Conversation 860-009

TapeTape 860StartWednesday, February 21, 1973 at 3:23 PMEndWednesday, February 21, 1973 at 3:26 PMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Ziegler, Ronald L.Recording deviceOval Office

On February 21, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:23 pm to 3:26 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 860-009 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 860-9

Date: February 21, 1973
Time: 3:23 pm - 3:26 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.

       Gridiron dinner
              -Message to William P. Rogers
                     -President's nonattendance

       White House Correspondents Association dinner

       Ziegler's press briefing

       Henry A. Kissinger
             -Meetings with President

       Edgar Poe and Garrett D. (“Jack”) Horner
              -Meeting with President

       Gerald L. Warren
              -Briefing
              -Kissinger communique
                                            -6-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                       (rev. Nov.-09)
                                                            Conversation No. 860-9 (cont’d)

       President's radio speech
              -News coverage

       Watergate
             -E. Howard Hunt, Jr. and G. Gordon Liddy stories
                   -Ziegler's response
                   -Dita Beard
                   -News stories
                   -Warren's response
                   -Ziegler's response to story on Beard and Hunt
                          -Newsday
                   -Hunt
                          -Visit with Beard
                          -Association with Charles W. Colson
                                   -Stories
                          -John D. Ehrlichman
                                   -Leaks
                          -White House response
                                   -Hearings in Senate

Ziegler left at 3:26 pm.

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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

How did you get along today?
Good.
The beach is going to do it.
Yeah.
i've been eating quite a bit every day right now and uh poe and uh
What else did you do today?
A lot of interviews.
I let Jerry breathe today, so.
Well, that's not for sure.
Well, they've got to get you to communicate for tomorrow.
There was really nothing more.
Your radio speech carried the news today, so.
Well, that's right.
We need to read it.
So there's no reason to kick the radio tomorrow.
If I went out, I would have had to respond to the Hud and Hud-Liddy thing, so I let them hear it.
Yeah, I don't need a beard.
I guess that would be a continuing running story.
He just said, he carried me away with this.
He said, well, I haven't read the
Testimony, I can't comment on that.
That left it there.
What were you saying?
I was just saying, Jerry responded right yesterday.
And let him press their stuff.
There's nothing we can do on a story like that.
We don't gain one thing by commenting on it.
Not a thing, not a thing.
Well, it's not a new story.
I'm sorry.
Newsday had it.
I'm sorry.
That was one of the things he imposed was to investigate.
I guess not because it went out there.
Sure, but their angle, of course, is to try and associate Hunt with Colson in their report.
draw a conclusion that was that but there's i don't think you can deny an association because i mean i say jobs
Those are pretty hard ones.
No, no, we've handled that.
There's no problem.
But their hearings, again, they're going to have to crowd all out and say, well, I'm so sorry.
I just .
And I think one of the hearings .
Absolutely.
I think just like it was a corporate issue, that's what I had to .
I would never get in the position.