Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 436-003
Date: Monday, May 14, 1973 at 12:59 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.
Recording device: Old Executive Office Building
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/436-003

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] One thing I do feel after running through this, but I want to do is have him correct me.
[0:18] He wants to study me of all kinds of other types of mechanics.
[0:19] Now, we're not going to let them.
[0:20] I don't mean to concentrate.
[0:21] Now, we can't let them get away with this idea of his crap hat.
[0:22] And now, we've done so little of it.
[0:23] And when they say they're uncertain about it, that's bullshit.
[0:28] They've got the files over there.
[0:30] If they burned those files, where are those files?
[0:32] And why isn't he as eager as to get after those as ours?
[0:35] What's the crisis matter with him?
[0:41] All right, now, how do you want to do it?
[0:45] I don't want to do it by presidential order if I can evolve it.
[0:47] But God damn it, tell Ruckelshaus that it's his job to look at it.
[0:51] You know, ooh, somebody gave me a figure for a news conference of 112.
[0:56] All right, well, yeah, I know, but my...
[1:06] All right.
[1:06] The point is, but Kennedy stopped that.
[1:09] Go back and get it.
[1:10] I want the FBI files on tabs that could go back and look at all of them.
[1:14] If they've been destroyed in the past, you know, then it shows we haven't destroyed them.
[1:18] You get my point?
[1:19] Now, Ruckelshaus has got to get off his ass and get at something.
[1:21] And I know this is hard for him, but you know what I mean?
[1:25] Like that statement of his is so serving of the FBI.
[1:27] Would you be able to get that one sentence in?
[1:34] All right.
[1:34] Okay, well, what about this?
[1:36] Trying to get our papers convened.
[1:38] In fact, I don't give much of a shit.
[1:47] I don't give a fuck.
[1:49] Oh, oh, I see.
[1:56] Come.
[1:56] What is it?
[1:57] Tell me what I... Oh my God.
[1:58] Well, he can't put that sort of thing down.
[2:02] How do we know that?
[2:03] That's what he said.
[2:05] That's what Dean has told me.
[2:25] Well, Sharika's seen the papers now.
[2:28] And what does he say about it?
[2:30] Well, all right.
[2:30] I'm not going to worry about it.
[2:32] Because basically, I don't know.
[2:38] So Rico's going to play that game.
[2:44] He doesn't trust the president getting papers of this sort.
[2:55] Goddamn, we're not going to burn anything.
[2:57] You know what I mean.
[2:59] And my guess is the other 43 pages.
[3:01] So basically, our present understanding is the judge has read the papers, right?
[3:07] And
[3:07] and decided to turn them over to the Senate and to the grand jury.
[3:19] Let's keep right at it.
[3:21] It's a matter of principle.
[3:23] They'll all get out anyway, but it's a matter of principle.
[3:28] Okay, good.