Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 919 › Conversation 919-028

Nixon & Yates on Ronald L. Ziegler and White House press briefings

Wednesday, May 16, 1973 · 1:25 PM–3:02 PM ET · Oval Office · 38 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Yates, Nellie L.Conversation919-028 on Tape 919StartWednesday, May 16, 1973 at 1:25 PMEndWednesday, May 16, 1973 at 3:02 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 919-028 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with Nellie L. Yates to discuss the administrative management of press secretary Ronald L. Ziegler’s schedule and briefing materials. The conversation focused on the excessive length of Ziegler's briefings and the burden of reviewing lengthy, multi-page reports. No formal policy changes were enacted, but the exchange highlighted the President's frustration with the volume of documentation required for upcoming briefings.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Is Sigrid still breathing?
Yes, sir, he's still breathing.
I just checked his meds.
Too bad.
He wanted to go on over and then had to come over again.
They keep him so long.
Well, I had to get one yesterday.
It was 20 pages, I think.
Really long reading.

NARA Description

On May 16, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Nellie L. Yates met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:25 pm and 3:02 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 919-028 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 919-28

Date: May 16, 1973
Time: Unknown between 1:25 pm and 3:02 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with an Nellie L. Yates [?].

       Ronald L. Ziegler’s schedule
             -Length of briefings
                     -Number of pages
             -Forthcoming meeting with President

Yates [?] left at an unknown time before 3:02 pm.
                                               -53-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Also recorded on May 16, 1973

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  • 919-029 1:25 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:25 pm and 3:02 pm.
  • 919-030 1:25 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:25 pm and 3:02 pm.
  • 919-031 1:25 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:25 pm and 3:02 pm.
  • 919-035 1:25 PM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:25 pm and 3:02 pm.
  • 919-037 1:25 PM · 12 sec — United States Secret Service agents met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:25 pm and 3:02 pm.
  • 437-003 1:40 PM · 33 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:40 pm to 2:00 pm.

All 73 conversations from May 16, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 919-028, May 16, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/919-028 (accessed October 12, 2026).