Conversation: 909-026
Prev: 909-025 Next: 909-027Start Date: 2-May-1973 12:11 PM
End Date: 2-May-1973 12:30 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Rogers, William P.; White House operator; Cole, Kenneth R., Jr.;Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On May 2, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, William P. Rogers, White House operator, and Kenneth R. Cole, Jr. met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:11 pm to 12:30 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 909-026 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 909-26
Date: May 2, 1973
Time: 12:11 pm - 12:30 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with William P. Rogers.
Meeting with Willy Brandt
Watergate
The President talked with the White House operator at 12:11 pm.
[Conversation No. 909-26A]
[Begin telephone conversation]
[See Conversation No. 45-139]
[End telephone conversation]
President’s statement
-Economic Stabilization Program
Watergate
-Special Prosecutor
-Elliot L. Richardson
-Senate resolution, May 1
-Senators’ understanding
-Significance
-Implications of “no confidence” vote
-Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
The President talked with Kenneth R. Cole, Jr. between 12:11 and 12:12 pm.
[Conversation No. 909-26B]
-44-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. October-2012)
Conversation No. 909-26 (cont’d)
[Begin telephone conversation]
[See Conversation No. 45-140]
[End telephone conversation]
Watergate
-Senate resolution, May 1
-Barry M. Goldwater and James L. Buckley
-Possible statements
-Charles H. Percy’s role
-Percy
-Possible statement on Elliot L. Richardson
-Motives
John B. Connally
-Political affiliation
-Possible role in administration
-Defense Secretary
David Packard
-Forthcoming meeting with President
-Possible role as Defense Secretary
Counsel to the President
-President’s conversation with Cole
-Role
-John W. Dean, III
-Possible candidates
-Qualifications
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman
-Rogers’s opinion
-Cabinet
-Congressional relations
-Possible candidates
-George H. W. Bush
-45-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. October-2012)
Conversation No. 909-26 (cont’d)
-Commitments
-Republican National Committee [RNC] chairman
-Strengths
-Bush, Bryce N. Harlow
-Strengths
-Bush
-Possible role
White House staff organization
-Chief of Staff
-President’s preference
Spiro T. Agnew
-Conversation with Rogers, May 1
-Meeting with President, May 1
-Watergate
-Public statements
-Intelligence, dignity
-Possible foreign travel
-Domestic Council
-Attendance
-Role
Quadriad meeting
-Agnew’s attendance
-Phase III of Economic Stabilization Act
-Announcement
-Pre-reporting requirements
-Large corporations
Counsel to the President
-Possible candidates
-Bush and Harlow
-Donald H. Rumsfeld
-Suitability
-Senate candidacy
-Interpersonal relations
-46-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. October-2012)
Conversation No. 909-26 (cont’d)
-Bush
-Harlow
-Bush
-Qualifications
-Precision
-Authoritarianism
-Bush
-Republican National Committee [RNC] commitments
Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-Compared with Sherman Adams
-Relations with Republicans, Democrats
Counsel to the President
-Possible candidates
-Bush
-James T. Lynn
-Qualifications
-Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger
-Health, Education, and Welfare [HEW] Secretary
-Workload
-Lynn
-Housing and Urban Development [HUD] Secretary
-Previous experience in Washington, DC
-Maurice H. Stans
-Commerce Department
-Congressional relations
-Age
-Strength
-Bush
-Capability
-Compared to Prescott S. Bush
-Integrity
-Intelligence
-Decency
-Need for legal background
-Possible candidates
-47-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. October-2012)
Conversation No. 909-26 (cont’d)
-George McKinnon
-Health
-Current judgeship
-Integrity
-Pension
-Age
-Retirement
-Pension
Watergate
-Special Prosecutor
-Richardson
-Edmund G. (“Pat”) Brown
-Rogers’s viewpoint
-Previous experience
-Temperament
-Possible Democrat
-Barnabas F. Sears
-Qualifications
-Rogers’s conversation with Richard G. Kleindienst
-Qualifications
-John N. Mitchell
-Difficulties of forthcoming prosecutions
-Burden on prosecutor
-Jury
-Possible motion for change of venue
-Mitchell, other possible defendants
-Washington, DC
Counsel to the President
-Possible candidates
-John W. Byrnes
-Finances
-Family
-Intelligence
-Experience
-Possible dynamic with President
-48-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. October-2012)
Conversation No. 909-26 (cont’d)
-Meeting with Rogers
-Interest
-Bush
-Lynn
-Rogers’s check
-Age
-Strengths
-Experience
-Precision
-Working style
-Relations with colleagues, Cabinet
-Bush
-Working style
-Ambition
-Loyalty
-Byrnes
-Telephone call with Rogers
-Interest
Rogers’s schedule
-Brandt’s Head of State visit, German officials
-Opera
President’s Schedule
-Haile Selassie
-Head of State visit
-Dinner
-Toast
-Possible message to Dr. Minassie Haile
-Florida
-Timing
Rogers left at 12:30 pm.
-49-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. October-2012)
Conversation No. 909-27 (cont’d)