Conversation: 904-008
Prev:  904-007 Next: 904-009Start Date: 25-Apr-1973 9:21 AM
End Date: 25-Apr-1973 10:46 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Wilson, John J.; Strickler, Frank H.; [Unknown person(s)]; Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On April 25, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, John J. Wilson, Frank H. Strickler, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:21 am to 10:46 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 904-008 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 904-8 Date: April 25, 1973 Time: 9:21 am - 10:46 am Location: Oval Office -9- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2011) Conversation No. 904-8 (cont’d) The President met with John J. Wilson and Frank E. Strickler. Watergate -Wilson and Strickler -Experience -Knowledge -Funds for defendants -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman -Conversation with John W. Dean, III -Use for money -$322,000 -Delivery to Frederick C. LaRue by Gordon C. Strachan -John D. Ehrlichman -Herbert W. Kalmbach An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 9:21 am. Refreshment The unknown person left at an unknown time before 10:46 am. Watergate -Funds for defendants -Dean -Kalmbach -Press opinion -Haldeman and Ehrlichman -Haldeman compared with Ehrlichman -Kalmbach -Dean and Ehrlichman -Haldeman’s knowledge -Purpose -Haldeman and Ehrlichman -Possible charges -Obstruction of justice -Federal statutes -Intent -10- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2011) Conversation No. 904-8 (cont’d) -Ehrlichman and Haldeman -Conspiracy -Wilson’s interpretation -President’s possible position with Henry E. Petersen -Grand jury -Wilson’s and Strickler’s interest -President -Haldeman and Ehrlichman -Wilson’s and Strickler’s visit with US Attorney’s office -Earl J. Silbert and Seymour Glanzer -Leaks -Jack N. Anderson -Glanzer -Conversation with Wilson and Strickler -Haldeman and Ehrlichman -Possible resignations -Effects -Press -Dean -Timing -Effect on press -Possible letter to President from Wilson and Strickler -Possible alternatives to resignation -Informal meeting with prosecutors -Grand jury -Statements from Wilson and Strickler -Standards of conduct for Presidential advisors -John B. Connally’s opinion -Dorothy Hunt -Dean’s possible testimony -E. Howard Hunt, Jr. -Possible conversations with Dean and LaRue -Promise of clemency -John N. Mitchell, LaRue -Charles W. Colson’s possible conversation with William O. Bittman -Bittman -11- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2011) Conversation No. 904-8 (cont’d) -Blackmail of Colson -Dean’s conversations with President, Haldeman, and Ehrlichman -Possible statement -[First name unknown] Rivers -Delivery of money -LaRue -Henry E. Petersen -Fees -Haldeman and Ehrlichman -Dean -Dean -Possible indictment -Possible defense -Possible testimony -Haldeman and Ehrlichman -President’s conversation with Petersen -Lie detector tests -Prosecutors -Jeb Stuart Magruder and Gordon C. Strachan -Magruder and Strachan -Leaks from grand jury -Effects of case -Dean -Immunity -Vulnerability as witness -Haldeman and Ehrlichman -Conversation with President, March 21, 1973, concerning Bittman -Blackmail -Immunity -Possible effect -President’s conversation with Petersen -Possible effect -Credibility -Possible perjury -Immunity -Petersen -Possible memo to President -12- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2011) Conversation No. 904-8 (cont’d) -Duration of grand jury -Possible indictment of Dean -Conversations with President -US Attorney’s negotiations with Dean -Haldeman and Ehrlichman -Possible resignations -Effect -Connally’s view -Public’s reaction -Timing -Impairment of usefulness -Connally’s and Rogers’s opinion -Impairment of usefulness -Possible questions for Ronald L. Ziegler -$322,000 -Haldeman and Ehrlichman -Possible resignations -Effect on White House -Involvement in cover-up -Haldeman and Ehrlichman -Dean -Value to President under present circumstances -President’s needs -President’s schedule -Willy Brandt -European Economic Community -North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] -Defense -Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] -Quadriad -Georges J. R. Pompidou -Iceland -Leonid I. Brezhnev -Comparison with Sherman Adams and Dwight D. Eisenhower -President’s needs -George H. Bush, Clark MacGregor, George P. Shultz -Opinion -13- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2011) Conversation No. 904-8 (cont’d) -Connally, Rogers, Bryce N. Harlow -Opinion -Effect on President’s effectiveness -Presidency -Public confidence -Appearance of impropriety -Possible resignations -Timing -President’s conversation with Petersen -Grand jury leaks -Haldeman and Ehrlichman -Possible indictments -Departures from White House staff -Possible indictments -Press -Dean -Presidency -Possible statement on resignation -Departures from White House staff -Comparison with Dean -Petersen -Replacements -Henry A. Kissinger -Functions in White House -Comparison with Adams and Eisenhower -Adams -Rowland R. Hughes -Carey Estes Kefauver -Dixon-Yates affair -Gerald D. Morgan’s conversation with Wilson -Jerry Persons -Ehrlichman and Haldeman -Congress -Republicans -Compared with Adams -Henry Styles Bridges -Relations with the White House staff -14- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2011) Conversation No. 904-8 (cont’d) -Demands for resignation -Departures from staff -Actions by President -Mitchell trial -Possible indictments -Unindicted co-conspirators -Action by President -Leaves of absence -Resignations -Value to President -Relations with Congress -Patrick J. Buchanan, [Horace] Chapman (“Chappie”) Rose -President’s fund problem in 1952 -President’s “Checkers” speech -Robert A. Taft, Herbert C. Hoover, Jr., Arthur Summerfield -Public support -President’s Cambodia decision -Confidence -Bush, MacGregor -Departures from staff -Effect on Presidency -Ehrlichman -Hunt’s papers for L[ouis] Patrick Gray, III -Dean’s role -Ehrlichman’s knowledge of Dean’s activities -Meeting with Dean and Gray -Putative remark concerning Hunt leaving country -Donald H. Segretti -Strachan -Haldeman -Petersen -Grand jury -Conversations with President -Dean -Mitchell -William G. Hundley -Attorney -15- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2011) Conversation No. 904-8 (cont’d) -Relationship with Petersen -Possible defense -Haldeman, Ehrlichman, Colson -Colson -Recommendation to Ehrlichman -Lawrence M. Higby -Conversation with Dean -Haldeman and Ehrlichman -Representation by Wilson and Strickler -Dean -Possible testimony -Conversation with President concerning Hunt -President’s response -Timing -Conversations with Haldeman and Ehrlichman -Conversation with President -Bittman’s conversation with O’Brien concerning $120,000 -Haldeman’s presence -President’s response -$1,000,000 -Executive privilege -Petersen -Higby -Conversation with Dean, April 24, 1973 -Dean as scapegoat -Petersen -Possible obstruction of justice by President -Dean’s conversation with Higby -President’s forthcoming conversation -Petersen’s role -Obstruction of justice -Dean’s conversations with President -Timing -LaCosta meetings -President’s knowledge -Dean’s March 21, 1973, conversation with President -President’s response -16- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2011) Conversation No. 904-8 (cont’d) -Presidency compared with President -Prosecutors -Glanzer, Silbert, and staff -Dean -Negotiations with witnesses -Immunity -Dean -Immunity -Petersen’s responsibility -President’s role -President’s April 17, 1973, statement -Dean’s possible testimony -Quid pro quo agreement -Lack of corroboration -Local juries -Racial and political makeup of jury -Change of venue -John J. Sirica -Legal relationship with Wilson -Attitude toward Republicans -Sentence to G[eorge] Gordon Liddy -Higby -Conversation with Dean -Petersen’s relationship with President Presentation of gifts by President -Inauguration -Wife, girlfriend, daughter Wilson and Strickler left at 10:46 am. -17- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2011)