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Conversation 002-088

TapeTape 2StartWednesday, May 5, 1971 at 12:43 PMEndWednesday, May 5, 1971 at 1:13 PMTape start time03:15:49Tape end time03:17:29ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Dean, John W., IIIRecording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

President Nixon and John Dean discuss the status of anti-war protests in Washington, D.C., specifically focusing on a planned demonstration at the Capitol. Dean informs the President that approximately 2,000 protesters intend to march on the Capitol, but confirms that local authorities are prepared to handle the situation without federal intervention. The conversation concludes with an assessment that the protesters' movement is losing momentum due to internal tactical disagreements among leadership figures like Rennie Davis.

Anti-war protestsCapitol PoliceJohn DeanDemonstration tacticsCivil unrest
AudioNARA Description

On May 5, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and John W. Dean, III talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:43 pm and 1:13 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 002-088 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 2-88

Date: May 5, 1971
Time: Unknown between 12:43 pm and 1:13 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with John W. Dean, III.

[See Conversation No. 491-33C]
                                              50

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 9/08)




[A transcript of the following portion of this conversation was prepared under court order from
December 1978 through March 1979 for Special Access 8, Ronald V. Dellums, et al. v. James M.
Powell, et al., No. 71-2271. The National Archives and Records Administration produced this
transcript. The National Archives does not guarantee its accuracy.]

[End of transcript]
                                                                        Conv. No. 2-86 (cont.)
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

Mr. Dean, Mr. President.
Hello.
Yes, sir.
What's the situation on the hill?
Are they up there yet?
We have about 2,000 down on the foot of the hill.
And they're sitting under the trees and generally peaceful at this point in time.
Yeah.
What are they planning to do?
Well, their intention is to march on the Capitol and attack it.
Oh, is that right?
Siege.
What time?
At what time?
Roughly two o'clock.
Two o'clock.
And we will do nothing.
That's the Capitol Police's problem.
That is correct.
Are they prepared for it?
Yes, sir.
Do they have enough personnel and everything?
Yes, sir.
Have they asked any help from us?
No, sir.
They have not.
MPD is prepared to give them any assistance down there.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
That's fine.
That's fine.
We'll just leave it right there.
That's their problem.
And about 2,000 of them going up the hill, huh?
Correct.
Okay.
I have a status report on the way over on the rest of the city and it's generally quiet yeah yeah yeah things have sort of cooled off apparently I think I think the spirit has been broken you really think so yes I do they had a meeting last night and a good bit of internal dissent amongst the demonstrators on what to do at this point in time yeah like like what why did they dissent what were they dissenting about tactics you mean tactics
Rennie Davis, who's out on bond now, was urging that they go to the Lincoln Memorial with the Southern Christian Leadership Group, but the others would not buy that.
Yeah.
Okay, fine.
Yes, sir.
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