Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 421 › Conversation 421-026

Nixon with unidentified visitors in his EOB office on Watergate

Wednesday, March 28, 1973 · 9:44 AM–9:52 AM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 7 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation421-026 on Tape 421StartWednesday, March 28, 1973 at 9:44 AMEndWednesday, March 28, 1973 at 9:52 AMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 421-026 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler discuss media strategy and the timing of a forthcoming administration announcement. They deliberate on how to deflect expected press inquiries regarding the Watergate scandal by emphasizing national security and economic concerns. The conversation focuses on managing public perception and coordinating the release of information to minimize political damage.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 2 minutes of this recording (about 26% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Hello.
Hello.
Hi, Ron.
How are you set for today?
Very well.
Are you being asked by any?
Oh, yes.
I would think so, too, because the court has a fine today.
That's right.
That's right.
That's right.
You know, one of the things that I know is one thing that I've been trying to figure out, you know, they sort of make the lines about pity or something like that.
You know what I'm speaking about?
Yeah.
I'm sure, but we'll run it out.
But it's nothing I said that, you know what I mean?
It wasn't in any news conference either way.
Well, just so we know, the other thing is that I talked to Henry last night about it, and I just think we stand right apart on that.
The coal mine there is something that we, that the UC Spire provides for it.
We grow all the horses.
We grow all the horses.
Yeah, I told you.
We have to do that right.
I don't think I don't think we serve
Oh, Ron, what is your feeling about the announcement of our cause here?
Do you want to announce it today or tomorrow morning?
reaction to Watergate.
Well, there probably is.
We'll get Watergate questions, that's all that.
But we've got to knock that out by our announcement.
How can we do that?
I would say on national security, it's the national security of the domestic economy.
I would have to say a lot to the national jury and the domestic community.
Or you could say the national security.
Or you could say, or you could say Vietnam.
Yeah.
How's that sound to you?
No?
No.
Oh, that's right.
In other words, we'll play that very, very cool.
But you see, that gives you something.
If you just went out and talked to the accountant and said, I should have talked about that.
And we just can't just do it.
You've got to think that's the moment that it's starting to make you your third option until we find another one.
So, which is great.
I mean, after all, even I saw somebody put Danny on the business.
I don't know why.
He's right.
I mean, they're probably a little embarrassed by it.
But somebody who's got the credit.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Right.
Right.
So we've got an institution credit for lifting.
Right.
Okay.
Fine.
Fine.
And on the thing, no institution.
Well, yeah, you can check, but I have no problem.
I can do this.
You can play it if you like, but I don't do it.
I think that if your questions are pretty hard today, like this, we're maybe going to send a warm-up today.
You thought, well, if they're pretty hard, what do you think?
If they're not hard, what do you think they're hard?
You may have questions you're reaching for.
But if, on the other hand, it looks like the water needs to have to do with the data that we've planted all along, and then you knock down the idea that the water needs to say how long it's going to take.
But basically, if you announce today, one problem you have there is that if you do announce today, the only thing I'm concerned about announcing today is that you'll have to do my...
Okay.
Do you think about it?

NARA Description

On March 28, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 9:44 am to 9:52 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 421-026 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 421-26

Date: March 28, 1973
Time: 9:44 am-9:52 am
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Ronald L. Ziegler.

[See Conversation No. 44-39]

Also recorded on March 28, 1973

  • 421-021 8:40 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 8:40 am and 8:45 am.
  • 421-022 8:45 AM · 15 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 8:45 am and 9:00 am.
  • 044-037 9:00 AM · 48 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:00 am and 9:01 am.
  • 421-023 9:00 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 9:00 am.
  • 421-024 9:00 AM · 52 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 9:00 am to 9:01 am.
  • 044-038 9:01 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:01 am and 9:44 am.
  • 421-025 9:01 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 9:01 am and 9:44 am.
  • 044-039 9:44 AM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:44 am and 9:52 am.

All 65 conversations from March 28, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 421-026, March 28, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/421-026 (accessed October 2, 2026).