Conversation: 893-021
Prev:  893-020 Next: 893-022Start Date: 11-Apr-1973 3:18 PM
End Date: 11-Apr-1973 4:49 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ehrlichman, John D.; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Ziegler, Ronald L.; Bull, Stephen B.; Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On April 11, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, John D. Ehrlichman, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:18 pm to 4:49 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 893-021 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 893-21 Date: April 11, 1973 Time: 3:18 pm - 4:49 pm Location: Oval Office The President met with John D. Ehrlichman, H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman, and Ronald L. Ziegler. Simplified tax return -George P. Schultz -45- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. February-2011) Conversation No. 893-21 (cont’d) -Evaluation President’s schedule -Evening meetings Watergate -Problems of presidency -Excessive strength -Lack of candor -Role of Senate -Scheduling -Televised hearings -Witnesses -White House staff -John N. Mitchell, Robert C. Mardian, Frederick LaRue, Jeb Stuart Magruder -Haldeman -John W. Dean, III -Possible presidential actions -Popular perceptions -Value of initiative -Role of Ervin Committee -Grand jury -Dean -Instructions concerning privilege -Ehrlichman, Leonard Garment -Protection of Mitchell -Magruder -Sally H. Harmony’s testimony -G[eorge] Gordon Liddy -Gordon C. Strachan’s testimony -Haldeman’s hiring of Donald H. Segretti -$350,000 -Handling -Haldeman’s instructions -LaRue -Haldeman’s hiring of Donald H. Segretti -Possible press reports -Gray’s testimony about Segretti -46- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. February-2011) Conversation No. 893-21 (cont’d) -Dwight L. Chapin, Herbert W. Kalmbach -Dean -Effects of possible testimony on Mitchell -Haldeman’s possible testimony -Watergate investigation -Warren Commission -Special prosecutor -Ervin Committee -Exercise of privilege -Ervin Committee’s functions -Protection of White House -Haldeman -Relationship with Magruder -Long-term effects of testimony -Future statements -Washington Post -Carl Berstein -Robert U. (“Bob”) Woodward -Ervin Committee -Testimony by White House staff -Conditions: voluntary vs. court-ordered -Supreme Court ruling -Effects of televised hearings -John D. Ehrlichman’s negotiations with Samuel J. Ervin, Jr. -Dean’s appearance before Grand Jury -Ehrlichman letter on Dean -Testimony by White House staff -Haldeman -Dean -Committee staff’s view of Haldeman or Mitchell’s role -Haldeman -Allegations against -Executive privilege -John B. Connally’s view -President’s position -Candor -White Hosue staff testimony before Ervin Committee -Investigation for President -Ehrlichman’s suggestion of appointing a justice to write report -47- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. February-2011) Conversation No. 893-21 (cont’d) -Ervin Committee Report -Leaks -Grand Juries -Strachan’s testimony -Harmony’s testimony -Public impressions -Press coverage -Ervin Committee -White House staff testimony -Dean -Executive privilege -White House cooperation -Dean -Possible testimony before Grand Jury -Grand Jury leaks -Washington, DC -Funds -Ervin Committee -Executive Branch investigation -Possible testimony against Dean -Ehrlichman’s hypothetical testimony example -Statement by Dean -Effect -Ziegler’s example of hypothetical testimony from a woman -Linda Lovelace -Possible testimony by Magruder -Possible statements by Dean -Attendance at Committee for the Re-election of the President [CRP] meetings -Requests from Mitchell for money -Kalmbach -Role in raising money -Popular impression -Possible lack of testimony -Mitchell -New York Daily News story -New York Grand Jury -Ervin Committee -Televised hearings -48- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. February-2011) Conversation No. 893-21 (cont’d) -Successful witnesses -Howard Hughes -Francis A. (“Frank”) Sinatra -Problems -Dean’s availability -White House position -Possible future testimony on Dean -Scope of possible testimony -Grand Jury -Public reaction -Forthcoming Grand Jury testimony -Staff’s discussions with Grament -Dean -Haldeman -Charles Colson, Chapin, Strachan -Availability of witnesses -Hierarchy -Executive privilege -Haldeman -Executive privilege -Knowledge -Comparison with Dean’s situation -Layers of Executive privilege -Dean -Forthcoming testimony -Knowledge -Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] raw files -Contact with Donald H. Segretti -Written interrogatories Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 3:18 pm. President’s schedule -Trip to Camp David -Departure time -Transportation -Marine One helicopter Bull left at an unknown time before 4:20 pm. -49- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. February-2011) Conversation No. 893-21 (cont’d) Watergate -Ervin Committee -Haldeman -Dean -Arrangements for forthcoming testimony -Televised hearings -Forthcoming White House statements -Dean report -Mitchell -Risks -Timing -Future attacks by committee -Timing -Wording -Possible statement by Haldeman -Response to allegations -New York Post story’s contents -Lowell P. Weicker, Jr. -Involvement with Segretti -Document by Ehrlichman for negotiations -Televised hearings -Changes Ziegler left at 4:20 pm. Watergate -Ervin Committee -Ehrlichman’s negotiations -Televised hearings -Impact on possibility of White House staff testimony -Approval by committee -Information given to Garment -Discrepancies -Ratification by committee compared to gentleman’s agreement -FBI raw files -Televised hearing -Objections by witnesses -Ehrlichman’s negotiations -50- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. February-2011) Conversation No. 893-21 (cont’d) -Committee process -Circus atmosphere -Dean’s testimony -Dean -Forthcoming appearance before Grand Jury -Possible treatment by committee members -Weicker -Joseph M. Montoya -Erhlichman’s forthcoming negotiations with Ervin, April 11, 1973 -Timing of deal -Televised hearings -Testimony of White House staff -Conditions -Press reaction -Televised hearings -Other media -Press attendance -Motion pictures -Radio -Comparison with courtroom rules -Televised hearings -Duration of meeting Ehrlichman left at 4:32 pm. Watergate -Ervin Committee -Ziegler’s opinions -Statements by White House staff -Haldeman -Possible statement -Strachan -Testimony -Hugh W. Sloan, Jr.’s testimony concerning $350,000 -Haldeman’s connection with Segretti -Watergate break-in -Discussions with James Keough and Haldeman prior to testimony -Haldeman’s instructions about testimony -Mitchell -51- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. February-2011) Conversation No. 893-21 (cont’d) -Dean -Discussions about funds -Haldeman -Ehrlichman -Haldeman’s response to Dean’s request -$350,000 -Haldeman’s instructions concerning disposition -Origin -Kalmbach’s role in 1970 election -Haldeman’s suggestions [Background noise from aircraft obscures conversation.] Watergate -$350,000 -Expenditure -Concerns about campaign spending violations -Responsibility -Haldeman’s forthcoming statement -Use -Haldeman’s involvement in postelection use -Strachan’s testimony -Sloan’s testimony -Watergate break-in -Strachan’s testimony -Original size of fund -Maurice H. Stans -Comparison with Democrats’ funds -Dean -Involvement with funds for burglars -Use for funds -Contact with burglars Haldeman’s schedule Haldeman left at 4:49 pm. -52- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. February-2011)