{"conversationCode":"443-003","tapeNumber":443,"conversationNumber":3,"identifier":"37-wht-conversation-443-003","startDateTime":"1973-06-06T17:00:00.000Z","endDateTime":"1973-06-06T17:04:00.000Z","startDate":"6-Jun-1973","startTime":"1:00 PM","endDate":"6-Jun-1973","endTime":"1:04 PM","dateCertainty":"certain","timeCertainty":"certain","participants":"Nixon, Richard M. (President); Buzhardt, J. Fred, Jr.;","description":"On June 6, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:00 pm to 1:04 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 443-003 of the White House Tapes.","locationCode":"EOB","recordingDevice":"Old Executive Office Building","latitudeEstimated":38.897567,"longitudeEstimated":-77.039147,"chronCode":"5.5","chronRelease":"Fifth Chronological Release: Part V","chronReleaseDate":"21-Aug-2013","aogpRelease":"Abuse of Governmental Power Release","aogpSegment":"Segment 0","lastModified":"2015-07-27T17:04:10.235Z","findingAid":"Conversation No. 443-3\n\nDate: June 6, 1973\nTime: 1:00 pm - 1:04 pm\nLocation: Executive Office Building\n\nThe President talked with J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr.\n\f                                              -2-\n\n                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM\n\n                                                           Conversation No. 443-3 (cont’d)\n\n[See Conversation No. 39-104]","filename":["443-003.mp3"],"tapeStart":"","tapeEnd":"","participantsList":["Nixon, Richard M. (President)","Buzhardt, J. Fred, Jr."],"prevCode":"443-002","nextCode":"443-004","transcript":[{"start":0.37,"end":23.48,"text":"So, Fred, with regard to your heat and cost, I know that you have a lot of work to do."},{"start":23.5,"end":24.26,"text":"You spent a lot of time on this stuff."},{"start":24.28,"end":24.72,"text":"You did a lot of work."},{"start":24.74,"end":25.22,"text":"You did a very good job."},{"start":25.24,"end":26.68,"text":"I know that from him and what he's up to and what it has to do with him."},{"start":26.7,"end":28.05,"text":"So, now, as far as the typing, I would say it's a great one for me."},{"start":31.81,"end":55.26,"text":"Now, the other thing is that we are cooperating all the way."},{"start":55.28,"end":60.45,"text":"Now, I want you to say, quite candidly,"},{"start":61.02,"end":66.85,"text":"That is the case."},{"start":68.19,"end":78.24,"text":"I think we should say that."},{"start":79.64,"end":80.33,"text":"Yeah."},{"start":80.57,"end":81.47,"text":"Yeah."},{"start":81.81,"end":83.67,"text":"Yeah."},{"start":83.81,"end":85.23,"text":"Yeah."},{"start":86.31,"end":88.14,"text":"Yeah."},{"start":134.12,"end":141.41,"text":"But that's the break over that we're on."},{"start":142.31,"end":146.96,"text":"You know what I'm saying?"},{"start":147.64,"end":153.09,"text":"You know what I'm saying?"},{"start":153.21,"end":157.03,"text":"You know what I'm saying?"},{"start":157.25,"end":159.94,"text":"You know what I'm saying?"},{"start":160.32,"end":161.88,"text":"You know what I'm saying?"},{"start":162.54,"end":167.7,"text":"But if they make this a political dogfight, we're ready for it."},{"start":167.72,"end":170.65,"text":"We are prepared to fight."},{"start":170.67,"end":171.59,"text":"I lay it right on the line."},{"start":173.37,"end":174.61,"text":"Yes, that's right."},{"start":174.63,"end":176.84,"text":"Let me just say that I've got to say this."},{"start":177.28,"end":180.78,"text":"You've got to know because yesterday I faced a lot of arguments."},{"start":180.84,"end":186.01,"text":"There have been a number of call-outs that are currently coming from some of the junior members of his staff."},{"start":186.83,"end":187.55,"text":"They have said it."},{"start":192.14,"end":194.22,"text":"That's what you're trying to do."},{"start":194.24,"end":197.52,"text":"We want you to know we're ready for the fight."},{"start":197.62,"end":199.91,"text":"You're not going to get it."},{"start":199.93,"end":201.57,"text":"Because that's wrong."},{"start":201.75,"end":203.59,"text":"The president's cooperating."},{"start":203.61,"end":207.08,"text":"He's getting him in this thing."},{"start":207.22,"end":210.86,"text":"And he said the president is totally innocent."},{"start":211.08,"end":214.59,"text":"And everybody knows it, including me."},{"start":214.61,"end":215.75,"text":"He's testimony under Oathful of Souls."},{"start":215.77,"end":216.79,"text":"And don't let him block you with anything."},{"start":216.81,"end":217.55,"text":"That's a lie."},{"start":225.45,"end":228.5,"text":"All right."},{"start":228.52,"end":229.37,"text":"Play the health game."}],"aiSummary":{"text":"President Nixon met with his legal counsel, J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr., to discuss the administration's ongoing cooperation with investigations and to coordinate a defensive strategy. Nixon commended Buzhardt’s recent legal work and emphasized that the White House would maintain a cooperative stance while remaining prepared for a political confrontation. The President firmly asserted his innocence regarding the matters under scrutiny and instructed Buzhardt to rebuff any attempts to obstruct their legal position.","topics":["Watergate scandal","Legal strategy","J. Fred Buzhardt","Presidential cooperation","Political defense"],"generatedAt":"2026-04-06T20:31:37.324Z"},"topicSlugs":["watergate-scandal","legal-strategy","j-fred-buzhardt","presidential-cooperation","political-defense"],"audioDurationSec":238,"audioFiles":[{"file":"443-003.mp3","bytes":7616512,"durationSec":237.88,"bitrate":256146,"missing":false}],"audioIsShared":false,"audioProbedAt":"2026-09-18T02:20:06.080Z","findingAidSource":"nixonlibrary.gov subject log (2024-05), reslice-v2","findingAidUpdatedAt":"2026-09-18T08:43:41.604Z","transcriptGapSeconds":47,"transcriptGapShare":0.2,"transcriptQuality":"incomplete","audio":["https://nixon.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/audio/443-003.mp3"],"url":"https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/443-003","nixonLibraryUrl":"https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/white-house-tapes/443/conversation-443-003","license":"Public domain (U.S. Government work). AI-generated fields (transcript, aiSummary) are provided as-is without warranty."}