President Nixon met with Ronald Ziegler and Stephen Bull to coordinate administration messaging on several fronts, including Watergate, upcoming legislative priorities, and public relations strategies. They discussed maintaining a strategy of silence regarding Watergate while preparing a televised address to highlight domestic policy, specifically mandatory drug penalties and law enforcement support. Additionally, they planned the optics and scheduling for an upcoming meeting with Secretary of State William Rogers to project a focus on peace and international affairs.
On March 9, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:35 pm to 1:40 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 874-021 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 874-21
Date: March 9, 1973
Time: 1:35 pm – 1:40 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.
White House Correspondents’ Association dinner
-Prize winner
-Peoples Republic of China [PRC] trip photo
-President's attendance at ceremony
-Nguyen Van Thieu visit
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John D. Ehrlichman's press conference
-Ziegler's assessment of Ehrlichman's performance
-Watergate questions
-Ehrlichman's responses
-John W. Dean, III
-Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
-Dean's presence at a meeting
-Domestic issues
Watergate
-President's future press conference
-Ziegler's public stance
-Donald H. Segretti's case
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 1:35 pm.
President's speech on law enforcement
-Ehrlichman’s edits
-Briefing
-Prison guards officers
-Federal prisons
-Revision of draft
-Retyping
-Kidnapping
Briefings by John D. Ehrlichman
-Value
Speech
-Wording
-Assault on officers
-Federal officers
-Prison guards
-Punishment
President's meeting with William P. Rogers
-Appointment
-Scheduling
-Picture by press
-Publicity
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Conversation No. 874-21 (cont’d)
-International Conference on Vietnam
-Paris
Bull left at an unknown time before 1:04 pm.
Watergate
-Administration’s position
-Statements for public
-Dean
-Presence at interviews with White House staff
-Justification
-Ehrlichman's response
-Segretti
-Strategy for handling
-Gerald L. Warren
-Options
-Impact of various courses of action
-Impact on public
President's appearance on TV
-Timing
-President's speech on law enforcement
-Capital punishment
-Types of crimes
-Arrangements
-Drug abuse
-Pushers
-Marijuana
-Punishment
-Setting of speech
-Arrangements
-Use of Oval Office
-Time
-President's meeting with Rogers
-Capital punishment
-Public relations [PR] staff
-Types of crimes
-Hijacking
-Support of airline industry
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Conversation No. 874-21 (cont’d)
-Justin Dart's comments
-United Airlines
President's meeting of Rogers
-Press release
-Publicity
-Subjects
-International Conference on Vietnam
-Photograph
-Setting
Cabinet meeting
Bull entered at an unknown time after 1:35 pm.
Radio
President’s schedule
-Lunch
Bull left at an unknown time before 1:40 pm.
Cabinet meeting [?]
Speech writing
-Quotable lines
Hugh S. Sidey
-Criticism of administration
Watergate
-Embarrassment to administration
-Spiro T. Agnew
-President's statement
-Dean testifying
-Ehrlichman
Ronald L. Ziegler left at 1:40 pm.
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Conversation No. 874-21 (cont’d)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.