{"conversationCode":"854-008","tapeNumber":854,"conversationNumber":8,"identifier":"37-wht-conversation-854-008","startDateTime":"1973-02-13T14:00:00.000Z","endDateTime":"1973-02-13T14:15:00.000Z","startDate":"13-Feb-1973","startTime":"9:00 AM","endDate":"13-Feb-1973","endTime":"9:15 AM","dateCertainty":"certain","timeCertainty":"certain","participants":"Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.;","description":"On February 13, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:00 am to 9:15 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 854-008 of the White House Tapes.","locationCode":"OVAL","recordingDevice":"Oval Office","latitudeEstimated":38.8974,"longitudeEstimated":-77.0374,"chronCode":"5.4","chronRelease":"Fifth Chronological Release: Part IV","chronReleaseDate":"8-Dec-2010","aogpRelease":null,"aogpSegment":null,"lastModified":"2015-07-27T17:04:10.235Z","findingAid":"Conversation No. 854-8\n\nDate: February 13, 1973\nTime: 9:00 am - 9:15 am\nLocation: Oval Office\n\nThe President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.\n\n       News summary\n             -Lyndon K. (\"Mort\") Allin\n             -Martin Schram\n                    -Opposition to President\n                    -Editor’s influence\n\n       President's telephone call with Claudia A. (“Lady Bird”) Johnson\n              -Flying flag\n                       -Claudia Johnson's opinion\n                       -End of mourning period\n                              -Reminder to public\n                              -Thirty day period\n                       -Ziegler's opinion\n                       -Emotional impact\n\f                                               -4-\n\n                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM\n\n                                                              Conversation No. 854-8 (cont’d)\n\n                       -Announcement\n                              -Tribute to Lyndon B. Johnson and prisoners of war [POWs]\n                       -Richard A. Moore's opinion\n                       -Announcement\n                              -Television [TV]\n                              -Statement by the President\n\nZiegler left at 9:15 am.","filename":["854-008.mp3"],"tapeStart":"","tapeEnd":"","participantsList":["Nixon, Richard M. (President)","Ziegler, Ronald L."],"prevCode":"854-007","nextCode":"854-009","transcript":[{"start":10.34,"end":10.72,"text":"Marty?"},{"start":10.8,"end":26.79,"text":"Marty's a weak and implodified senator."},{"start":28.95,"end":32.07,"text":"Is he?"},{"start":33.35,"end":35.39,"text":"Oh, yeah."},{"start":44.3,"end":50.75,"text":"I guess talk to, uh, Mrs. Johnson."},{"start":55.43,"end":61.88,"text":"Mrs. Johnson."},{"start":62.3,"end":71.67,"text":"Mrs. Johnson."},{"start":71.83,"end":73.05,"text":"Mrs. Johnson."},{"start":81.12,"end":89.47,"text":"See what I mean?"},{"start":89.49,"end":90.01,"text":"It'll remind me."},{"start":91.13,"end":96.67,"text":"See, it's 30 days in our kids."},{"start":96.69,"end":96.89,"text":"30 days."},{"start":96.91,"end":97.29,"text":"30 days."},{"start":97.35,"end":98.45,"text":"That's gotta be it."},{"start":108.06,"end":110.12,"text":"I saw somebody here suggesting ."},{"start":113.36,"end":127.71,"text":"And she said it's always impressive to see the ."},{"start":127.75,"end":129.53,"text":"What do you think about it?"},{"start":129.57,"end":132.55,"text":"Well, I just wanted to take a moment to do it."},{"start":132.69,"end":137.83,"text":"I think based upon the conversation you had with Mrs. Johnson."},{"start":138.92,"end":142.41,"text":"At this time, I think it would be more..."},{"start":172.19,"end":174.12,"text":"You intend to do sexual harassment."},{"start":222.65,"end":223.47,"text":"I think an announcement would be good."},{"start":223.49,"end":223.89,"text":"This is the time for."},{"start":223.91,"end":224.91,"text":"Tribute to the return of the former president."},{"start":257.99,"end":259.71,"text":"But most people feel that this is the time."},{"start":298.99,"end":303.69,"text":"Why don't you check it for us?"},{"start":305.13,"end":305.51,"text":"All right."},{"start":305.81,"end":314.68,"text":"Let me."},{"start":314.78,"end":321.54,"text":"The way it is, I call her sir."},{"start":326.89,"end":327.07,"text":"Okay."},{"start":377.61,"end":377.69,"text":"Okay."}],"aiSummary":{"text":"President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler reviewed news coverage, specifically discussing journalistic criticism directed toward the administration. The conversation pivoted to the logistics of ending the official mourning period for the late President Lyndon B. Johnson, incorporating feedback from Lady Bird Johnson regarding flag protocols. They ultimately decided to issue a formal public statement that would simultaneously serve as a tribute to the former president and acknowledge the return of prisoners of war.","topics":["Lyndon B. Johnson","Lady Bird Johnson","Mourning period","POWs","Media relations","Presidential protocol"],"generatedAt":"2026-04-08T01:17:22.545Z"},"topicSlugs":["lyndon-b-johnson","lady-bird-johnson","mourning-period","pows","media-relations","presidential-protocol"],"audioDurationSec":383,"audioFiles":[{"file":"854-008.mp3","bytes":9202414,"durationSec":383.31,"bitrate":192063,"missing":false}],"audioIsShared":false,"audioProbedAt":"2026-09-18T02:20:00.382Z","findingAidSource":"nixonlibrary.gov subject log (2024-05), reslice-v2","findingAidUpdatedAt":"2026-09-18T08:44:48.248Z","audio":["https://nixon.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/audio/854-008.mp3"],"url":"https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/854-008","nixonLibraryUrl":"https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/white-house-tapes/854/conversation-854-008","license":"Public domain (U.S. Government work). AI-generated fields (transcript, aiSummary) are provided as-is without warranty."}