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Conversation 023-138

TapeTape 23StartWednesday, May 3, 1972 at 2:53 PMEndWednesday, May 3, 1972 at 3:10 PMParticipantsEhrlichman, John D.;  White House operator;  Ziegler, Ronald L.Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

John D. Ehrlichman coordinates with Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler regarding the upcoming press conference to announce the appointment of L. Patrick Gray III as acting FBI Director. Ehrlichman outlines the procedural flow of the announcement, instructs Ziegler on how to field press inquiries, and clarifies the technical employment status of Gray for salary purposes. The two agree to meet in person to finalize the specific language Ziegler should use when announcing that a permanent nomination for the position will be deferred until after the election.

L. Patrick Gray IIIFBIRichard G. KleindienstPress relationsAppointmentsPersonnel
AudioNARA Description

On May 3, 1972, John D. Ehrlichman, White House operator, and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:53 pm and 3:10 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 023-138 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 23-138

Date: May 3, 1972
Time: Unknown between 2:53 and 3:10 pm
Location: White House Telephone

John D. Ehrlichman talked with the White House operator.

     Request for a call to Ronald L. Ziegler

Ehrlichman talked with an unknown woman in Ziegler's office at an unknown time.

     Request to talk to Ziegler

Ehrlichman talked with an unknown woman in Ziegler's office at an unknown time.

     Call on hold

Ehrlichman talked with Ziegler at an unknown time.

     Richard G. Kleindienst
          -Press conference
                -Ziegler's introduction
          -Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
                -L. Patrick Gray III
                      -Statement
          -Questions
                -Ziegler's handling
          -Present position
                -Reasons
          -Ziegler's announcement
                -Permanent appointment
                -Ziegler's meeting with Ehrlichman
                      -Statement
                      -Richard A. Moore
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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

This is John Ehrlichman.
Can you give me Ron Ziegler, please?
Thank you.
This is John Ehrlichman.
Can you give me Ron, please?
Yeah, let me just run through this with you.
You'll introduce Kleindienst.
He will announce that he and the President have just had a meeting, that the offer's been made and accepted, and he's announcing Pat Gray as acting.
He'll introduce Pat.
Pat will say a few words, then they'll get down and leave.
You can suggest afterwards, if you're asked, that the reason that they don't answer questions is that they're both pending before the Senate.
No, he's not anymore.
Well, sure he is, technically.
Well, but he won't be.
All right, he won't be, but he still is.
And he's not going to take any questions today, so you can handle that any way you want to.
Now, as a technicality, he is still Assistant Attorney General.
in the civil division.
And he will remain that.
He will still fill that slot.
And that's for salary purposes because there isn't any way of getting him paid otherwise.
Okay?
But you need to know that in case you get asked.
And you're the one who's going to make the announcement that the President does not intend to send a permanent nomination until after the election and explain why after they leave.
All right, you guys swing by here, will you?
Yep.
Be about two or three more phone calls.
Okay, because I want to get the exact words from you as to what I say.
Yeah, I've already given them to you.
No, you haven't.
Yes, I have.
No, you haven't.
Not that stuff.
Well, I better come over there right now.
Would you?
Yeah.
Morris here, and we're trying to develop.
All right.
All right.
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