Conversation: 949-012
Prev: 949-011 Next: 949-013Start Date: 12-Jul-1973 5:09 PM
End Date: 12-Jul-1973 8:22 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.; [Unknown person(s)]; Ziegler, Ronald L.; Tkach, Walter R. (Dr.);Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On July 12, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., unknown person(s), Ronald L. Ziegler, and Dr. Walter R. Tkach met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:09 pm and 8:22 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 949-012 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 949-12
Date: July 12, 1973
Time: Unknown between 5:09 pm and 8:22 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
-38-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. October-2012)
Conversation No. 949-12 (cont’d)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 17 s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
President’s schedule
-President’s health
-Medical test
[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************
President’s schedule
-Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital
-Meetings
-Statement on national economy
-Paper
Watergate
-Access to files
-Senators’ possible response
-Carl T. Curtis
-William E. Timmons
-Creativity
-Barry M. Goldwater, Sr.
-White House response
-Decisions on Vietnam War
-Cambodia, December 1972 bombing
-Ervin Committee’s possible demand
-House Un-American Activities Committee [HUAC]’s
-39-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. October-2012)
Conversation No. 949-12 (cont’d)
1953 subpeona to Harry S. Truman
-White House staff response
-Melvin R. Laird
-Bryce N. Harlow
-Samuel Dash
-Possible White House selection
-Richard A. Moore
-Ervin Committee statement
-John W. Dean, III
-President’s knowledge
-Previous attack by Dean
-Meeting with Dean regarding President’s knowledge
-Rose Mary Woods
-Dean
-Conversation with President
-White House staff involvement
-Full disclosure
-Dean’s possible testimony
-Access to files
-J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr.’s search for precedents
-Archibald Cox
-Possible removal
-Ronald L. Ziegler’s press briefing
-President’s contacts with Samuel J. Ervin, Jr.
-Letter ,telephone conversation
-President’s conversation with Ervin
-Ervin’s reaction
-White House response
-Elliot L. Richardson
-Goldwater
-Access to President
-Harlow
-Ziegler
-Edward J. Gurney’s possible meeting with Laird
-Ziegler’s press briefing
-President’s forthcoming meeting with Ervin
-Ziegler’s schedule
-40-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. October-2012)
Conversation No. 949-12 (cont’d)
An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 5:09 pm.
Request for Ziegler
The unknown man left at an unknown time before 5:23 pm.
President’s health
-Track record during Presidency
-President’s schedule
-Announcement
-Forthcoming economic package of Phase IV controls
-Walter Reed Hospital visit
-Radio address
-State Dinner
-Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
-Spiro T. Agnew
-Visitors to hospital
Ziegler entered at 5:23 pm.
Watergate
-President’s conversation with Ervin
-Leaks
-Newspaper column
-White House response
-Ervin Committee leaks
-Florida
-Goldwater’s statements
-George H. W. Bush
-Conversation with Harlow
-Possible travel
-President’s conversation with Ervin
-President’s schedule
-Wire service coverage
-Ervin Committee staff
-Howard H. Baker, Jr.
-41-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. October-2012)
Conversation No. 949-12 (cont’d)
-Ervin
-Possible subpeona of President
-Access to files
-Access to files
-President’s July 6, 1973 statement
-Perception of compromise
-President’s schedule
-Ervin
-News leads
-Moore
-Ervin Committee testimony
-Statement
-Cross-examination by Terry F. Lenzner
-International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT]
-Mitchell
-Ervin’s comment to Dash
-President’s conversation with Ervin
-Ervin Committee’s goal
-Leonard Garment
-Meeting with unknown group, July 12, 1973
-President’s schedule
-Ervin
-Timing
-Press coverage
-Location
-Baker
-President’s conversation with William E. Timmons
-Access to files
-Cox
-Buzhardt’s views
-Constitutional issue
-Haig’s view
-Possible removal
-Possible selective release
-Laird, Harlow, Goldwater
-Gerald L. Warren’s press briefing
-Story, July 12, 1973
-42-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. October-2012)
Conversation No. 949-12 (cont’d)
-Rowland Evans, Robert D. Novak
-Gurney
-White House staff reaction
-Laird, Harlow
-Dean, Mitchell, Moore
-Possible allegations against President
-Possible selective release
-Possible allegations
-Dash
-Dean
-September 15, 1972 meeting with President and H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Ervin
-Treatment of witnesses
-Mitchell
-Conversation with President
-Michael Gravel
-Ervin Committee
-Relations with White House
-Garment
*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
President’s schedule
-President’s health
-X-ray
-Viral pneumonia
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 42 s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
-43-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. October-2012)
Conversation No. 949-12 (cont’d)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
President’s health
-Electrocardiogram
-Publicity
-X-ray
-Naval clinic
-Publicity
-Leaks
-Announcement
-Viral pneumonia
-Public relations [PR]
[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************
An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 5:23 pm.
Request for Dr. Walter R. Tkach
The unknown man left at an unknown time before 5:44 pm.
President’s health
-Announcement
-X-ray
-Results
-Privacy
-Prognosis
-Potential Bethesda Naval Hospital visit
-Privacy of X-ray visit
Tkach entered at 5:44 pm.
President’s schedule
-Naval Medical Clinic visit
-Timing
-44-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. October-2012)
Conversation No. 949-12 (cont’d)
-Security, visibility
*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
President’s health
-Diagnosis
-Examination, X-ray
-Extent of condition
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4A
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 32 s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4A
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Public relations [PR]
-President’s health
-Possible hospital visit
-Diagnosis
-Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital compared to Bethesda Naval
Medical Center
-Timing
-Announcement
-Projection of heart attack, stroke
-Press reaction
-Perception of national calamity
-Compared to other presidents
-Stroke, diabetes [?], heart attack
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-Announcement
-Tkach
-45-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. October-2012)
Conversation No. 949-12 (cont’d)
-Content
-Statement
-Prognosis
-Symptoms
-Camp David compared to hospital, White House
-Weather
-Announcement
-Wording
-Symptoms
-Viral pneumonia
-Diagnosis
-Lung damage
-Influenza
-Virus
-Fever
-President’s location while sick
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4B
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 24 s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4B
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
President’s health
-General wellbeing
-Possible hospital visit
-Attendants
-Military personnel [?]
-Manolo Sanchez
-Immediate departure
-Need for diagnosis
-Announcement
-Symptoms
-46-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. October-2012)
Conversation No. 949-12 (cont’d)
-Undetermined diagnosis
-Escalation of rumors
-Need for private X-ray at naval clinic
-PR
-Hospital visits due to viruses
-Diagnosis
-Appearance of tiredness
-Hospital visit
[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************
Presidency
-President’s opponents’ goals
-Press relations
-President’s obituary
The President left at 5:59 pm.
PR
-Announcement regarding President’s health
-Hospital
-Tkach [?]
-President’s recent appearance
-Tired eyes [?]
-Honesty
-Credibility
-Timing of President’s illness
-Tkach’s night visit and diagnosis
The tape cut off at an unknown time before 8:22 pm.
-47-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. October-2012)
Conversation No. 949-13 (cont’d)