Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 165
Nixon White House Tape 165 (May 11, 1973 – May 13, 1973)
42 conversations · Camp David Study Table · about 4 hr 19 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Haig, Ziegler, Ash, Kissinger
President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to initiate a telephone connection with his Chief of Staff, Alexander M. Haig, Jr. The brief exchange served strictly as a logistical request to establish communication with Haig. No substantive policy discussions or administrative decisions were made during this short interaction.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig discuss the political fallout and potential disclosure of White House-authorized wiretaps, specifically regarding individuals like Tony Lake. They debate whether to preemptively admit to these national security-related taps or maintain a defensive stance while coordinating with William Ruckelshaus on a public statement. Ultimately, Nixon directs Haig to verify the scope of existing wiretap records to ensure the administration is prepared for impending press scrutiny and to protect Henry Kissinger and Ronald Ziegler from contradictory information.
President Nixon initiated a brief telephone request to the Camp David operator to be connected with his Chief of Staff, Alexander M. Haig, Jr. The exchange served as a logistical bridge to facilitate direct communication between the President and his top aide. No substantive policy or political discussions took place during this short administrative interaction.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig met to strategize on managing public and legal fallout from the ongoing Watergate scandal, specifically focusing on the unauthorized surveillance of National Security Council staffer Anthony Lake. They debated the necessity of publicly framing these wiretaps as legitimate national security measures while distancing the White House from illegal conduct by comparing their practices favorably to those of previous administrations. The pair discussed coordinating statements for Henry Kissinger and William Ruckelshaus, while emphasizing the need to locate specific files to support their defense that these operations were essential for protecting sensitive diplomatic initiatives.
President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to facilitate a telephone connection with H. R. Haldeman. This brief administrative interaction served as a logistical bridge to reach a key staffer during the President's stay at the retreat. No substantive policy matters were discussed during this request for communication.
President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to inquire about the whereabouts of H. R. Haldeman. The operator informed the President that Haldeman was attending dinner and a theater performance and would be unavailable until 10:00 p.m. Nixon decided against attempting to reach him elsewhere, opting to delay the call until later that evening.
President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to facilitate a telephone connection to Alexander M. Haig, Jr. This brief administrative interaction served as a logistical step to reach his Chief of Staff. No substantive policy discussions or decisions occurred during this specific exchange.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig discussed the status of White House investigations into past wiretaps and surveillance operations to ensure they could mount a strong defense against potential public backlash. The two reviewed documentation regarding the scope of these activities, confirming they were authorized for national security purposes and were limited in number compared to previous administrations. They coordinated a strategy for William Ruckelshaus to deliver a public statement on the findings by the following week, while also preparing Henry Kissinger to deflect questions regarding these matters during his upcoming briefings.
President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to facilitate an outgoing telephone call to White House Chief of Staff Alexander M. Haig, Jr. The brief exchange served as a logistical step to establish communication between the President and his staff. No substantive policy matters were discussed during this connection process.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig held a strategic meeting to manage the fallout from the Watergate scandal, specifically focusing on press narratives, the handling of sensitive CIA memoranda, and the upcoming testimony of administration officials. They discussed coordinating with figures like L. Patrick Gray and CIA officials to emphasize that the President had directed forceful investigations into potential intelligence leaks, rather than attempting a cover-up. The conversation centered on maintaining a firm stance on national security grounds regarding the custody of sensitive documents while countering unfavorable media interpretations of the President's past directives.
President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to facilitate an urgent telephone connection with Roy L. Ash, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. This brief communication served solely as a logistical request to initiate an official call between the two men. No substantive policy matters or further details were discussed during this exchange.
President Nixon and Roy Ash discussed the administration's economic policy, specifically affirming their rejection of a price freeze despite pressure from some advisors. They also coordinated cabinet management strategies, with Nixon tasking Ash to reassure Caspar Weinberger regarding his continued importance as a key domestic counselor. Finally, the President reflected on the recent, painful resignations of H.R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman, reiterating that these departures were necessary steps for the administration to move past the Watergate scandal.
President Nixon requested that the Camp David operator connect him via telephone to Roy L. Ash, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. The brief exchange served as a logistical step to facilitate direct communication between the President and his budget chief. No substantive policy discussions occurred during this administrative interaction.
President Nixon directed Office of Management and Budget Director Roy Ash to contact John B. Connally to solicit his advice and assistance on several administration priorities, including energy policy, export promotion, tax legislation, and wage and price controls. Nixon expressed concern over the political optics of Connally’s potential involvement in energy, given Connally’s known business interests in Soviet and Middle Eastern gas deals. Ash agreed to coordinate with Connally, acknowledging the need to balance utilizing Connally's expertise while insulating the administration from criticisms regarding his private sector ties.
President Nixon and Henry Kissinger discuss the fallout from Kissinger's recent press briefing regarding national security wiretaps and his access to intelligence reports during the Watergate scandal. Kissinger reviews the success of his briefing, which aimed to refocus public attention on the upcoming Soviet summit and Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT), while Nixon emphasizes that the administration’s wiretap policies were authorized and less extensive than those of the Kennedy administration. The two conclude by agreeing that the administration should resist releasing a list of wiretapped individuals to protect innocent parties and maintain focus on key foreign policy objectives.
President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to facilitate a telephone connection with his Press Secretary, Ronald L. Ziegler. The brief exchange served as a routine administrative request to place an outgoing call. No substantive policy discussions or policy developments occurred during this brief interaction.
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler consulted on managing public relations regarding the Watergate investigation and upcoming foreign policy developments. The discussion focused on drafting a press statement or orchestrating a strategic leak to clarify Nixon’s limited interactions with L. Patrick Gray and to refute allegations of presidential involvement in a cover-up. Additionally, they coordinated efforts to bolster support for a proposed commission on election reform by involving Republican leadership, while noting that Henry Kissinger’s recent briefings on the Soviet summit were successfully overshadowing Watergate concerns in the news cycle.
President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to facilitate an outgoing call to White House Chief of Staff Alexander M. Haig, Jr. The brief exchange served as a routine administrative request to connect the President with his staff while he was working from the Camp David retreat. No substantive policy matters or decisions were discussed during this brief connection phase.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig discussed the legal and political risks surrounding sensitive memoranda of conversation (memcons) related to the Watergate investigation and potential CIA involvement. Concerned about potential leaks and forthcoming testimony from officials like James Schlesinger and Vernon Walters, Nixon insisted that these documents remain in White House possession to protect national security and the administration's legal standing. The two also coordinated a strategy for press secretary Ronald Ziegler to counter negative narratives by emphasizing past administrations' use of wiretaps and ensuring the administration's public stance on cooperation remains consistent.
President Nixon requested that the Camp David operator connect him via telephone to White House Chief of Staff Alexander M. Haig, Jr. The brief exchange served solely as an administrative coordination to facilitate direct communication with Haig. No substantive policy matters or further developments were discussed during this short interaction.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig discuss legal strategy regarding the Watergate investigation, specifically focusing on John Dean’s role and his potential testimony. They review documentation of Dean's interactions with Lt. Gen. Vernon Walters, aiming to frame these as standard investigative procedures while distancing the President from Dean’s actions. The two conclude that J. Fred Buzhardt should consult with Richard Helms to assert national security privilege over specific records to limit their disclosure during the ongoing inquiry.
President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to request a telephone connection with Alexander M. Haig, Jr. The brief exchange served as a logistical step to facilitate direct communication between the President and his Chief of Staff. No policy discussions occurred during this transition, as the interaction focused solely on establishing the call.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig discussed administrative strategies for responding to the escalating Watergate scandal, specifically focusing on efforts to manage public perception and counter negative media coverage. The two reviewed press briefings given by Ronald Ziegler and strategized on how to engage political allies like John Stennis to influence legislative and public opinion. Additionally, the conversation addressed the importance of preventing the release of names linked to previous administration wiretaps, with the President asserting that such disclosures would be disastrous for innocent parties.
President Nixon requested that the Camp David operator connect him via telephone to White House Chief of Staff Alexander M. Haig, Jr. The brief exchange served as a logistical coordination to initiate a conversation with his senior advisor. No substantive policy matters were discussed during this request for assistance.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig coordinate a public relations strategy regarding Louis Patrick Gray III's upcoming testimony and statements concerning the Watergate investigation. Nixon directs Haig to ensure Gray emphasizes that the President had instructed him to conduct a thorough and unrestricted investigation regardless of who it might implicate. The objective is to use this narrative to override damaging revelations surfacing from grand jury proceedings and congressional testimony.
President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to facilitate an outgoing telephone call to Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler. The brief interaction served purely as a request for telephonic assistance to connect the President with a member of his administration. No substantive policy discussions or administrative decisions occurred during this exchange.
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler discuss the administration's public relations strategy regarding Watergate-related media reports and allegations involving L. Patrick Gray III. Ziegler confirms he has briefed major news outlets to emphasize the President's commitment to a thorough investigation and to deny any White House participation in a cover-up. The two prioritize contacting Gray to coordinate testimony and prevent inconsistent statements, while also noting potential vulnerabilities regarding John W. Dean III.
President Nixon utilized the Camp David operator to facilitate a telephone connection with his Chief of Staff, Alexander M. Haig, Jr. The exchange functioned solely as an administrative coordination point to bridge the President to his staff during his retreat. No substantive policy discussions or decisions were recorded during this brief logistical interaction.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig discuss the administration’s strategy regarding Watergate-related documents, specifically focusing on the handling of memoranda of conversation (memcons) and the containment of information held by Vernon Walters and Richard Helms. They emphasize the necessity of maintaining a unified stance that no such records exist or will be released, framing this as a critical protection of presidential papers under the guise of national security. Furthermore, they coordinate efforts to contact L. Patrick Gray for testimony and confirm the preparation of additional materials by Leonard Garment for review at Camp David.
President Nixon initiated a brief telephone request to connect with Alexander M. Haig, Jr. via the Camp David operator. The exchange served primarily as a logistical step to facilitate direct communication with his Chief of Staff. No substantive policy matters were discussed during this brief administrative interaction.
President Nixon consulted with Alexander Haig and Ronald Ziegler to strategize on managing the political fallout from the ongoing Watergate investigation. The discussion focused on characterizing Nixon's past communications with L. Patrick Gray and his inquiries into potential CIA involvement as legitimate efforts to uncover the facts rather than as attempts to obstruct justice. They emphasized the need to frame these interactions through the lens of national security and asserted that the President had consistently ordered a thorough, high-level investigation. The group also discussed managing potential evidence, such as memoranda of conversation (memcons), and reinforcing the narrative that John Dean was the primary source of the administration's legal difficulties.
President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to facilitate a telephone connection with his Chief of Staff, Alexander M. Haig, Jr. The brief exchange served as a logistical step to initiate a direct line of communication between the President and his top advisor. No substantive policy matters were discussed during this specific interaction.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig discussed the ongoing Watergate investigation, focusing on managing the public and legal narrative surrounding H.R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman. Nixon sought to convince Haig that interactions between his aides and the CIA were not a conspiratorial attempt to orchestrate a cover-up, but rather an effort to keep the CIA out of the investigation. The two men coordinated on strategies for upcoming grand jury testimony, specifically considering the use of executive privilege to protect Haldeman from potential perjury charges while emphasizing the need to ensure favorable, non-incriminating testimony from figures like Vernon Walters.
President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to initiate a follow-up telephone call to Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler. The brief interaction served as a logistical step to facilitate direct communication with his senior staff member. No substantive policy discussions occurred during this exchange with the operator.
President Nixon consulted with his daughter, Julie Nixon Eisenhower, while stationed at Camp David. Following their brief discussion, the President coordinated with a telephone operator regarding the expected arrival time of Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler. The conversation concluded with arrangements for Ziegler to place a follow-up call to the President once he reached his office.
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler consulted at Camp David to coordinate the administration's public relations strategy regarding ongoing press coverage of the Soviet summit and the Watergate scandal. They discussed promoting positive bipartisan cooperation on a new election commission while maintaining a firm, defensive narrative against damaging leaks, specifically regarding FBI wiretap files and allegations of CIA involvement. Nixon emphasized the need to frame his inquiries into intelligence activities as logical and routine, while Ziegler confirmed that the White House had successfully countered misleading reports concerning the President's past communications with L. Patrick Gray.
President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to facilitate an outgoing telephone call to his Chief of Staff, H.R. Haldeman. This brief interaction served as an administrative request to establish communication with a key advisor. No substantive policy matters were discussed during this connection attempt.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman consulted on the administration's strategy for responding to the intensifying Watergate investigation and the looming Senate hearings. They discussed the complexities of invoking executive privilege to protect presidential papers and testimony, specifically concerning meetings involving John Ehrlichman, H. R. Haldeman, and CIA Director Richard Helms. Nixon urged Haldeman to maintain a defiant stance, emphasizing the need to frame their past actions as a legitimate attempt to protect the CIA from being unfairly implicated in the scandal.
President Nixon initiated a brief administrative call via the Camp David operator to establish a connection with Alexander M. Haig, Jr. The primary purpose of the communication was to facilitate a direct conversation between the President and his Chief of Staff. No substantive policy matters or political discussions occurred during this exchange, which served solely as a logistical bridge to initiate a follow-up conversation.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig discuss strategic responses to the Watergate scandal, focusing on managing public perception and protecting administration documents. They address the controversy surrounding Central Intelligence Agency involvement, the potential risks of disclosing "memcons" (memoranda of conversation), and the necessity of maintaining a unified front among staff and foreign diplomats. Additionally, Nixon proposes a new commission on election reform as a distraction to shift media focus away from the ongoing investigations.
President Nixon initiated a telephone call to the Camp David operator to request a connection to speechwriter Raymond K. Price, Jr. This brief interaction served as a functional logistical step to facilitate direct communication with a key member of his staff. No substantive policy matters were discussed during this request.
President Nixon and aide Raymond K. Price, Jr. discussed the development of a forthcoming message to Congress regarding campaign finance and practice reform. Nixon proposed establishing a bipartisan commission to examine election irregularities, including campaign spending, organizational contributions, and violent campaign demonstrations, while also suggesting structural reforms like four-year terms for House members. The President decided to meet with congressional leaders on Tuesday to solicit their input before finalizing and delivering the message on Wednesday to demonstrate a bipartisan approach.