Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 860 › Conversation 860-008

Nixon with unidentified visitors in the Oval Office on communications…

Wednesday, February 21, 1973 · 3:15 PM–3:23 PM ET · Oval Office · 19 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation860-008 on Tape 860StartWednesday, February 21, 1973 at 3:15 PMEndWednesday, February 21, 1973 at 3:23 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 860-008 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to manage his incoming communications as he prepared to depart the office for an extended period. The brief exchange focused on coordinating the return of a pending phone call later in the day. The President confirmed his unavailability, effectively placing his immediate call schedule on hold.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I'll have to return him some later then because I'll be gone for hours.
Okay.

NARA Description

On February 21, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:15 pm and 3:23 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 860-008 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 860-8

Date: February 21, 1973
Time: Unknown between 3:15 and 3:23 p.m.
Location: Oval Office

The President talked with the White House operator.

[See Conversation No. 43-154]

Also recorded on February 21, 1973

  • 043-152 3:12 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John C. Stennis talked on the telephone from 3:12 pm to 3:15 pm.
  • 860-004 3:12 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John C. Stennis met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:12 pm to 3:15 pm.
  • 043-153 3:15 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:15 pm and 3:26 pm.
  • 043-154 3:15 PM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:15 pm and 3:26 pm.
  • 860-005 3:15 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:15 pm and 3:23 pm.
  • 860-006 3:15 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:15 pm and 3:23 pm.
  • 860-007 3:15 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:15 pm and 3:23 pm.
  • 860-009 3:23 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:23 pm to 3:26 pm.

All 88 conversations from February 21, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 860-008, February 21, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/860-008 (accessed October 11, 2026).