Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 045-128
Date: Tuesday, May 1, 1973 at 11:38 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator; Rogers, William P.
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/045-128

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:01] Hello?
[0:02] Mr. President, I have Secretary Rogers and also Mr. Timmons called in.
[0:07] All right, I'll talk to Rogers first.
[0:09] All right, thank you.
[0:12] Hello?
[0:13] Yeah, Mr. President.
[0:14] Hi.
[0:14] I have a quadriad in the morning at 8.30, so I won't be able to get out anything.
[0:19] And I would greatly appreciate it if you would sort of take charge with Richardson.
[0:23] Okay.
[0:24] And I've already told Ziegler that he should just emphasize in the briefing that...
[0:28] special prosecutor, no problem.
[0:30] I mean, that the attorney general has the authority to appoint one.
[0:35] That's really the answer there.
[0:36] Sure.
[0:37] The answer is, I think, for Richardson to pick somebody, name them.
[0:42] I talked to Elliott tonight.
[0:43] I'll talk to the people in the Hill tomorrow, and I'll talk to Ron about what to say.
[0:49] The only thing that makes Elliott mad, I think he's right in that, is the goddamn Percy thing to say that
[0:54] It's got to be totally out of the executive branch of the government.
[0:57] Well, that's ridiculous.
[0:58] What the hell?
[0:59] I mean, I appoint somebody to investigate?
[1:01] Well, my God.
[1:02] I mean, after all, it's the president's people that are being named here.
[1:05] That would be something nobody would trust either.
[1:09] Right.
[1:10] Well, I will work on it in the morning.
[1:13] And we can work it out, right?
[1:15] It's not going to be a problem.
[1:17] I thought you were great in the toast.
[1:18] I don't know how you did it.
[1:19] Christ, you must be exhausted.
[1:21] Oh, I'm fine.
[1:22] But your toast was really great.
[1:25] Well, it didn't sound as if you had a care in the world.
[1:28] Well, that's our job, you know.
[1:31] But if I would, it would be a great...
[1:34] If you would sort of take charge tomorrow.
[1:36] I will.
[1:36] I haven't got anybody else, you know.
[1:37] You see, I can't call on all of them or anybody else anymore.
[1:41] I'll be glad to.
[1:41] If you would, I would appreciate it very much.
[1:43] And just take charge.
[1:45] Tell them what to say.
[1:46] Take the offensive on the special prosecutor, yes.
[1:49] I will.
[1:49] That Richardson is considering one, and that's the way it should be done.
[1:53] Otherwise, you know, you'd start over again.
[1:55] You'd take three months to get the goddamn thing going.
[1:58] We work it out.
[1:59] All right, Mr. President.
[2:00] Thank you very much.
[2:01] Good night.
[2:04] Thank you.