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Conversation: 921-021

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Start Date: 17-May-1973 12:45 PM

End Date: 17-May-1973 1:25 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)[Unknown person(s)]Bull, Stephen B.Haig, Alexander M., Jr.Ziegler, Ronald L.Sanchez, Manolo

Recording Device: Oval Office

921-021a.mp3

921-021b.mp3

NARA Description:

On May 17, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, unknown person(s), Stephen B. Bull, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Ronald L. Ziegler, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:45 pm to 1:25 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 921-021 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 921-21

Date: May 17, 1973
Time: 12:45 pm - 1:25 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with an unknown man.

       Instruction

Stephen B. Bull entered at 12:45 p.m.

       President’s schedule        

              -Charles G. “Bebe” Rebozo’s schedule 

              -Norfolk, Virginia trip     


       Ronald L. Ziegler’s press briefing 

             -Length         

             -Meeting with President              

                     -Oval Office         

             -Length         


The unknown man left at an unknown time before 12:58 pm.

       President’s schedule
              -Camp David         

                      -Rebozo        

                      -Hagerstown, Maryland               

              -Remarks for President       

              -Executive Office Building [EOB] 


Alexander M. Haig, Jr. entered at an unknown time after 12:45 pm.

       Norfolk speech        

              -Length        

              -Southeast Asia           

              -EOB        

                                                -40-


                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM 


                                      Tape Subject Log 

                                      (rev. August-2011)

                                                             Conversation No. 921-21 (cont’d)


Bull left at an unknown time before 12:58 pm.

       Watergate
             -Special Prosecutor
                     -Haig’s conversation with Elliot L. Richardson
                     -Warren M. Christopher
                     -Charter
             -Richardson          

                     -John B. Connally’s opinion         

             -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman
                     -Replacement by Haig
                     -Access to records
             -Doctor’s letter to Haig
                     -Reaction of Haldeman and Ehrlichman

       1972 campaign         

              -Patrick J. Buchanan’s knowledge of Thomas F. Eagleton 

                      -George S. McGovern           

              -Eagleton        

                      -Administration’s reaction to revelations   


       Watergate
             -Doctor’s letter to Haig 

                    -Daniel Ellsberg         

                    -Allegations of burglary          

                    -Eagleton’s psychiatrist         

                    -J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr.’s reaction 

                    -Eagleton’s medical history         

                             -Buchanan’s knowledge
                    -Compared with story regarding President’s San Clemente property
             -John W. Dean III
                    -Activities         

             -Charles W. Colson           

             -Doctor’s letter to Haig 

             -Haig’s conversation with Richardson 

             -Claude S. Brinegar          

                                               -41-


                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM 


                                         Tape Subject Log 

                                         (rev. August-2011)

                                                              Conversation No. 921-21 (cont’d)

                     -Possible calls to Haig
                     -Conversation with Haig after Cabinet meeting
              -George P. Shultz
                     -John J. (“Jack”) Caulfield
              -Caulfield
                     -Connally’s opinion
                     -Connally’s conversation with Shultz
                     -Clemency offer
                     -Chappaquiddick
                             -Colson         

                     -Possible removal         

              -White House staff         

                     -Connally’s view
                             -Lawrence M. Higby and Tod R. Hullin
                             -Alexander P. Butterfield and John C. Whittaker
                     -Haig’s view

       Brinegar       

              -Resignation        


       Watergate
             -Higby         

                     -Possible removal        

                     -Move to EOB          

              -Haldeman and Ehrlichman
                     -Removal from White House staff
              -Haig’s conversation with Richardson

Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 12:58 pm.

              -Ziegler’s previous press briefing
                     -Huston Plan
                     -Central Intelligence Agency [CIA] involvement
                             -President’s role
                     -National security concerns

       Press relations
                                         -42-

            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                  Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. August-2011)

                                                        Conversation No. 921-21 (cont’d)

       -Ziegler’s previous press briefing 

       -President’s activities       

       -Topics        

              -Trade, energy
              -Head of state visits         

                      -Iceland         

                      -[Georges J. R. Pompidou]         

              -Cambodia
              -Henry A. Kissinger            

                      -President’s cables      

                      -France         


President’s schedule
       -Cabinet meeting
               -Staff reporting

Ziegler’s press briefing
       -Grand jury

Press relations
        -Ziegler’s role as press secretary
                -Credibility
                        -Lies
        -Perceptions concerning White House actions 

                -Lies        

                -Previous statements       

                -Dean report         


       -Ziegler’s role
       -Murray M. Chotiner’s note regarding Herbert G. Klein and Ziegler
              -Public relations [PR]
       -Role of press secretary
              -Leonard Garment
       -Change of press secretary
              -Perception of press

Watergate
                                           -43-


                NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM 


                                    Tape Subject Log 

                                    (rev. August-2011)

                                                            Conversation No. 921-21 (cont’d)

            -Doctor’s letter to Haig 

                    -Buzhardt’s reaction         

                    -Eagleton’s medical history        

                            -New York
                            -Missouri
                            -Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
                            -Mayo Clinic
                    -Petersen
            -Ervin Committee
            -Investigation
            -Story regarding President’s San Clemente property
                    -Ziegler’s previous press briefing
                    -Santa Ana Register
            -Eagleton
                    -Ziegler’s previous press briefing
                    -Dean
                    -Ehrlichman and Haldeman
                    -President
                    -Buchanan’s knowledge
            -CIA involvement
                    -Possible White House reaction
            -Dean’s documents
                    -Huston Plan
                    -Possible White House reaction
                    -Haig’s conversation with J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr.
                            -Affidavits
                                   -Louis W. Tordella
                                   -Richard M. Helms
                                   -Tom C. Huston
                                           -Termination of plan


***************************************************************** 


BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2 

[Statute]

[Duration: 4 s ] 

                                          -44-


                 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM 


                                   Tape Subject Log 

                                   (rev. August-2011)

                                                          Conversation No. 921-21 (cont’d)


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

*****************************************************************


            -Possible White House response 

                    -National security      

                    -Implementation       

            -Relationship between Egil Krogh’s operation and Watergate break-in
            -May 8, 1971 riots
            -Huston
                    -Document of termination


***************************************************************** 


BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3 

[Statute]

[Duration: 16 s ] 


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3

*****************************************************************


      Watergate       

            -Huston         

                   -Rescension order
            -Buzhardt’s affidavits
            -Helms
                   -Forthcoming conversation with Haig
                   -Conversation with Buzhardt, May 13
                           -Resignation
                           -Daniel Ellsberg
                                   -Psychiatric study
            -Possible White House response
                                              -45-


                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM 


                                        Tape Subject Log 

                                        (rev. August-2011)

                                                              Conversation No. 921-21 (cont’d)


       President’s schedule
              -Cabinet
              -Meeting with Donald D. Clancy
                      -Photograph and press coverage

       Watergate
             -Dean
                      -Forthcoming testimony
                      -Ehrlichman
                      -Possible attacks on President
                              -Motive
                              -Immunity
                      -Relationship to Robert C. Odle, Jr.
                      -Possible testimony
                      -Contacts with President
                      -President’s statement on immunity
                      -Possible testimony regarding President
                      -Access to Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] reports and interviews
               -Ervin Committee hearings
                      -Possible witnesses
                              -Colson, Haldeman and Ehrlichman
                                      -Effect on Dean
                      -Possible effect of Grand Jury indictments
                      -Donald H. Segretti
                      -White House strategy

       Press briefings         

              -Length           


Manolo Sanchez entered at 1:25 pm.

       Instruction

The President et al. left at 1:25 pm.
                                           -46-


                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM 


                                    Tape Subject Log 

                                    (rev. August-2011)