Conversation: 893-016
Prev:  893-015 Next: 893-017Start Date: 11-Apr-1973 12:34 PM
End Date: 11-Apr-1973 1:20 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ehrlichman, John D.; Ford, Gerald R.; Bull, Stephen B.; Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On April 11, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, John D. Ehrlichman, Gerald R. Ford, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:34 pm to 1:20 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 893-016 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 893-16 Date: April 11, 1973 Time: 12:34 pm - 1:20 pm Location: Oval Office The President met with John D. Ehrlichman. Watergate -White House counterattack -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman -Availability -Patrick J. Buchanan -Public relations -Need for staff -Research -John W. Dean, III -Charles W. Colson -Robert J. Dole The President talked with Gerald R. Ford between 12:35 pm and 12:39 pm. [See Conversation No. 893-16A] [See Conversation No. 44-145] President’s telephone call to Ford -Albert H. Quie -Polling numbers [?] -Older Americans -Need for flexibility in negotiating with Democrats -Changes -Stephen Kurzman -Ford -Grand Rapids, Michigan -White House Staff meeting -Quie -James H. Cavanaugh -Negotiations -36- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. February-2011) Conversation No. 893-16 (cont’d) -Older Americans Bill -Disabled Americans bill -Veterans bill -Veto option -Administration negotiations with Quie -Conversation with Ford -Ford’s call to Ehrlichman -Veto vote -Republican complaints -White House event for Congressmen -Republicans’ support for vetoes -Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger -Quie -Political deals -Influence Watergate -White House counterattack -Haldeman -1972 campaign violations by Democrats -President’s ignorance -Buchanan -Public relations [PR] campaign -Goals -Violence -Funding violations -John N. Mitchell -Ehrlichman’s conversation -Maurice H. Stans -New York Daily News story -Paul L. O’Brien as attorney -Robert S. Strauss’s conversation with Mitchell -Ervin’s future conduct of hearings -O’Brien’s role -Perjury -Alger Hiss -Possible justification by Mitchell -O’Brien -Politics -37- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. February-2011) Conversation No. 893-16 (cont’d) -News stories on forthcoming testimony -Effects of possible testimony -Haldeman -Investigation of funding -Ervin Committee -Minority report from Howard H. Baker, Jr., and Edward J. Gurney -Roles of Baker and Gurney -Baker -Restraint on Sam J. Ervin, Jr. -Ehrlichman’s conversation with Ervin -Lowell P. Weicker, Jr. -Leonard Garment’s opinion -Relations with Ervin and Baker -Scheduling of witnesses -James W. McCord, Jr. -Haldeman -Ehrlichman’s draft of ground rules -McCord -Colson -Possible positions for White House -Investigation -Search for the truth -Results of White House investigation -Garment -Search for truth -Reasons for Garment’s presence -Haldeman’s possible testimony -Possible positions for White House to take -Garment’s role -Dean -Interrogatories -Fred D. Thompson -Samuel Dash -White House position on testimony -Possible subpoena -Forthcoming negotiations, April 11, 1973, between John D. Ehrlichman and committee -Size of staff -Division of labor -38- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. February-2011) Conversation No. 893-16 (cont’d) -Ervin -Age -Dash -Witness schedule -McCord -Sentencing by John J. Sirica -Sirica’s role -Buchanan -[First name unknown] Wilson [?] -White House counterattack -Roscoe Drummond -Members of press favorable to President Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 12:34 pm. President’s schedule -Meeting with Haldeman Bull left at an unknown time before 1:20 pm. Watergate -Ehrlichman’s meetings -Cabinet -White House staff -Statements -Haldeman -Defense to White house staff President’s schedule -April 13, 1973, Cabinet meeting -Postponement of meeting -Forthcoming meeting with Congressional leaders -April 19, 1973 Cabinet meeting on energy -Party April 12, 1973 -Invitation to Cabinet -Economic news Economy -George P. Shultz’s memo -39- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. February-2011) Conversation No. 893-16 (cont’d) -President’s schedule -Weekend reading -Pierre Rinfret’s advice -Strict controls -Arthur F. Burns -Forthcoming memo from Ehrlichman -Burns -John B. Connally -Meeting with John W. Dean, III [?] Ehrlichman’s meeting with Burns -Inflation -Herbert Stein’s view -Change -Inevitability Equilibrium -Remedies -Effect on boom -Harm -Rinfret -Stock market -Attention span of Wall Street -Bernard J. (“Bunny”) Lasker -Effects of news reports -Market fluctuations -Lebanon -Vietnam -Analysts -Controls -Effects -Israel and Palestine -Market fluctuations Watergate -Garment -Presence at Ervin hearings -Effect -Legal approaches to Ervin hearings -Haldeman -Effects of possible testimony -40- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. February-2011) Conversation No. 893-16 (cont’d) -Republicans’ demand for resignation -Effectiveness -Joseph C. Kraft -Possible meeting with leading Republicans -Barry M. Goldwater -Paul J. Fannin -Seeking advice before testimony Ehrlichman’s schedule -Tax policy meeting Watergate -Haldeman -Effects of possible testimony -Comparison with Jeb Stuart Magruder -Grand Jury -Witness schedule -Dean -Dwight L. Chapin, Gordon C. Strachan, Donald H. Segretti Ehrlichman’s schedule -Tax message -Rescheduling of Cabinet meeting Ehrlichman left at 1:20 pm.