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Conversation 433-019

TapeTape 433StartTuesday, May 1, 1973 at 1:24 PMEndTuesday, May 1, 1973 at 1:26 PMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Ford, Gerald R.Recording deviceOld Executive Office Building
AI Summary

President Nixon met with House Minority Leader Gerald Ford to solicit political support during the escalating Watergate scandal. Nixon expressed deep personal anguish over the forced resignations of H.R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman, while urging Ford to rally Republican members of Congress to defend his administration. He specifically requested that allies push back against critics like Senator Charles Percy and publicly support his leadership during the crisis.

Watergate scandalGerald FordH.R. HaldemanJohn EhrlichmanCongressional relationsResignationsPolitical strategy
AudioNARA Description

On May 1, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Gerald R. Ford met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:24 pm to 1:26 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 433-019 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 433-19

Date: May 1, 1973
Time: 1:24 pm - 1:26 pm
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                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      (rev. March-2011)

Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Gerald R. Ford.

[See Conversation No. 45-87]
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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

Ready.
I'll take him first.
I want to express my appreciation for your note, tell you to keep the faith, and tell the guys, God and Emmett, to get off their ass and start fighting back.
Okay, boy.
Just want to get to know that I deeply appreciate the little belt that I saw, and I was most moved by it.
What I did, it was the most painful thing I've ever done to take two totally innocent men and just have to stack them.
But they had to be stacked.
And they could have done it themselves, but then I had to do it myself.
But if you could, get a few of the congressmen and senators to speak up and say a word for Christ's sake to me.
You got Percy out saying he's a special prosecutor, but he asked, oh, he's running for president.
But good God.
Elliot Richardson is a special prosecutor.
You know that.
But can't you get it to him, Jerry?
Well, you stand firm, old boy.
All right.
Thank you.
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