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Conversation 433-044

TapeTape 433StartTuesday, May 1, 1973 at 6:45 PMEndTuesday, May 1, 1973 at 6:47 PMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  White House operator;  Finch, Robert H.Recording deviceOld Executive Office Building
AI Summary

President Nixon consults with Robert H. Finch regarding the political fallout of the Watergate scandal and the departure of key administration officials. Nixon expresses frustration toward critics, particularly Senator Charles Percy, while emphasizing the administration's commitment to self-investigation. He urges Finch to maintain high morale and discourages personnel from resigning immediately to avoid the appearance that such departures are linked to the ongoing scandal.

WatergateRobert H. FinchPolitical resignationsCharles PercyPublic relationsSpecial prosecutor
AudioNARA Description

On May 1, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Robert H. Finch met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 6:45 pm to 6:47 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 433-044 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 433-44

Date: May 1, 1973
Time: 6:45 pm - 6:47 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with the White House operator and Robert H. Finch.

[See Conversation No. 45-105 and 45-106]
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                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      (rev. March-2011)
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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

Thank you.
I'll hang up.
Hello?
I hear you're between speeches, Robert.
Well, I hope your morale's all right.
I take two men that are so selfless and so dedicated and, you know, to have to say, all right, Paulson, you know they're innocent.
You have to leave, but we had to do it, Bob.
And, uh, that was a hard Sunday, and I had to get up for a speech, and Carter said, did it come over all right in television?
Were you out there?
Yeah.
How did it, what kind of affected that?
What do you get down on the day if you talk to around people?
He didn't say he was positing that.
He is a special prosecutor.
Yeah, and Percy, he cooked his boost with me when he came out and said, well, we've got to have one to distrust Elliot.
My God.
That son of a bitch.
If you're going to find him around when you're people, I'd always just say, we just have confidence in the integrity of the president.
This is one of those rare presidents who has the guts to investigate.
I mean, to conduct an investigation of his own team.
You know, it's true.
And they're going to realize that this whole goddamn Watergate thing was all about a crappy little thing that everybody shouldn't have gotten that excited about.
It'll pass.
It'll pass.
And it's going to be hard, but it'll pass.
Well, keep your overall up, boy.
I know you've called three or four times, and I deeply appreciate it, Bob.
I don't want him to leave for a month now.
I mean, he's got this beautiful job.
I don't want him to leave, maybe because it'll look like he's leaving because of this.
Okay.
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