Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 45 › Conversation 045-126

Nixon phone call with Ziegler on Watergate and Elliot L. Richardson

Tuesday, May 1, 1973 · 11:35 PM–11:36 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.Conversation045-126 on Tape 45StartTuesday, May 1, 1973 at 11:35 PMEndTuesday, May 1, 1973 at 11:36 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 045-126 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon directed Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler to coordinate with William Timmons on an aggressive lobbying strategy targeting members of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. The primary objective was to secure bipartisan congressional support for Elliot Richardson’s nomination and to push back against legislative scrutiny regarding the special prosecutor’s authority. Nixon emphasized the immediate need for Timmons to move past defensive posturing and proactively cultivate key Democrats, such as James O. Eastland, to stabilize the administration's position amidst the Watergate fallout.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yeah.
Yes, sir.
Ron, in the morning I notice I have an 830 meeting and consequently I'd like you to get Timmons in and tell him that it's of utmost importance that he and Carl Lucas, Carl Lucas particularly, work on the members of the Judiciary Committee and the Senate generally and also the House and so forth to, you know, to support Richardson and to support the fact that, well, the special prosecutor is exactly what
he has authority to do.
Okay.
Don't you think that's important or not?
Yes, I do.
I told him as to get on the offensive, get off his ass.
You know, we need some—we want congressional support.
I guess, generally speaking, we've gotten some Republican support, haven't we?
Oh, yes.
Yes, sir.
Well, I'll get together with Bill and go over this with him.
Fine, and to work on as many Democrats as he can, Eastland, for example, and people like that.
Eastland, Bill did tell me that Richardson had a very successful meeting with Eastland.
Yeah, I know, but the other day.
But you see, we want something done right now.
Eastland and all these guys who use the special prosecutor crap have got to knock that down fast.
Right.
And hit it hard in the morning.
I will.

NARA Description

On May 1, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 11:35 pm to 11:36 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 045-126 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 45-126

Date: May 1, 1973
Time: 11:35 pm - 11:36 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Ronald L. Ziegler.

     Watergate
          -President’s schedule
          -Ziegler meeting with William E. Timmons
                -Thomas C. Korologos
                -Lobbying with Judiciary Committees
                      -Elliot L. Richardson’s nomination
                      -Special Prosecutor
                      -James O. Eastland
                            -Democrats
                            -Meeting with Richardson
                                                -81-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Also recorded on May 2, 1973

  • 045-122 11:16 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:16 pm and 11:24 pm.
  • 045-123 11:24 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 11:24 pm to 11:30 pm.
  • 045-124 11:30 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:30 pm and 11:34 pm.
  • 045-125 11:34 PM · 17 sec — White House operator and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at 11:34 pm.
  • 045-127 11:36 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:36 pm and 11:38 pm.
  • 045-128 11:38 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and William P. Rogers talked on the telephone from 11:38 pm to 11:40 pm.
  • 045-129 11:40 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William E. Timmons talked on the telephone from 11:40 pm to 11:42 pm.
  • 045-130 11:50 PM · 2 min — Henry A. Kissinger and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone from 11:50 pm to 11:52 pm.

All 82 conversations from May 2, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 045-126, May 2, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/045-126 (accessed October 5, 2026).