Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 768 › Conversation 768-016

Nixon, Howard & Ziegler on Retirement and California

Monday, August 14, 1972 · 12:17 PM–12:38 PM ET · Oval Office ·3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Howard, Bailey K.;  Ziegler, Ronald L.;  White House photographerConversation768-016 onTape 768StartMonday, August 14, 1972 at 12:17 PMEndMonday, August 14, 1972 at 12:38 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 768-016 ↗

AI Summary

President Richard Nixon met with Bailey K. Howard, accompanied by Ronald L. Ziegler, to discuss Howard's upcoming retirement from business. The conversation centered on Howard's personal history, including his family connections in California and his long-standing ties to the San Diego and La Jolla areas. The meeting concluded with Nixon presenting Howard with a gift of a Chinese scroll to commemorate his transition.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Hi, Eddie, how are you?
Hello.
How are you?
Nice to see you.
Nice to see you.
Nice to see you.
When they said you were getting out of the business, I said, my God, you can't be.
Sit down.
Thank you.
Well, you're going to leave, however, one activity to be engaged in others.
I did.
I was going to do this, you know, when I was 50.
Right.
And Marshal Ford died on me.
Yeah.
He was a very young Marshal.
Yeah.
Because I think I had an obligation to his father.
He died.
He was a family.
So I stayed.
Yeah.
So the 1st of October.
I don't know.
I've been busy since the 1st of October when I was before.
I haven't went to so many ballrooms.
I don't know.
Thanks, man.
Why, uh... That's great.
You go to home, huh?
I know the house overlooking the valley.
Why, um... Yeah.
Well, I...
I appreciate it.
Oh, this is a girl.
All right.
Great.

NARA Description

On August 14, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Bailey K. Howard, Ronald L. Ziegler, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:17 pm to 12:38 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 768-016 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 768-16

Date: August 14, 1972
Time: 12:17 pm - 12:38 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Bailey K. Howard and Ronald L. Ziegler; the White House photographer
was present at the beginning of the meeting.

             Greetings

             Howard’s retirement
                -Marshall Ford
                -California
                    -Howard’s home
                          -Mullholland Drive
                    -Howard’s family
                          -Howard’s parents
                             -San Diego
                          -Howard’s brother
                             -La Jolla
                          -Howard’s sister
                    -Howard’s home
                          -Mullholland Drive
                             -Benedict Canyon

                                         (rev. Nov-03)

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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 18m 23s    ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

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

             Presentation of gifts by the President
                 -Chinese scroll

             California
                 -Mullholland Drive

Howard and Ziegler left at 12:38 pm.

Also recorded on August 14, 1972

  • 768-010 11:29 AM · 10 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Pierre Rinfret, Charles W. Colson, John B. Connally, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:29 am to 12:04 pm.
  • 768-011 12:04 PM · 44 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:04 pm and 12:07 pm.
  • 768-012 12:07 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Samuel D. Winer, Mrs. Samuel D. Winer, Charles W. Colson, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:07 pm to 12:09 pm.
  • 768-014 12:09 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Louella (Carver) Dirksen, Rose Mary Woods, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:09 pm to 12:17 pm.
  • 768-017 12:38 PM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at 12:38 pm.
  • 768-018 12:39 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Robert A. Forst, L. John Evans, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:39 pm to 12:45 pm.
  • 768-019 12:45 PM · 54 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:45 pm and 12:49 pm.
  • 768-020 12:49 PM · 31 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon, John J. Ratchford, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, John D. Ehrlichman, John W. Dean, III, John H. Alexander, Richard S. Ritzel, White House photographer, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:49 pm to 1:12 pm.

All 49 conversations from August 14, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 768-016, August 14, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/768-016 (accessed September 18, 2026).