Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 45 › Conversation 045-048

Cox & Kleindienst on Watergate scandal and Elliot Richardson

Monday, April 30, 1973 · 10:34 PM–10:36 PM ET · White House Telephone · 4 min

ParticipantsWhite House operator; Cox, Tricia Nixon; Kleindienst, Richard G.Conversation045-048 on Tape 45StartMonday, April 30, 1973 at 10:34 PMEndMonday, April 30, 1973 at 10:36 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 045-048 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and newly appointed Attorney General Elliot Richardson spoke to discuss the fallout of the Watergate scandal and Richardson's upcoming confirmation. Richardson expressed strong support for the President’s recent televised address, while Nixon reaffirmed his confidence in Richardson's ability to handle the investigation. The two touched upon the sensitive issue of appointing a special prosecutor, with Nixon granting Richardson full autonomy to decide how to proceed while promising his complete backing in the pursuit of the truth.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Mr. President.
Hello?
Secretary Richardson, Foreign Minister Hull told me to put it right here.
Yes, thank you.
Hello.
You are good.
Hello.
Hello, Mr. President.
Hi, Elliot.
Thank you for calling back.
No, I tried to reach you about half an hour ago, but the damn lines are so busy.
Oh, really?
No, that's right.
Oh, that's right.
Well, I thought that was really great.
Well, you're very kind to say that.
In the real sense, your finest hour.
I tried to call you actually.
I just learned about this because the lines have been jammed.
I just learned about five minutes ago from Steve Bull that you had called, and I said, For Christ's sakes, why don't you put it through?
He said, Well, we had other calls on.
I was on the phone, good God, my God, Billy Graham and eighteen other people, but I just wanted you to know I hadn't cut you off because of that.
Because you can always get through.
I want you to know, you can always get through.
Believe me.
Well, I thank you, Mr. President.
I was very moved and touched by what you said about me, and I can assure you that—well, you know what I mean.
I won't let you down.
I know.
Do your job, boy.
It may take you all the way.
You know, it so happened that I was having a party here tonight for the military assistants who'd been with Bill Clements and me and who were just needing new jobs.
And so all the chiefs were here.
And we all watched and listened to you together.
What do you think?
I don't think I've ever been with a group of people who were more moved.
by an occasion like this.
Really?
Really.
And it was a great thing, really, for all of us.
Well, you know, I meant it.
As you know, Al, it came from the heart because you were up there with me and you know how rugged this was.
But it had to be done.
We could feel it.
Well, you're the man.
You're my man.
And by God, we back you up all to the hilt.
Do you understand that?
I do.
I do.
All right, Elliot.
And I won't let you down, Mr. President.
Oh, I know that.
I know that.
That's why I named you.
Well, I can only say that I— Go ahead.
I think I can do it right.
I really do.
Of course you can.
Of course you can.
Elliot, the one thing they're going to be hitting you on is about the special prosecutor.
The point is, I'm not sure you should have one.
I'm not sure about what you should say.
You assume the responsibility for the prosecution and maybe bring that nice fellow, Hastings or whatever his name is,
Whatever you want.
Good God, if you want to, you know, do the extreme Charles Evans Hughes, do it.
Yeah, I don't mind.
Okay.
Well, I'm thinking about it, and I met with Henry Peterson this afternoon.
Right.
And I talked with him about it, and I'll think about it some more.
Do what you want, and I'll back you to the hill.
I don't give a damn what you do.
I am for you.
You understand?
Get to the bottom of this, son of a bitch.
I do.
All right, Elliot.
Thank you, sir.
Thank you for calling, and give my best to your lover of life.
I will, sir.
... ...

NARA Description

On April 30, 1973, White House operator, Tricia Nixon Cox, and Richard G. Kleindienst talked on the telephone from 10:34 pm to 10:36 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 045-048 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 45-48

Date: April 30, 1973
Time: 10:34 pm - 10:36 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The White House operator talked with Tricia Nixon Cox.

     Telephone call from Elliot L. Richardson
          -Stephen B. Bull

Tricia Nixon Cox conferred with the President.

     Telephone call from Richardson

The President talked with Richardson.

     President’s call

     Watergate
          -President’s speech
          -President’s conversation with Bull
                -Richardson’s telephone call
                -President’s telephone calls
                      -William F. (“Billy”) Graham
          -President’s speech
                                            -33-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                               Conversation No. 45-48 (cont’d)

           -Richardson’s party
                -Attendees
                       -William P. Clements, Jr.
                       -Reaction to President’s speech
           -Richardson’s forthcoming duties
                -Special Prosecutor
                -[First name unknown] Hastings
                -Charles Evans Hughes
                -Richardson’s meeting with Henry E. Petersen
                -President’s views

Also recorded on May 1, 1973

  • 045-042 10:20 PM · 1 min — White House operator, President Richard M. Nixon, and William F. ("Billy") Graham talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:20 pm and 10:32 pm.
  • 045-043 10:20 PM · 25 sec — Rose Mary Woods and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:20 pm and 10:32 pm.
  • 045-044 10:20 PM · 5 min — William P. Rogers, President Richard M. Nixon, and Tricia Nixon Cox talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:20 pm and 10:32 pm.
  • 045-045 10:20 PM · 5 min — William F. ("Billy") Graham and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:20 pm and 10:32 pm.
  • 045-049 10:39 PM · 2 min — White House operator, Tricia Nixon Cox, President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, Harry S. Dent, and [Dwight] David Eisenhower, II talked on the telephone from 10:39 pm to 10:40 pm.
  • 045-050 10:41 PM · 1 min — White House operator, Tricia Nixon Cox, and Adm. Thomas H. Moorer talked on the telephone from 10:41 pm to 10:42 pm.
  • 045-051 10:43 PM · 2 min — White House operator, Tricia Nixon Cox, Rose Mary Woods, and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 10:43 pm to 10:45 pm.
  • 045-052 10:45 PM · 20 sec — Tricia Nixon Cox, White House operator, and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:45 pm and 10:48 pm.

All 181 conversations from May 1, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 045-048, May 1, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/045-048 (accessed October 12, 2026).