Conversation: 437-012
Prev: 437-011 Next: 437-013Start Date: 18-May-1973 1:55 PM
End Date: 18-May-1973 2:55 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.; Ziegler, Ronald L.;Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
NARA Description:
On May 18, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:55 pm to 2:55 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 437-012 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 437-12
Date: May 18, 1973
Time: 1:55 pm - 2:55 pm
Location: Old Executive Office Building
The President met with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
Watergate
-Full disclosure
-Television [TV]
-Timing
-President’s conversation with H. R. Haldeman
-J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr.
-Full disclosure
-Format
-Content
-Huston plan
-Henry A. Kissinger wiretaps
-18-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation No. 437-12 (cont’d)
Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 1:57 pm.
Watergate
-Full disclosure
-Content
-Handling of Huston plan
-National security
-Huston plan
-J. Edgar Hoover’s objections
-Plugging leaks
-John D. Ehrlichman and Egil (“Bud”) Krogh, Jr.
-Meeting among Haldeman, Ehrlichman, Richard M. Helms and
Vernon A. Walters regarding Central Intelligence Agency [CIA]
involvement
-Mexican money
-Bay of Pigs
-Reason for restraining Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
investigation
-National security
-President’s conversation with L[ouis] Patrick Gray
-President’s knowledge
-John N. Mitchell
-President’s order for full disclosure
-Ehrlichman and Haldeman
-Timing
-Content
-Format
-Televised speech and issuance of White Paper
-Patrick J. Buchanan, Raymond K. Price, Jr. and Bryce N. Harlow
-Harlow and Buzhardt
-Ervin Committee
-Senate Armed Services Committee
-Memoranda of conversations [memcons]
-Full disclosure
-James W. McCord, Jr.’s testimony before Ervin Committee, May 18
-Samuel J. Ervin, Jr.
-19-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation No. 437-12 (cont’d)
-Ziegler’s press briefing, May 18
-President’s resignation
-Full disclosure
-Walters’s memcons
-Dangers of haste
-Content
-Format
-Walters’s memcons
-Content
-Gray
-Possible release
-Effect on President’s actions
-Possible White House statement
-Congressional leaders
-National security issues
-Possible meeting with the President
-Buzhardt
-John W. Dean’s allegations
-President’s possible speech
-Ervin Committee
-President’s possible resignation
-Impeachment
-President’s conversation with Haldeman
-House of Representatives procedures
-Possible effects
-President’s possible meeting with congressional leaders
-Timing
-Full disclosure
-President’s possible speech
-Supplemental document
-President’s schedule
-Congressional leaders
-Stewart J. R. Alsop and Howard K. Smith
-James R. Schlesinger and Helms
-John C. Stennis
-Walters’s memcons
-Possible release
-20-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation No. 437-12 (cont’d)
-W[illiam] Stuart Symington
-Clemency
-John J. (“Jack”) Caulfield
-Charles W. Colson’s conversation with President
-E. Howard Hunt, Jr.
-Ehrlichman’s conversation with the President on beach in San Clemente
-Dean’s story
-Ehrlichman’s meeting in the President’s office
-President’s possible offer
-Cover-up
-Possible documentation of President’s role
-President’s conversation with Dean
-Documentation of Haldeman’s and Ehrlichman’s roles
-Dean’s role
-President’s knowledge
-$350,000
-Herbert W. Kalmbach
-Ehrlichman
-Meeting with Dean, March 21
-William O. Bittman and Hunt
-Search of White House files
-Dean’s conversations with the President
-Haldeman’s conversation with President
-Ehrlichman
-President’s possible speech
-Possible reaction of Ehrlichman and Haldeman
-Cover-up
-Possible actions of Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-President’s knowledge of $350,000
-Clemency
-Colson
-Ehrlichman’s conversation with President at San Clemente
-President’s reaction
-Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-Possible collaboration with prosecution
-President’s schedule
-Congressional leaders
-21-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation No. 437-12 (cont’d)
-Agenda
-Plugging national security leaks
-CIA
-FBI
-J. Edgar Hoover’s recalcitrance
-Plumbers
-Egil (“Bud”) Krogh, Jr.
-Testimony
-Edward M. (“Teddy”) Kennedy
-Chappaquiddick
-Colson
-President’s knowledge
-Krogh and David R. Young, Jr.
-President’s conversations with Colson
-President’s schedule
-Congressional leadership
-Investigations of Watergate
-Buzhardt
-Stennis
-President’s possible speech
-Buchanan, Price and John K. Andrews, Jr.
-Harlow
-Lyndon K. (“Mort”) Allin
-Herbert G. Klein
-Content
-Ervin Committee hearings
-Domestic intelligence
-Need for full disclosure
-Dean’s documents
-Compared to Pentagon Papers
-Tom Huston’s memos
-Buzhardt
-Possible release of White Paper
-National security
-Impeachment
-Buzhardt’s view
-Allegations
-22-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation No. 437-12 (cont’d)
-White House strategy
-White Paper
-Speech
-Relationship of various activities
-Walters’s memcons
-Possible affidavits by Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-President’s forthcoming speech
-Price
-Possible resignation
-President’s investigation
-Dean and Ehrlichman
-Resignations of Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-Caulfield
-Relationship with Mitchell
-Chappaquiddick
-Haldeman’s schedule
-Haldeman, Ehrlichman
-Staff members’ notes of meetings with the President
-President’s ownership
-Haldeman’s notes
-President’s possible resignation
Ziegler and Haig left at 2:55 pm.