Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 46 › Conversation 046-033
Nixon, Ziegler & Garment on Watergate scandal and Senate Watergate Committee
Monday, May 14, 1973 · 7:19 PM–7:26 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min
AI Summary
President Nixon and Leonard Garment, coordinated by Ronald Ziegler, discuss the administration's frustration with the Senate Watergate Committee's delay in addressing false allegations that the President stole $1 million in campaign funds. Garment reports on his unsuccessful efforts to reach Senators Sam Ervin and Howard Baker, while Nixon aggressively instructs him to pressure Fred Thompson for swifter action. They conclude that the committee's inability to promptly deny these claims provides the White House with a strategic political advantage.
- Watergate scandal
- Senate Watergate Committee
- Fred D. Thompson
- Campaign funds
- Leonard Garment
- Public relations strategy
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
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NARA Description
On May 14, 1973, Ronald L. Ziegler, White House operator, President Richard M. Nixon, and Leonard Garment talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:19 pm and 7:26 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 046-033 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 46-33
Date: May 14, 1973
Time: Unknown between 7:19 pm and 7:26 pm
Location: White House Telephone
Ronald L. Ziegler talked with the White House operator.
[See also Conversation No. 917-44B]
-20-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Telephone call to Leonard Garment
Ziegler conferred with the President at an unknown time.
[Begin conferral]
[See Conversation No. 917-44]
[End conferral]
Ziegler talked with Leonard Garment at an unknown time.
Garment’s attempts to contact individuals
-Sam J. Ervin, Jr.
-Rufus L. Edmiston
-Howard H. Baker, Jr.
Garment’s conversation with Fred D. Thompson
-Allegation of theft by the President of $1,000,000
Garment’s schedule
-Harry C. McPherson, Jr.Also recorded on May 14, 1973
- 046-032 7:12 PM · 59 sec — Alexander M. Haig, Jr. and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone from 7:12 pm to 7:13 pm.
- 046-034 7:27 PM · 44 sec — Ronald L. Ziegler and Leonard Garment talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:27 pm and 8:15 pm.
- 046-035 7:27 PM · 2 min — Leonard Garment and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:27 pm and 8:15 pm.
- 046-036 7:27 PM · 11 sec — Ronald L. Ziegler and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:27 pm and 8:15 pm.
- 046-037 7:27 PM · 2 min — Ronald L. Ziegler and Lawrence M. Higby talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:27 pm and 8:15 pm.
- 046-038 7:27 PM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:27 pm and 8:15 pm.
- 046-039 7:27 PM · 4 min — Ronald L. Ziegler, Leonard Garment, and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:27 pm and 8:15 pm.
- 436-015 7:27 PM · 1 hr 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, Leonard Garment, and Lawrence M. Higby met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 7:27 pm to 8:15 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 046-033, May 14, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/046-033 (accessed October 1, 2026).