Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 433 › Conversation 433-059

Nixon & Rogers on Watergate scandal and Special prosecutor

Tuesday, May 1, 1973 · 7:19 PM–7:22 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Rogers, William P.Conversation433-059 on Tape 433StartTuesday, May 1, 1973 at 7:19 PMEndTuesday, May 1, 1973 at 7:22 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 433-059 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted Secretary of State William P. Rogers regarding the political pressure to appoint a special prosecutor for the Watergate investigation. Nixon expressed concern over how to advise incoming Attorney General Elliot Richardson on handling the potential Senate resolution. The two agreed to approach the issue cautiously, viewing the push for a special prosecutor as a tactical challenge to the administration’s authority.

Audio

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yeah.
Oh, Bill, just get your judgment before I give Elliot a call.
You know, with regard to this sort of sense of the Senate resolution about a special prosecutor.
I mean, you know, I told him he could do what he wanted, but I thought he is the problem.
He is it himself.
But do you think he should simply say that he plans to once the grand jury finishes or what's your advice that I tell him?
I don't know.
I don't want to tell him until I...
couldn't rush into that because basically you know we know the problem especially prosecutor it is the question of the uh trying to get justice done good
It attacks the new attorney general.
That's why the hell we appointed him, Bill.
All right.
Well, we're not worried about it.
Just one round in the battle, right?

NARA Description

On May 1, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and William P. Rogers met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 7:19 pm to 7:22 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 433-059 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 433-59

Date: May 1, 1973
Time: 7:19 pm - 7:22 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with William P. Rogers.

[See Conversation No. 45-119]

Also recorded on May 1, 1973

  • 045-115 7:15 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at 7:15 pm.
  • 045-116 7:15 PM · 18 sec — White House operator and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:15 pm and 7:19 pm.
  • 045-117 7:15 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:15 pm and 7:19 pm.
  • 045-118 7:15 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:15 pm and 7:19 pm.
  • 433-056 7:15 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon, William J. Baroody, Jr., and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 7:15 pm and 7:19 pm.
  • 045-119 7:19 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William P. Rogers talked on the telephone from 7:19 pm to 7:22 pm.
  • 045-120 7:22 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:22 pm and 7:24 pm.
  • 433-060 7:22 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 7:22 pm and 7:24 pm.

All 181 conversations from May 1, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 433-059, May 1, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/433-059 (accessed October 5, 2026).