Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 857 › Conversation 857-008

Nixon with unidentified visitors in the Oval Office on Ambassadorial…

Thursday, February 15, 1973 · 12:19 PM–12:47 PM ET · Oval Office · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); [Unknown person(s)]Conversation857-008 on Tape 857StartThursday, February 15, 1973 at 12:19 PMEndThursday, February 15, 1973 at 12:47 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 857-008 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with an unknown individual to review a list of potential ambassadorial candidates and staff appointments. The discussion focused on administrative protocols for correspondence, specifically the use of first names and the procedure for marking selections on the provided list. Nixon confirmed his preference for circling names to expedite the preparation of official letters.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Kuss.

That's how you indicate.

These are first names, right?

Yes, sir.

I can sit faster, you sit here much faster.

You can either circle or write an email.

Excuse me.

Yeah, I'll circle or write an email.

These letters should be prepared.

Where they are.

First name.

NARA Description

On February 15, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:19 pm and 12:47 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 857-008 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 857-8

Date: February 15, 1973
Time: Unknown between 12:19 pm and 12:47 pm
Location: Oval Office
                                          -45-

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                     Conversation No. 857-8 (cont’d)

The President met with an unknown man.

       Names on a list
             -Titles
                     -Ambassador
             -Circling of names

       Letters
                 -Preparation
                 -First names

The unknown man left at an unknown time before 12:47 pm.

Also recorded on February 15, 1973

043-087 11:12 AM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:12 am and 11:14 am.
043-088 11:12 AM · 43 sec — Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft and Adm. Thomas H. Moorer talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:12 am and 12:02 pm.
857-006 12:02 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:02 pm and 12:05 pm.
857-007 12:05 PM · 14 min — President Richard M. Nixon, J. Curtis Counts, Manolo Sanchez, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:05 pm to 12:19 pm.
857-009 12:19 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:19 pm and 12:47 pm.
857-010 12:19 PM · 22 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:19 pm and 12:47 pm.
857-011 12:19 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:19 pm and 12:47 pm.
857-012 12:47 PM · 51 sec — United States Secret Service agents met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:47 pm and 2:55 pm.

All 41 conversations from February 15, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 857-008, February 15, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/857-008 (accessed October 11, 2026).