, sometimes they just aren't getting the signal.
4:23:14We only want one of the advocates.
4:23:16And unless I decide that it's a matter of enormous importance, like I did with you yesterday, I decide I have a quadri-advocate, because it would eventually be signed.
4:23:28I don't want to have it.
4:23:30You see what I mean?
4:23:31I've always had it done in my hands.
4:23:34So if you just, and that also triggers you to be sure to watch and see if you, if you ever see that there's more than one press photo op, you raise the issue.
4:23:43So we're just discussing it.
4:23:45So if you raise it with me, I'll do it with me sometimes, but camera speak, we'll get a lot more out of one day.
4:23:53Of course, it's a lot less effort for me than if we could go through a battle of all treatment times.
4:23:59So I'm calling you to watch the schedule, and then you tell me, okay?
4:24:03All right, sir.
4:24:32Well, I'd like to congratulate you on that 13% crime drop in the district, which I mentioned, in the speed of the unit.
4:24:40And would you pass the word to all the people in the forest?

NARA Description

On January 27, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:24 pm and 2:32 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 658-021 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 658-21

Date: January 27, 1972
Time: Unknown between 2:24 pm and 2:32 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President talked with the White House operator.

[See Conversation No. 19-139]

Also recorded on January 27, 1972

  • 019-136 2:20 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 2:20 pm.
  • 019-137 2:20 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:20 pm and 2:23 pm.
  • 658-017 2:20 PM · 46 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at 2:20 pm.
  • 658-018 2:20 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:20 pm and 2:23 pm.
  • 658-019 2:20 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:20 pm and 2:23 pm.
  • 019-138 2:23 PM · 56 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Jerry V. Wilson talked on the telephone from 2:23 pm to 2:24 pm.
  • 658-020 2:23 PM · 55 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Jerry V. Wilson met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:23 pm to 2:24 pm.
  • 019-139 2:24 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:24 pm and 2:32 pm.

All 57 conversations from January 27, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 658-021, January 27, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/658-021 (accessed October 12, 2026).