Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 46 › Conversation 046-041

Nixon phone call with Ziegler on Watergate and Senate Watergate Committee

Monday, May 14, 1973 · 9:01 PM–9:03 PM ET · White House Telephone · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.Conversation046-041 on Tape 46StartMonday, May 14, 1973 at 9:01 PMEndMonday, May 14, 1973 at 9:03 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 046-041 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon directs Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler to launch a public offensive against the Senate Watergate Committee, specifically targeting Senators Sam Ervin and Howard Baker. Nixon instructs Ziegler to denounce the committee for its failure to formally repudiate a recent Santa Ana Register story, arguing that the committee has essentially 'indicted itself' through its inaction. He mandates that Ziegler use his upcoming press briefing to demand a formal retraction, an apology, and the firing of the responsible committee staffer.

Audio

Download MP3 · 4.7 MB

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Yes, sir.
Nothing further from the committee.
They've still taken their dog in the manger attitude.
Yes, sir.
I've talked to Herb Klein, and he's moving on the Gallagher thing, and very tough.
Now, look, we've got to understand that it's not to our interest, really, to have Irvin and Baker, who are both pusillanimous assholes, you know, repudiate this thing.
Tomorrow at
However, when you go on for your briefing at 10.30, forget this goddamn thing we're going to do tomorrow with the leaders.
You go out there at 10.30 with a camera, right?
You understand?
Yes, sir.
And, Ron, take down what I've told you.
You've got it down.
Yes, sir.
That means that the committee will have indicted itself.
This committee has indicted itself.
Tomorrow is the time to start the attack on the committee.
Okay.
Yes, sir.
You understand?
Because they will not have acted.
You understand?
They will not have acted by the time you go on, Ron.
That's right.
They never will have acted.
That'll force them to act later in the day.
I would say this committee, don't put it in any nice terms, but I put it very tough.
They have, by their favor, to allow this story for two days.
That time will be two days.
You understand?
You understand?
Yes.
Two days.
They have allowed it.
allowed it to lie there without repudiating it, without doing it.
First, they have indicted themselves for irresponsibility.
Second, we demand an apology from the committee and a retraction.
Third, we demand an immediate investigation to the committee staff who was responsible and a discharge of that person.
Have you got all that or not?
I'm just writing it down, sir.
I'm just sorry to do that, but we've got to do this.
Then don't let Len get you off of this.
I don't think he will want you to.
He won't, no.
Because basically, we've got to hit that.
Now, there may be a half-assed statement by Irvin, you know, tonight or late tonight or so forth.
They haven't found him yet, though, have they?
No, he's issued a, as you refer to it, a half-assed statement.
What did he say?
Well, just that he didn't have any information that would support that story.
But what we need is a formal statement.
All right.
No, we want to demand a formal retraction by the full committee.
That's right.
Because the Santa Ana Register says that they stand by their story.
Well, that just supports it more.
All right.
Now, a formal retraction for the full committee is required.
You lay it right out there and fight Irvin and fight the rest.
I agree.
All right.
Okay.
Good.
Yes.

NARA Description

On May 14, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 9:01 pm to 9:03 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 046-041 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 46-41

Date: May 14, 1973
Time: 9:01pm -9:03 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Ronald L. Ziegler.

[See also Conversation No. 436-18B]

     Watergate
          -Ziegler’s conversation with Herbert G. Klein
                - [James W.?] Gallagher
          -Sam J. Ervin and Howard H. Baker, Jr. characterized
          -Ziegler’s briefing, May 15
                -Bipartisan Congressional leaders meeting
                -Attack on Ervin Committee
                -Leonard Garment
                -Santa Ana Register story

Also recorded on May 15, 1973

  • 046-042 9:12 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:12 pm and 9:15 pm.
  • 046-043 9:15 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 9:15 pm to 9:22 pm.
  • 046-044 9:22 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:22 pm and 9:32 pm.
  • 046-045 9:32 PM · 15 sec — White House operator and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at 9:32 pm.
  • 046-046 9:33 PM · 13 sec — White House operator and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at 9:33 pm.
  • 046-047 9:33 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:33 pm and 9:40 pm.
  • 046-048 9:33 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:33 pm and 9:40 pm.
  • 046-049 9:40 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Leonard Garment, and unknown person(s) talked on the telephone from 9:40 pm to 9:46 pm.

All 67 conversations from May 15, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 046-041, May 15, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/046-041 (accessed October 1, 2026).