Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 867 › Conversation 867-001

Nixon, Ziegler & Kissinger on Watergate and Press conference strategy

Friday, March 2, 1973 · 11:01 AM–11:05 AM ET · Oval Office · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.; Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation867-001 on Tape 867StartFriday, March 2, 1973 at 11:01 AMEndFriday, March 2, 1973 at 11:05 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 867-001 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon, along with Ronald Ziegler and Henry Kissinger, discussed strategy for an upcoming press conference, focusing on how to address questions regarding Watergate, specifically John Dean's role, Donald Segretti, and Maurice Stans, with a plan to refer inquiries about the Committee to Re-elect the President to that organization. They also touched upon the Khartoum hostage incident and the upcoming visit of President Thieu, as well as the release of POWs.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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In relation to the cartoon thing, William Cumber is on his way home.
I'm sure he told you that.
He's not going to negotiate at all.
I think on that issue, I said, we're going to discuss it.
And John Dean, I think you covered on this, John Dean requested you not mention a specific target time for the executive assembly statement that says that perhaps sometimes
Sometime next week.
Sometime next week.
That doesn't tie into lunch.
No, I don't know.
Actually, depending on where the question comes, sometime in the near future, perhaps next week, we'll give it a little more doubt.
But anyway, let's see if there's any... Oh, and you covered it there, stuff around the questions about whether a game...
You've covered all of it.
You've covered Segretti on it.
Right.
Yeah.
And you have referred all the questions on Sands to the re-election committee.
Yes, sir.
That's what you said.
Yes, sir.
And, uh, but I just want to be sure that I don't say you've covered the questions if you haven't covered it.
Claire, you didn't say I'm either covered it or it could be an election.
No, no, no.
On Segretti and Dean, I'm not a Dean on the White House.
Oh, showing the stuff.
Ray did, I believe, in his testimony, and where Dean said he didn't.
Well, I said I didn't.
That's right.
Dean has made it clear to Ray that he never did show it.
I know, but it's a personal.
They know that.
They should know that.
On those 34, yeah, on Christmas, I think I will start it.
There is a chance that they're already in Hanoi, so I wouldn't be too belligerent about it.
Why do you think I'll say that we're expected to get here?
Do you think so?
I don't think any other further comment at this time would be useful.

NARA Description

On March 2, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:01 am to 11:05 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 867-001 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 867-1

Date: March 2, 1973
Time: Between 11:01 am and 11:05 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.

       President's meeting with Henry A. Kissinger

       William P. Rogers
             -Return from signing ceremony
                   -International Conference on Vietnam
                         -Press statement

       Khartoum hostage incident
            -William B. Macomber, Jr.
                  -Negotiations

       Watergate
            -John W. Dean, III
                  -President's statement on executive privilege
            -President's press conference
                  -Subject to cover
                         -Dean
                         -Donald H. Segretti
                         -Maurice H. Stans
                               -Questions from press
                                     -Referral Committee to Re-elect the President [CRP]
                         -Segretti
                               -Dean
                               -L[ouis] Patrick Gray, III's testimony
                               -President's comments

Kissinger entered at 11:04 am.

       Press conference
             -Vietnam
                   -Announcement of President Nguyen Van Thieu's forthcoming visit to the US
                                            -2-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                           Conversation No. 867-1 (cont’d)

                   -San Clemente
             -Prisoners of war [POWs]
                   -Hanoi
                   -Release
                         -US actions

Kissinger and Ziegler left.

Also recorded on March 2, 1973

  • 414-014 10:25 AM · 39 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 10:25 am and 11:00 am.
  • 414-015 10:25 AM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 10:25 am and 11:00 am.
  • 867-002 11:05 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:05 am and 11:59 pm.
  • 037-030 11:41 AM · 35 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone from 11:41 am to 11:43 am.
  • 037-031 11:41 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:41 am and 11:43 am.
  • 867-003 11:41 AM · 29 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at 11:41 am.
  • 867-004 11:41 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:41 am and 11:44 am.
  • 867-005 11:41 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at 11:41 am.

All 58 conversations from March 2, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 867-001, March 2, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/867-001 (accessed October 12, 2026).