Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 691 › Conversation 691-001

Nixon & Ziegler on Public Relations and Media Strategy

Tuesday, March 21, 1972 · 4:07 PM–4:08 PM ET · Oval Office · 30 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.Conversation691-001 on Tape 691 (tape position 00:00:54–00:02:42)StartTuesday, March 21, 1972 at 4:07 PMEndTuesday, March 21, 1972 at 4:08 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 691-001 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler coordinated the logistics for a forthcoming meeting with the White House News Photographers Association. The discussion focused on scheduling, the sequence of photo opportunities, and how to handle potential inquiries regarding the President’s dinner attendance. Nixon instructed Ziegler to provide non-committal responses to any questions about his interactions with the attendees.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
We're ready to start equipment.
We'll do it in the chat room, sir.
Are you excited to pick it up?
No, sir.
I haven't had to pick it up.
Well, go ahead.
We'll do all of it.
And then we'll walk by you, and you take turns.
And I'll take equipment, and we'll do a quick briefing.
And that'll be at one minute before last.
If they ask you about an interaction, just say, we'll see.
I haven't told them.
You're not going.
I have to wait.
Just leave it at that.
We'll be just a moment.

NARA Description

On March 21, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:07 pm to 4:08 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 691-001 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 691-1

Date: March 21, 1972
Time: 4:07 pm - 4:08 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.

      The President's schedule
           -Forthcoming meeting with the White House News Photographers Association
                 [WHNPA]
                 -Timing
                 -Pictures
                       -Handshaking
                       -Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins
                 -Questions
                       -Dinner

Ziegler left.

Also recorded on March 21, 1972

  • 096-002 3:03 PM · 1 hr 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and the General Advisory Committee on Arms Control and Disarmament, John J. McCloy, William C. Foster, Kermit Gordon, James L. Killiam, Gen. Lauris Norstad, Jack Ruina, William W. Scranton, John A. Wheeler, Helmut ("Hal") Sonnenfeldt, Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the Cabinet Room of the White House from 3:03 pm to 4:06 pm.
  • 691-002 4:08 PM · 58 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:08 pm to 4:09 pm.
  • 096-003 4:09 PM · 12 min — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House News Photographers' Association, George Thomas, Joe Scherschel, Gordon Gahan, Francis Routt, Fred Maroon, Bruce Dale, Jim Blair, Frank E. Cancellare, James McNamara, Charles Fekete, Bob Boyer, Ron Van Norstand, James Norling, the White House photographer, and members of the press met in the Cabinet Room of the White House from 4:09 pm to 4:20 pm.
  • 691-003 4:12 PM · 36 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Maneo Manescu, Corneliu Bogdan, Herbert Stein, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Charles W. Schaller, Mircea Mitran, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:12 pm to 4:56 pm.
  • 691-004 4:57 PM · 10 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:57 pm to 5:07 pm.
  • 691-005 5:10 PM · 37 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Gerard C. Smith, and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:10 pm to 5:47 pm.
  • 691-006 5:47 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:47 pm to 5:48 pm.
  • 691-007 5:48 PM · 1 hr 13 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Raymond P. Shafer, John D. Ehrlichman, Egil ("Bud") Krogh, Jr., unknown person(s), White House photographer, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:48 pm to 7:00 pm.

All 31 conversations from March 21, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 691-001, March 21, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/691-001 (accessed October 12, 2026).