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Conversation 045-034

TapeTape 45StartFriday, April 27, 1973 at 4:14 PMEndFriday, April 27, 1973 at 4:16 PMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Kleindienst, Richard G.Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

President Nixon and Attorney General Richard Kleindienst discuss the selection of a new acting FBI director following the resignation of L. Patrick Gray. Nixon rejects W. Mark Felt as a candidate, opting instead for William D. Ruckelshaus to ensure a clean break from the Bureau's internal conflicts. They finalize a plan for the White House to announce that the President has directed the Attorney General to appoint Ruckelshaus to the position.

WatergateFBIWilliam D. RuckelshausW. Mark FeltL. Patrick GrayExecutive Appointments
AudioNARA Description

On April 27, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Richard G. Kleindienst talked on the telephone from 4:14 pm to 4:16 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 045-034 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 45-34

Date: April 27, 1973
Time: 4:14 pm - 4:16 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Richard G. Kleindienst.

[See also Conversation No. 906-8B]

     Watergate
          -Resignation of L[ouis] Patrick Gray, III
          -Replacement
                -W. Mark Felt
                -William D. Ruckelshaus
                      -Appointment
                      -Relationship with John N. Mitchell
                -Form of appointment
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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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. President, the Attorney General.
In view of Pat's resignation, Mr. President, it would be my recommendation that I just administratively permit Mark Felt to... No, I tell you, I don't want him.
I can't have him.
I just talked to Bill Ruckelshaus, and Bill is a Mr. Clean.
And I want a fellow in there that is not part of the old guard and that is not part of that infighting in there.
He'll do it as acting director until we get the full director.
See, I'm making a search, as you know.
And he says he'll take it for that long.
Don't you think that's a good thing?
Ideal.
Now, his only problem is, he says, well, what the hell am I going to say?
He says, I knew Mitchell.
But I said, hell, everybody knows Mitchell.
I mean, he doesn't work there since 1970.
That's no problem for him.
And he was there never during the campaign.
But don't you think Bill would be a good one?
Ideal.
Ideal.
And I'm going to name him acting director of the Bureau, and I'm going to have it announced from over here.
Is that all right?
Sure.
But, Mr. President, under the—
rules and regulations and the law.
It's an appointment that I administratively have to make.
So I think your announcement should be that you have directed me to designate him.
Under the rules and regulations of the law, it's an appointment that the Attorney General has to make.
Is that right?
So you make the announcement that you've directed me to make him the acting director?
Yeah.
I make the announcement that I have directed the Attorney General to make him the acting director until a successor is announced, is directed.
All right.
That's what we'll do.
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