Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 45 › Conversation 045-129

Nixon phone call with Timmons on Watergate and Special Prosecutor

Tuesday, May 1, 1973 · 11:40 PM–11:42 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Timmons, William E.Conversation045-129 on Tape 45StartTuesday, May 1, 1973 at 11:40 PMEndTuesday, May 1, 1973 at 11:42 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 045-129 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon directs William Timmons to coordinate with Congressional leaders to consolidate support for Attorney General nominee Elliot Richardson’s authority regarding the Watergate investigation. Nixon emphasizes the need to convince key Republicans, such as Buckley and Goldwater, and influential Democrats that empowering Richardson to appoint a special prosecutor is preferable to restarting the entire investigative process. Timmons is instructed to make this lobbying effort his top priority to counter Senate pressure and ensure the continuity of the FBI’s existing progress.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I'll take Timmons now.

Yeah.

Go ahead.

Bill?

Yes, sir.

Oh, the thing that I—Ron may have called you, but if he doesn't, it's just—the thing that you should do—and I have talked to Bill Rogers, too, and Elliott—emphasize to these—to the Republicans and what Democrats you can talk to that

I mean, I gave him the authority to appoint a special prosecutor, as you know.

That's the way to do it.

Otherwise, the goddamn case should start all over again, take three, four months.

I mean, the investigation is already on its way, and they're almost ready to indict.

Well, that's right.

It's silly.

Damn Senate.

gone wild on the thing, Percy and his friends.

Obviously, you can't stop the FBI and the prosecution that's gone forward and the assistant attorney general, all that evidence and stuff they've done has got to be valuable and got to be used.

And last night you did everything you could and said that Elliott would be empowered and authorized if he felt it necessary to appoint a special prosecutor.

Well, Elliott, well, you just be sure that all of them in the Hill know and told

You've got people like Buckley and Goldwater to get behind Elliott on this.

That's the way to do it.

Will you do that now?

Yes, sir.

Get a hold of every Republican and any Democrat that you can.

Have Carl Iverson all hit Eastland.

And we've got a few in Stennis, a few like that.

I don't know.

Yes, sir.

Sure will.

And just make it the first priority.

Because we can win this thing, but we've just got to fight like hell.

I know.

Have dinner tonight.

That's fine.

Thank you.

All right.

NARA Description

On May 1, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and William E. Timmons talked on the telephone from 11:40 pm to 11:42 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 045-129 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 45-129

Date: May 1, 1973
Time: 11:40 pm - 11:42 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with William E. Timmons.

     Watergate
          -Ronald L. Ziegler
          -William P. Rogers
          -Statement to Senate Democrats
          -Special Prosecutor
                -Elliot L. Richardson’s role
                -Effect
                -Sense of Senate resolution
                -Charles H. Percy, Jr.
                -Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
                -Richardson’s authority
                -Instructions for William Timmons concerning Congress
                      -James L. Buckley, Barry M. Goldwater
                      -Thomas C. Korologos
                      -James O. Eastland, John C. Stennis

     State dinner

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.
045-126 11:35 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 11:35 pm to 11:36 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.
045-130 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 045-129, 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/045-129 (accessed October 5, 2026).