Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 038-052
Date: Sunday, April 15, 1973 at 8:14 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Petersen, Henry E.
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/038-052

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] Hello, Mr. President.
[0:02] Did you get on your boat?
[0:03] No, no, no.
[0:05] I just came on home.
[0:06] Oh, you did.
[0:07] All right.
[0:08] Anything further you want to report tonight before our meeting tomorrow at 1230?
[0:12] Not anything especially that I didn't give you today.
[0:17] Nothing that adds to what we had earlier.
[0:19] That's right.
[0:19] They concluded the meeting with Dean.
[0:22] His counsel says he will not permit him to plead.
[0:26] Permit him to plead?
[0:29] In other words, he'll go to trial.
[0:33] He's got to plead not guilty, huh?
[0:35] That's right, unless we come to some agreement with him.
[0:39] His counsel's position is that it would be a travesty to try Dean and not try Ehrlichman and Haldeman.
[0:49] But the basic information to the extent that it's developed in these preliminary negotiations is much more than I gave you.
[0:57] Well, let me ask you this.
[1:02] Based on this, though, you mean that inhibits you from using information then?
[1:08] Or how do you use it?
[1:09] You can use it for leads, but you can't use it unless he pleads, right?
[1:13] We cannot use it for any purpose unless he pleads.
[1:16] For no purpose?
[1:17] That's right.
[1:19] Now, unless he pleads.
[1:21] That's incorrect.
[1:21] Unless we strike some agreement with him.
[1:26] He had a call from Ehrlichman, and Ehrlichman wanted to meet with him tonight at about 8 o'clock.
[1:35] We advised him he would have to make his own determination, but suggested he not.
[1:39] He then, through his counsel, informed us that he was writing a note to you in which he would say, one,
[1:52] What he was doing was in your best interest, and that would all become apparent as the situation unfolded.
[1:59] Right.
[2:03] Let me ask you this.
[2:04] Why don't I get him in now, if I can find him and have a talk with him?
[2:09] Any objection to that?
[2:10] Is that all right with you?
[2:11] Yes, sir.
[2:12] All right.
[2:12] I'm going to get him over, because I'm not going to screw around with this thing, as I told you.
[2:16] All right.
[2:17] I want to make sure you understand that...
[2:20] As you know, we're going to get to the bottom of this then.
[2:23] I think that the thing that... What do you want me to say to him?
[2:30] Ask him to tell me the whole truth?
[2:31] Yes, sir.
[2:32] Yes, sir.
[2:33] And there's one other thing.
[2:36] That is that a signal from you might bring out the truth from Liddy.
[2:44] From Liddy?
[2:45] Yes.
[2:46] signal for me what do i do i went to john mitchell and indicated that i'm told that he would do whatever he was told to do i've never met the man i don't know what i could do with him i give him a signal well i can do it for you he literally has talked to john mitchell and said a signal from the president no he sent a signal from mitchell
[3:13] Yes, sir.
[3:14] And Joe indicated that he was going to stand firm.
[3:19] Then how do I—I'm trying to get on—how do I get—you mean I then would go over Mitchell to Liddy and— Well, in effect— You're telling me that.
[3:28] We just go and say that we've discussed this situation with the President of the United States and he thinks it's vitally important that you tell us everything you know.
[3:37] I got it.
[3:39] Okay.
[3:40] You'll be through with your things by, you think, by 12.30, right?
[3:43] Yes, sir.
[3:44] Okay, well, get a good night's sleep, huh?
[3:46] I will indeed.
[3:46] As good as you can.
[3:47] Yes, sir.
[3:48] Okay.
[3:48] All right, and you too.
[3:49] Bye.
[3:49] All right, sir.