Conversation: 436-015
Prev: 436-014 Next: 436-016Start Date: 14-May-1973 7:27 PM
End Date: 14-May-1973 8:15 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.; Garment, Leonard; Higby, Lawrence M.;Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
NARA Description:
On May 14, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, Leonard Garment, and Lawrence M. Higby met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 7:27 pm to 8:15 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 436-015 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 436-15 Date: May 14, 1973 Time: 7:27 pm - 8:15 pm Location: Executive Office Building The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler. The recording began at an unknown time while the conversation was in progress. Ronald L. Ziegler talked with Leonard Garment at an unknown time. [Conversation No. 436-15A] [Begin telephone conversation] [See Conversation No. 46-34] [End telephone conversation] Watergate -Grand jury actions -Indictments -Ervin Committee -Allegations regarding President’s San Clemente property -Ziegler’s possible reaction -Relations with the White House -Allegations regarding President’s San Clemente property -22- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-2012) Conversation No. 436-15 (cont’d) -New York Times -President’s possible response -Ziegler’s previous press briefing -Associated Press -Santa Ana Register story, May 13 -President’s financial disclosures -White House response -Television [TV] coverage of Dean -White House response -President’s conversation with Herbert G. Klein Leonard Garment talked with Ronald L. Ziegler at an unknown time. [Conversation No. 436-15B] [Begin telephone conversation] [See Conversation No. 46-35] [End telephone conversation] Watergate -Allegations regarding President’s San Clemente property -Associated Press -Possible libel suit -Ziegler’s previous conversation with Garment -Garment’s conversation with unknown man -Howard H. Baker, Jr. and Sam J. Ervin, Jr. -Ervin Committee -Carmine Bellino -Possible White House reaction -Call for investigation -Santa Ana Register -Baker -Conversation with Garment -Possible White House reaction -Ziegler’s denial -23- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-2012) Conversation No. 436-15 (cont’d) -White House response -Lt. Gen. Vernon A. Walters’s forthcoming testimony -Dean -Documents -News summary -Participants’ lies -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman’s testimony, May 14 -Lawrence M. Higby Ronald L. Ziegler talked with the White House operator at an unknown time. [Conversation No. 436-15C] [Begin telephone conversation] [See Conversation No. 46-36] [End telephone conversation] Watergate -Walters’s testimony -Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman -Meeting with Haldeman regarding Central Intelligence Agency [CIA] involvement Ronald L. Ziegler talked with Lawrence M. Higby at an unknown time. [Conversation No. 436-15D] [Begin telephone conversation] [See Conversation No. 46-37] [End telephone conversation] Watergate -Ziegler’s previous phone conversation with Higby -24- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-2012) Conversation No. 436-15 (cont’d) -Haldeman’s grand jury testimony -Meeting with Walters -National security -J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. -$350,000 -Haldeman’s meeting with Walters -Ziegler’s previous conversation with Higby -Haldeman’s grand jury testimony -Haldeman -Meeting with Walters, Richard M. Helms and Ehrlichman -CIA -Walters, Helms -Dean’s efforts -Haldeman and Ehrlichman -Ziegler’s conversation with Buzhardt -L[ouis] Patrick Gray’s conversations with Walters -Haldeman and Ehrlichman Zielger’s schedule -Message Zielger talked with an unknown person at an unknown time after 7:27 pm. [Conversation No. 436-15E] [Begin telephone conversation] Message -President’s request [?] [End telephone conversation] Watergate -Dean -CIA -President’s conversation with Helms -John N. Mitchell -25- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-2012) Conversation No. 436-15 (cont’d) -Haldeman and Ehrlichman -Haldeman’s meeting with Walters and Helms -Haldeman’s possible testimony -Walters’s motives -Effect on Haldeman and Ehrlichman -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.’s opinion -Wiretaps -Henry A. Kissinger -Haig -Kissinger’s role -Haldeman’s conversation with President -President’s role -Kissinger -Activities -White House response -Patrick J. Buchanan’s view -President’s schedule -Adherence to strategy -Haig -White Paper -President’s schedule -President’s forthcoming message on Election Commission -Raymond K. Price, Jr.’s draft -Allegations regarding President’s San Clemente property -Press reaction -Garnett D. (“Jack”) Horner -Frank Cormier -Associated Press -Klein -Ziegler’s call to James Wes Gallagher -Ervin Committee -Baker’s reaction -Bellino -Ervin -Libel -Possible public reaction -White House reaction -26- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-2012) Conversation No. 436-15 (cont’d) -William E. Timmons -Press Office handling of stories -Compared with Dr. John L. (“Jack”) Lungren’s office break- in story -1960 break-in of John F. Kennedy’s doctor’s office -White House reaction -Haig, Buzhardt, Ziegler and President -President’s schedule -Frequency of speeches -Possible White Paper -Dean -Documents -E. Howard Hunt, Jr. -Newsweek and Time -Possible motives -Department of Justice [DOJ] -Immunity -Haldeman and Ehrlichman -President -Immunity -Documents -Possible contents -Possible motives -President, Haldeman and Ehrlichman -White House reaction -Haig compared with Haldeman -Possible impeachment -Buzhardt -Haig -Adherence to strategy -Dean -Documents -Hunt -Relationship with Hunt and Ehrlichman -Documents -Possible contents -Effect on Ehrlichman -Hunt’s Memoranda of conversation [Memcons] -27- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-2012) Conversation No. 436-15 (cont’d) -George T. Bell -Allegations regarding President’s San Clemente property -Garment’s reaction -Conversations -Baker, Fred D. Thompson and Samuel Dash The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time. [Conversation No. 436-15E] [Begin telephone conversation] [See Conversation No. 46-38] [End telephone conversation] Watergate -Allegations regarding President’s San Clemente property -Ziegler’s forthcoming conversation with Garment -Ziegler’s previous conversation with Gallagher -Klein Ronald L. Ziegler talked with Leonard Garment at an unknown time. [Conversation No. 436-15F] [Begin telephone conversation] [See Conversation No. 46-39] The President talked with Garment at an unknown time. [End telephone conversation] Watergate -Allegations regarding President’s San Clemente property -Garment -28- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-2012) Conversation No. 436-15 (cont’d) -Activities -Ziegler’s forthcoming conversation with Klein -Retractions -Santa Ana Register -Associated Press -White House reaction -Haig Ziegler left at 8:15 pm.