Conversation: 437-011
Prev: 437-010 Next: 437-012Start Date: 18-May-1973 12:49 PM
End Date: 18-May-1973 1:52 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); [Unknown person(s)];Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
NARA Description:
On May 18, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 12:49 pm to 1:52 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 437-011 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 437-11
Date: May 18, 1973
Time: 12:49 pm - 1:52 pm
Location: Old Executive Office Building
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
Watergate
-Lt. Gen. Vernon A. Walters’s memoranda of conversation [memcons]
-President’s concerns regarding Central Intelligence Agency [CIA] involvement
-President’s orders to Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman
-Richard M. Helms
-John W. Dean III’s follow-up meeting with CIA
-President’s conversation with L[ouis] Patrick Gray, III
-Motives of the President and Haldeman regarding CIA and Federal Bureau of
Investigation [FBI]
-Burglars and Mexican bank
-Plumbers
-Possible impeachment
-Need for full disclosure
-Ehrlichman
-10-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation No. 437-11 (cont’d)
-Conversations with J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. and Ronald L. Ziegler
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-CIA
-Need for full White House disclosure
-Ervin Committee
-Possible testimony by Ehrlichman and Haldeman
-Forum for disclosure
-Grand jury and Senate committee
-John L. McClellan
-President’s order to Haldeman regarding CIA
-Walters and Helms
-Contact with FBI
-Walters’s Gray memcons
-Haldeman’s statements
-Arrests
-Mexico
-CIA involvement
-E. Howard Hunt, Jr.
-White House concern regarding expansion of investigation
-Plumbers
-Dean and Earl Silbert
-Richard G. Kleindienst
-Bay of Pigs
-Haldeman’s conversation with Walters and Helms
-Helms’s reaction
-Bay of Pigs investigation by Ehrlichman
-CIA
-Missing memo
-Haldeman’s and Ehrlichman’s meeting with Walters and Helms
-Topics of conversation
-FBI’s concern regarding CIA involvement
-Walters’s memcons
-Possible release
-Possible statements by Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-Timing of preparation
-Conversation with Dean, June 26
-Conversation with Ehrlichman concerning Dean
-11-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation No. 437-11 (cont’d)
-Possible White House release of material
-Huston plan
-Tom C. Huston
-Henry A. Kissinger wiretaps
-Plumbers
-Huston plan
-Huston plan
-Haldeman’s knowledge
-William Sullivan
-J. Edgar Hoover’s objection
-Egil (“Bud”) Krogh, Jr.
-Plumbers
-Information for Buzhardt
-Charles W. Colson’s line
-James W. McCord’s testimony, May 18
-John N. Mitchell
-Buzhardt’s concern
-Promise of clemency to McCord
-President’s conversations with Ehrlichman concerning clemency
-President’s conversation with Colson concerning clemency
-Hunt
-Mitchell
-Staff members’ notes of conversations with the President
-President’s ownership
-Haig
-Possible misuse
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 43 s ]
-12-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation No. 437-11 (cont’d)
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
*****************************************************************
Watergate
-President’s conversation with Dean, March 21
-President’s conversation with Haig
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1 m 43 s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
*****************************************************************
Watergate
-President’s conversation with Dean, March 21
-President’s conduct during meeting
-President’s knowledge of Ehrlichman’s call to Herbert W. Kalmbach
-Mitchell
-Fundraising
-President’s knowledge of fund-raising
-Kalmbach and Mitchell
-Dean
-Cuban defense fund
-Fundraising
-Obstruction of justice
-Intent of individuals
-Defendants’ testimony regarding non-Watergate activities
-Haldeman’s possible testimony
-Executive privilege
-Third party conversations
-13-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation No. 437-11 (cont’d)
-Haldeman’s notes
-Content
-Eillot L. Richardson
-March and April 1973
-Discussion of defendants
-Dean
-Role in conspiracy
-Conversations with President
-Thomas Pappas
-Colson
-Haldeman
-Possible problems
-Staff members’ notes
-President’s ownership
-Haldeman, Ehrlichman, Colson
-Ehrlichman
-Buzhardt’s view
-Pressure on Buzhardt for full disclosure
-Need for full disclosure
-Possible sworn affidavits by Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-Walters’s memcons
-Haldeman’s possible affidavit
-Dean
-CIA
-Haldeman’s view of break-in as set-up
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1 m 18 s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
*****************************************************************
-14-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation No. 437-11 (cont’d)
-Ehrlichman’s conversation with the President at San Clemente regarding
clemency, Summer 1972
-Ehrlichman’s conversation with the President at San Clemente concerning cover-
up, June 1972
-Discussion of dangers of cover-up
-Harry S. Truman
-Ehrlichman’s testimony
-Walters
-President’s motive in involving with FBI
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National security]
[Duration: 4 s ]
Walter’s knowledge of CIA
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
*****************************************************************
Watergate
-Walters
-President’s motive in involving with FBI
-Mexican bank money
-Mexican bank money
-Chronology of revelation
-Dean
-Documents
-Huston plan
-Cancellation of implementation
-15-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation No. 437-11 (cont’d)
-Huston plan
-Louis W. Tordella
-Consideration by the President and Haldeman
-Surreptitious entry and burglary
-Meeting with law enforcement agency heads on coordinated action
-Hoover’s objections
-Approval/cancellation
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 2 m 45 s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
*****************************************************************
Watergate
-Haldeman’s possible public statement
-Possible return to grand jury
-Dean
-Interview with Walter L. Cronkite
-Need for full disclosure
-Format
-Possible demand for impeachment vote
-Buzhardt and Haig
-Impeachment
-House of Representatives procedures
-Bella S. Abzug
-Buzhardt’s strategy
-National mood
-Robert C. Odle, Jr.’s testimony before Ervin Committee
-Separation from operations to plug leaks
-Pentagon Papers
-16-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation No. 437-11 (cont’d)
-John J. (“Jack”) Caulfield and clemency
-McCord’s testimony, May 18
-Caulfield and the President
-Samuel J. Ervin, Jr.’s statements
-Mitchell and Jeb S[tuart] Magruder
-Edward J. Gurney’s statements
-Caulfield’s possible testimony
-Need for full disclosure
-Possible affidavits by Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-Odle’s testimony before Ervin Committee
-Inaccuracy of press reports
-Washington Post
-Paper shredding
-Visit to McCord’s office
-Eugenio Martinez’s notebook
-Washington Post
-FBI
-Ehrlichman
-Possible resignation
-Haldeman’s resignation
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.
-Guilt
-President, Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-Impeachment
-Resignation
-Possible Senate trial
-Resignation
-Timing
-Trial
-Stewart J. O. Alsop’s view
-Andrew Johnson
The President talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 12:49 pm and 1:52
pm.
[Conversation No. 437-11A]
-17-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation No. 437-11 (cont’d)
[Begin telephone conversation]
Unknown person [Haig ?]’s schedule
[End telephone conversation]
Haldeman’s schedule
Watergate
-White House strategy
-Haig
Haldeman’s schedule
Haldeman left at 1:52 pm.