Conversation: 439-036
Prev: 439-035 Next: 439-037Start Date: 23-May-1973 1:43 PM
End Date: 23-May-1973 2:15 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.;Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
NARA Description:
On May 23, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:43 pm to 2:15 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 439-036 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 439-36
Date: May 23, 1973
Time: 1:43 pm - 2:15 pm
Location: Old Executive Office Building
President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.
Ziegler’s press briefing
-Length
-Thomas Hart’s opinion
Refreshment
Watergate
-Ziegler’s previous press briefing
-National security
-Hugh Scott
-Statement
-Central Intelligence Agency [CIA]
-Domestic intelligence
-Ziegler’s previous press briefing
-CIA
-President’s knowledge of Watergate involvement
-John W. Dean III
-Timing
-Lt. Gen. Vernon A. Walters’ memorandum of conversation [memcons]
-John J. (“Jack”) Caulfield
-Scott’s statement
-Ziegler’s previous press briefing
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Spiro T. Agnew’s statement
-John B. Anderson’s statement
-Egil (“Bud”) Krogh, Jr.
-President’s knowledge of Daniel Ellsberg break-in
-27-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation 439-36 (cont’d)
-Leonard Garment
-Press briefing, May 24
-Ziegler
-Gerald L. Warren
-Ziegler’s previous press briefing
President’s schedule
-Possible press conference
-Timing
-Location
Watergate
-Caulfield’s scheduled testimony before the Senate, May 23
-Scott’s statement, May 23
Press relations
-Gerald R. Ford’s statement, May 23
-Congressional votes
-House of Representatives
-President’s veto
-Senate
-Presidential leadership
-Question to Scott and Ford
-President’s possible resignation
-Courtney Sheldon [?]
-Liberalism
-President’s possible resignation
-Discussion by determining body
-Ziegler’s press briefing, May 22
-Press attitude toward President
-Prisoners of War [POW] Day
-George H. W. Bush’s conversation with Martin J. Schram
-Press attitude toward President
-Hostility
-Attitude toward President
-Compared with attitude toward the statement
-White House response
-28-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation 439-36 (cont’d)
-Effectiveness of President’s press conferences
-Anger of press
-President’s response
-White House press corps
-Ziegler’s impression of support
-President’s possible press conference
-Timing
Kissinger’s possible press briefing
-Paris peace talks
-Ziegler’s conversation with Haig
-Content
-National security
Watergate
-White House response
-National security
-George H. W. Bush’s view
-Ziegler’s previous press briefing
-Ziegler’s previous press briefing
-Wiretaps on newsmen
-Confidentiality in foreign affairs
-United States-Soviet negotiations, Strategic Arms Limitation Talks
[SALT], Mutual and Balanced Force Reduction [MBFR] and Vietnam
War
-White House response
-Domestic intelligence
-Scott
-Ellsberg case
Possible declassification
-Bay of Pigs
-Ngo Dinh Diem’s death
Press briefing, May 24
-Length
-POW Day
-29-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation 439-36 (cont’d)
President’s schedule
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower’s recommendation on Florida
-Camp David
Watergate
-White House response
-Ervin Committee hearings
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-Dean
-Possible immunity
-Conversation with President regarding activities
-Caulfield
-Clemency
-Role of Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-Charles W. Colson
-White House response
-Public mood
President’s schedule
-Trip to Iceland
Watergate
-Ervin Committee
-Schedule
-Lowell P. Weicker, Jr.
-Appointment
-$65,000 in campaign funds
-Haldeman
Press relations
-Briefings
President’s schedule
-POW Day
-Meeting with State Whips
-Blair House
-30-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation 439-36 (cont’d)
-White House
-Press coverage
Haig
Ziegler left at 2:15 pm.