Conversation: 910-003
Prev: 910-002 Next: 910-004Start Date: 2-May-1973 5:49 PM
End Date: 2-May-1973 6:15 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob");Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On May 2, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:49 pm and 6:15 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 910-003 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 910-3
Date: May 2, 1973
Time: Unknown between 5:49 pm and 6:15 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
President’s schedule
-President’s previous meeting with Otto E. Passman
Watergate
-Haldeman
-Grand jury testimony
-Invitation to Camp David
-Haldeman’s files
-Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] seizure
-President’s reaction
-Cabinet meeting [?]
-Leonard Garment’s role
-Press relations
-President’s ownership
-FBI seizure
-Garment’s role
-Motives
-Possible review by FBI, Justice Department
-Contents
-President’s ownership
-Contents
-Type of material
-President’s communiqués
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Kissinger, William P. Rogers [?]
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-President’s ownership
-10-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. October-2012)
Conversation No. 910-3 (cont’d)
-Possible subpoena
-Reaction
White House staff reorganization
-George H. W. Bush
-Possible role
-Congressional relations
-Haig’s assessment
-Lack of support for President
-Republican Party
-Robert H. Finch’s conversation with Haldeman
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr. as replacement for Haldeman
-Haig’s possible role as Chief of Staff
-Temporary basis
-President’s role as Commander-in-Chief
-Dwight D. Eisenhower’s staff
-Gen. Andrew J. Goodpaster
-Daniel Burston [sp?]
-George P. Shultz
-Advice
-Domestic Council
-Spiro T. Agnew, Kenneth R. Cole, Jr.
-Ehrlichman
-Roy L. Ash
-Compared with Haig
-Haig
-Strengths
-Relationship with President
-President’s needs
-Confidante
-Haldeman’s assessment of staffer
-Haig
-Temporary appointment
-Impact on Army
-Strength in staff relations
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Schultz
-11-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. October-2012)
Conversation No. 910-3 (cont’d)
-Ash
-Staff relations
-President’s decision making
Watergate
-Break-in at Daniel Ellsberg’s psychiatrist’s office
-President’s conversation with John D. Ehrlichman
-Reporting
-Justice Department’s knowledge
-John W. Dean, III’s conversation with President and Haldeman, March 1973
-E. Howard Hunt, Jr.
-Dean’s conversation with Egil (“Bud”) Krogh, Jr.
-Henry E. Petersen’s knowledge of photograph
-Justice Department’s knowledge
Haldeman
-President’s appreciation
-Need for support
White House staff reorganization
-Haig
-Meeting with Haldeman
-Message
-Meeting with the President
-Approach
-Chief of Staff position compared with Haig’s ambitions
-Military service
-Cambodia
-Temporary nature of assignment
-Organizational skills
-William E. Timmons
-Possible replacement
-Integrity, experience
-President’s assessment
-Haldeman’s assessment
-John B. Connally
-Political affiliation
-12-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. October-2012)
Conversation No. 910-3 (cont’d)
Watergate
-Haldeman’s forthcoming grand jury testimony
-Executive privilege
-Garment
-Possible effects of waiver by the President
-President’s preference
-President’s instructions to Garment
-Garment’s claim of executive privilege
-Timing
-Haldeman’s forthcoming meeting with Samuel Dash
-Ervin Committee compared to grand jury
-Grand jury
-Applicability of executive privilege
-President
-Impeachment compared with criminal proceedings
-Garment
-Need for instructions
-Haldeman’s preparation of memorandum [memo] regarding extent of
the President’s claim
-Waiver
-Guidelines
-Delivery to Garment
-Haig
-Guidelines
-National security
-William O. Bittman
-Delivery to President
-President’s Address to the Nation About the Watergate Investigations, April 30,
1973
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-President’s possible resignation
-President’s motives
-Continuation in office
-Opinion of Haldeman’s lawyers concerning Haldeman’s case
-New York Times story, May 2, 1973
-Dean and Ervin Committee
-13-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. October-2012)
Conversation No. 910-3 (cont’d)
-Leaks
-Inaccuracies
-Ehrlichman’s and Haldeman’s role in cover-up
-Committee to Re-elect the President [CRP]
-Location of meetings
-Correspondence with Dean, John N. Mitchell
President’s schedule
-Departure
-Automobile
The President and Haldeman left at 6:15 pm.