Conversation: 438-015
Prev: 438-014 Next: 438-016Start Date: 17-May-1973 3:11 PM
End Date: 17-May-1973 3:43 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Buzhardt, J. Fred, Jr.; Ziegler, Ronald L.;Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
NARA Description:
On May 17, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr., and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:11 pm to 3:43 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 438-015 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 438-15 Date: May 17, 1973 Time: 3:11 pm - 3:43 pm Location: Old Executive Office Building The President talked with J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. [Conversation No. 438-15A] [Begin telephone conversation] [See Conversation No. 46-98] Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 3:15 pm. [End telephone conversation] Thomas G. Eagleton -Allegations in letter -White House response -President’s earlier meeting with Buzhardt and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. -President’s knowledge -Possible actions -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman, John D. Ehrlichman, and John W. Dean, III -Possible White House response to unknown doctor’s letter -Henry E. Petersen -Psychiatry -Ziegler’s research -Mayo Clinic -Extent of public knowledge -Psychiatric hospital Watergate -Dean -Access to Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] interviews -Possible White House statement -9- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2011) Conversation No. 438-15 (cont’d) President’s orders -John V. Brennan -Thoroughness -Bureaucracy -United States Secret Service [USSS] -Open files -Threats against the First Family, President -Ziegler’s report -Camp David -Computers -Technicians -Set-up -Records -Violent demonstrations -Full reports -Attack on the President’s car during inauguration -Disclosure of attack - President’s previous request -Camp David Ziegler’s conversation with Howard K. Smith -President’s schedule -Smith’s commentaries on President’s record -Edward J. Gurney -Treatment of Jeb S[tuart] Magruder President’s investigation of Alger Hiss -Compared to Ervin Committee -Questions -Appearance to public President’s orders to Rose Mary Woods -Mail to President -Distribution to White House staff -Haig, Ziegler -Morale -10- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2011) Conversation No. 438-15 (cont’d) Eagleton’s medical history -Charges against President -[San Clemente] -White House handling of allegations -Concerns of Haig and Haldeman -Lyndon K. (“Mort”) Allin Watergate -President’s possible television [TV] speech -Buzhardt’s view -Dean -Documents -Howard K. Smith’s and Stewart J. O. Alsop’s views -President’s possible TV speech -Possible White Paper -Dean -Documents -Possible news coverage -Knowledge of Huston Plan -National security -President’s press conference -Leonard Garment -Raymond K. Price, Jr. -President’s opponents -Changing tactics -Press -Congress -Samuel J. Ervin -White House response -Tactical reasons -Speech -White Paper -Patrick J. Buchanan -White Paper -Threats against the First Family, President -Numbers of demonstrators -11- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2011) Conversation No. 438-15 (cont’d) -Washington Post -Anti-war -President’s response to threats -Compared to Franklin D. Roosevelt and Robert F. (“Bobby”) Kennedy during World War II -Attorney General -FBI figures -Press conference -J. Edgar Hoover -Theme -Radical groups -Threats to Silent Majority -Protection of society -Support from embassies -Local groups -Investigation -National Security Council [NSC] -Investigations at President’s order -Staff -State Department -Defense Department -Central Intelligence Agency [CIA] -FBI -Compared to Pentagon Papers -Threats to United States foreign policy -Peace initiatives -Soviet Union -People’s Republic of China [PRC] -Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT] -White House response -Ziegler at press conference -White Paper -Buchanan -Press conference -Ziegler’s opinion -Public support -George H. W. Bush -12- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2011) Conversation No. 438-15 (cont’d) -White Paper -Speech -President’s previous meetings -Desire for peace -Spiro T. Agnew -White House response -President’s possible actions -Press conference compared to speech -Dean -Possible activities -Ziegler’s opinion of Dean -President’s opinion of Dean -Credibility -Ervin -Gurney -Actions -Robert C. Odel, Jr. [?] -Prosecutors President’s speech on Election Reform Commission -Press coverage -Newspapers -TV -Washington Star [?] Brennan -Conversation with Ziegler -[USSS report on threats against the First Family, President] Ziegler left at 3:43 pm. -13- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2011)