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Conversation 039-100

TapeTape 39StartWednesday, June 6, 1973 at 9:14 AMEndWednesday, June 6, 1973 at 9:15 AMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  White House operator;  Buzhardt, J. Fred, Jr.Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

President Nixon directs J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. to coordinate with Leonard Garment regarding a confrontational response to Senate counsel Samuel Dash concerning leaked information about White House cooperation with the Watergate investigation. Nixon emphasizes that the administration must manage public perception and media narratives regarding the release of materials, rather than focusing on logistical logs. The President instructs Buzhardt to demand a public statement from Dash, threatening that the White House will initiate a critical media campaign if the administration's cooperation is not properly acknowledged.

WatergatePublic relationsLeonard GarmentSamuel DashWhite House media strategyJ. Fred Buzhardt
AudioNARA Description

On June 6, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. talked on the telephone from 9:14 am to 9:15 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 039-100 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 39-100

Date: June 6, 1973
Time: 9:14 am - 9:15 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr.

[See also Conversation No. 933-3D]

       Watergate
             -Ronald L. Ziegler
             -Samuel Dash
                    -Interests
                    -Forthcoming telephone call from Leonard Garment
                    -Furnishing of White House material
                            -Media reports
                    -Forthcoming telephone call from Garment
                            -White House response
                                             -78-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                     (rev. February-2011)

                                                             Conversation No. 39-100 (cont’d)

                                     -Morning press briefing
                                            -Ziegler
                                     -Need for statement from Dash
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

Hello?
I have Mr. Pissarro.
Hello?
Hello?
Hello?
Good morning.
Fred, I wanted to tell you.
I, uh, and, uh, it's terribly important for you when you're working over there.
When Ron gets back, of course, he'll give you that, have to give you that input to realize that they, in general, are not interested in the logs
They're not interested in this sort of thing.
They're only interested in the issue.
That's right.
Now, Garment is to call Dash, and you can call me back on it.
He is to raise unshirted hell.
All the networks had this last night.
The papers had it.
And they knew before they—they knew.
They know, the morning papers.
They knew that you were going to furnish the immaterial.
Remember, I called you.
I was concerned about this.
Yes.
And have you—has Garment done that?
In other words, don't, don't, don't.
Let me explain.
This is primarily a PR thing.
Right.
This sort of thing.
And if we're going to give them something, we're going to give them much.
I think we ought to make a little credit, don't you think?
I think we should make some credit.
All right.
All right.
If we can't get them to make the correction, Mr. President, we'll have to do it ourselves.
You won't make the play.
Garment is to call Nash and then just say he's shocked at the way that this played out in view of the fact that we were furnishing the information and that we expect to be asked about it for the morning briefing.
And if he doesn't make a statement, we're going to blast him from the White House.
Is that clear?
Right.
Yes, sir.
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