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Conversation 037-025

TapeTape 37StartThursday, March 1, 1973 at 6:00 PMEndThursday, March 1, 1973 at 6:20 PMParticipantsHaldeman, H. R. ("Bob");  Cole, Kenneth R., Jr.;  Nixon, Richard M. (President);  Ziegler, Ronald L.Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

President Nixon, H. R. Haldeman, Kenneth Cole, and Ronald Ziegler discussed administrative reactions to the ongoing occupation at Wounded Knee and the handling of the Watergate investigation. Cole clarified that the White House was distancing itself from direct management of the Wounded Knee standoff, deferring tactical control to the Justice Department and John Whitaker while maintaining a hardline stance against amnesty for the protesters until hostages are released. Additionally, the participants reviewed the status of the FBI’s Watergate inquiry and the impact of L. Patrick Gray’s testimony. Cole was tasked with providing a follow-up status report on the Bureau of Indian Affairs by the following morning.

WatergateWounded KneeL. Patrick GrayBureau of Indian AffairsJustice DepartmentHostage negotiations
AudioNARA Description

On March 1, 1973, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., President Richard M. Nixon, and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:00 pm and 6:20 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 037-025 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 37-25

Date: March 1, 1973
Time: Unknown between 6:00 pm and 6:20 pm
Location: White House Telephone

H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman talked with Kenneth R. Cole, Jr. The President and Ronald L. Ziegler
can be heard in the background.

       Watergate
             -Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] investigation
                    -Haldeman’s order
                    -Press conference questions
                    -L. Patrick Gray III’s
                            -Letter testimony

       Wounded Knee, South Dakota protest
            -Indians
            -Bureau of Indian Affairs [BIA]
            -John C. Whitaker
                   -Richard G. Kleindienst
                   -Ralph E. Erickson
                           -US marshals
                           -Location
            -White House position
                   -Justice Department
                   -Whitaker
                   -White House role
                   -Kleindienst
            Hostages
                   -Amnesty
                   -Release
                   -Status
                   -Update
                   -Schedule
                                             - 17 -

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY

                                         (rev. Sept-09)
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

Cold, please.
Cold, please.
Thank you.
Who is this?
Haldeman.
All right, thank you.
What's that?
I haven't had a Watergate question.
That was great.
Yeah, but he said that he killed the letter.
Hello.
Hello.
Ken, what are you doing about the Indians?
We are not involved with the Indians from the White House.
What about the Bureau of Indian Affairs?
What's happened to that?
The Bureau of Indian Affairs is not in it.
Whitaker is in it.
John and I talked earlier today about it.
Kleindienst has Erickson and a couple of other of his marshals out there on the scene.
Our position right now is that the Indians are breaking the law, that we do not intend to go to negotiate with the Indians until they release the hostages.
We are not prepared whatsoever to discuss the question of amnesty with them until such time as they have ceased breaking the law, which means release the hostages.
being handled by Justice.
It is being handled by Justice and Whitaker.
The White House is not in it.
We're not controlling anything.
I signed off on Whitaker's policy today, and he and Kleindienst are in communication.
What are you doing overall on the Bureau of Indian Affairs?
Are we getting that untangled, or are we just leaving it?
No, no, no.
That is being untangled.
Yeah, but I...
Up-to-date status report on what the Bureau of Indian Affairs is doing right now.
Let me get somebody to get you a quick check on that.
Okay.
Do you want me to call you back?
No, no.
Get ready in the morning.
Okay.
All right.
Thank you.
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