Conversation: 890-033
Prev: 890-032 Next: 890-034Start Date: 30-Mar-1973 1:43 PM
End Date: 30-Mar-1973 2:53 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Ziegler, Ronald L.;Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On March 30, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:43 pm to 2:53 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 890-033 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 890-33
Date: March 30, 1973
Time: 1:43 pm - 2:53 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
Watergate
-Henry E. Petersen[?]
-John W. Dean, III's suggestion
-Dean
-Moral support
-Gordon C. Strachan
-Statement
-Work with Congress
-48-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2010)
Conversation No. 890-33 (cont’d)
-Length
-John D. Ehrlichman's suggestion
-Circulation to supporters
-George H. W. Bush, Gerald R. Ford, Hugh Scott
-White House staff
-Testimony before grand jury
-Likelihood
-G. Gordon Liddy
-Fifth Amendment
-Immunity
-James W. McCord, Jr.
-Immunity
-Problems
-E. Howard Hunt, Jr.
-McCord
-Earl Silbert, John J. Sirica
-Grand jury appearance
-Testimony
-Ervin Committee
-Lowell P. Weicker, Jr.
-Campaign funds
-Jack Gleason
-Receipt
-Call to Haldeman
-The Vice President's call to Howard H. Baker, Jr.
-Bush
-Statements
-Context
-Need for action
-Talk with Haldeman
-Problems with Bush's statement
-Statements
-Cooperation with Congress
-Weicker
-Campaign funds
-Amounts
-Repudiation of sources
-Republicans
-Bush
-49-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2010)
Conversation No. 890-33 (cont’d)
-Press conference
-Weicker
-John N. Mitchell and Ehrlichman
-Attacks on Haldeman
-Link to Donald H. Segretti
-Hunt
-Plumbers
-Link to Segretti
-Dean statement
-President's statement for press
-Press coverage
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Washington Post
-Haldeman
-McCord
-Washington Post
-Memorandum to Haldeman
-Security at Miami
-Distortions in press
-Baltimore Sun
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS], New York Times
-Naming of Haldeman
-Dean
-Charles W. Colson
-Innocence
-Grand jury appearance
-Dean
-Grand jury appearance
-Ehrlichman
-Mitchell's view
-Ehrlichman
-Dean
-Problems
-Jeb S. Magruder
-Mitchell
-Ehrlichman
-Mitchell
-Wife
-Dean
-50-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2010)
Conversation No. 890-33 (cont’d)
-Alleged meeting
Ziegler entered at an unknown time after 1:43 pm.
Ziegler's press conference
-Ellsworth F. Bunker announcement
-Outcome, analysis
-Format
-Watergate
-Questions from press
-Executive privilege
-Grand jury
-White House staff testimony
-Distinction between grand jury and Ervin Committee
-News stories
-Informal testimony for Ervin Committee
-Ziegler's statement
-White House staff testimony
-Dean
-Testimony
-Charges of cover-up
Watergate
-Statement for press
-Misunderstandings
-Misrepresentations
-President's policy on cooperation with grand jury and Ervin
Committee
-Procedures
-Answering of relevant questions
-Concern for separation of powers
-Informal discussions on procedures
-Rereading of statement
-Charges of cover-up
-Rebuttal
-Full cooperation with Ervin Committee
-Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
-Grand jury
-Disclosure of relevant information
-51-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2010)
Conversation No. 890-33 (cont’d)
-Timing of statement
-Dean's statements
Ziegler left at 1:55 pm.
President's recent speech
-Follow-up reports
-Reactions
-Press coverage
-Congress
-Meat ceiling
-Budget questions
-Defense budget
-President's vetoes
-Responses
-Hold spending
-Prices
-Taxes
-Research on reactions
-William J. Baroody, Jr.
-Personal contacts
-Organizational contacts
-William E. Timmons
-Congress
-Kenneth W. Clawson
-Press reactions
-Party organization, campaign committees
-Congressional reactions
-Democratic Party
-Press coverage
-Meat controls
-Criticisms
-Personal reactions
-Scope of speech
-Frank Dale
-Vietnam settlement
-Statement on Prisoners of war [POWs]
-Budget issues
-Reaction
-52-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2010)
Conversation No. 890-33 (cont’d)
-Simple terms
-“The buck stops here”
-Family budget compared with federal budget
-President’s writing of speech
-William H. Carruthers
-Discussion with Haldeman
White House staff
-Ehrlichman, Kissinger
-Inability to simplify issues
-Speechwriters
-Need for simplification
-Ehrlichman, Kissinger
-William L. Safire
-Organization
-Past speeches
President's speeches
-Length
-Problems
-Speech, March 29, 1973
-Content
-Drafting
-President's draft
-George P. Shultz, Ehrlichman, Kissinger
-Network television [TV] speeches
-Chamber of Commerce example
-Prime time
-Amount of work
-Carruthers
-Importance of speech
-Compared with other presidential duties
President's schedule
-Meetings with ambassadors
-India
-Morocco
-Japan
-Donald E. Johnson
-53-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2010)
Conversation No. 890-33 (cont’d)
-Governors conference
-Shultz
-Ehrlichman
-Trips of staff members or appointees
-Reports to Cabinet
-Compared with reports to President
-Importance
-Meeting with Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] cultural minister
-Previous meetings
-Johnson
-Lakshmi K. Jha
-Roland H. Shackford
-John R. Kernodle
-Necessity
-National Gallery of Art
-President’s speech, March 29, 1973
-Black tie affair
-Exhibit of USSR art
-Armand Hammer
-Attendees
-President’s supporters
-President’s leisure time
-Boating
-Potomac River
President's recent speech
-Drafting
-Reading of speech
-Difficulties
-Network TV
-Ad libing
-Importance of statement
-Organization
-Value
-Favorable reactions
-Issues
-POWs
-Peace treaty
-Defense
-54-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2010)
Conversation No. 890-33 (cont’d)
-America’s states
-Budget
-Taxes
-Prices
-Meat ceilings
-Public support
-Special interests
-Price controls
-Average citizen’s view
-Press reaction
-Amount of press
-Meat ceilings
-Purpose of speech
Press relations
-TV appearances
-Haldeman’s conversation with Richard A. Moore
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Haldeman
-Jerry Green, New York Daily News
-Newsweek story
-"Today" show
-Reaction
-Mail
-Newsweek
-Responses
-David Mahoney[?]
-Time article
-Moore
-California dinner
-Reaction
-TV appearance
-“George Putnam Show” [?]
-Use of TV by White House staff
-Press conferences by President
-Timing
-Place
-Preparation
-Letter of notice
-55-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2010)
Conversation No. 890-33 (cont’d)
Congressional relations
-President’s disappointment
-Relations with White House
-Weaknesses
-Loyalists
-Charges of White House isolation
-White House reaction
-Wednesday Club
-Complaints to Haldeman
-Frank J. Horton
-Breakfast on Organization
-President’s attendance
-Vietnam statement
-President's meetings with Congressmen
-Frequency
-Leadership meetings
-Non-ranking members
John B. Connally
-New York
-Meeting with President
-Schedule
-California
*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
-Party switch
-Timing
[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************
Watergate
-Ervin Committee
-Hearings
-56-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2010)
Conversation No. 890-33 (cont’d)
-Testimony
-Segretti and Plumbers operation
-Maurice H. Stans
-Mitchell
-Robert Vesco
*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
President’s successor
-Connally
-Spiro T. Agnew
-Problems
-Leadership
-Determination
-Nelson A. Rockefeller
-President’s backing
-Value
-Ronald W. Reagan
-Opposition, support
-Sources of opposition
-Rockefeller’s finances
-Work with Administration to obtain nomination
-Vice presidential running mate
-Conservative, younger in age
-Melvin R. Laird
-Connally
-Party switch
-Problems as presidential candidate
-Compared with Rockefeller
-Rockefeller
-Work with staff talent
-Connally’s weaknesses
-Delegation
-Connally
-Contrast with Agnew
-Vice president’s role
-Work
-57-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2010)
Conversation No. 890-33 (cont’d)
-Duties of office
-Delegator
-Ceremony
-Operations
-Executive duties
-Compared with President, Senators
-Robert H. Finch
-Decision [?]
[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************
Watergate
-Senate hearings
-Segretti
-Administration's posture
-Discipline
-Administration reaction to crises and charges
-A person in charge of strategy
-Ehrlichman and Ziegler
-Ehrlichman
-Other duties in White House
-Mention in President's speech
-Patrick J. Buchanan's reaction
-Bush, Scott
-President's role
-Meeting with George P. Shultz, March 30
-Other problems
-Comparison with 1972 campaign
-Haldeman's and Colson's roles
-Contacts with President and subjects of discussion
-Albert E. Sindlinger's polls, operational coordination
-Degree of President's involvement
-Response to charges and news reports
-Diversion from other problems
-President's speech, March 29
-Effect on President's concentration
-1972 campaign
-58-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2010)
Conversation No. 890-33 (cont’d)
-Republican reactions
-Bryce N. Harlow, Scott, Ford
-Overreactions in meetings
-Person in charge of administration strategy
-Ehrlichman
-Problems
-Charges
-Press reports
-Charges
-Overreaction
-Public concern
-President's speech
-Topic of Watergate
-Dean
-Ziegler
-News reports
-"CBS Morning News"
-Robert Pierpoint
-Ervin hearings
-Testimony of day
-Weicker
-Dealing with White House
-Campaign funds
-Delivery
-Stans
-Check on statements
-Income taxes
-Reporting
-Campaign funds
-Cash funds
-Source
-Pressure from Republicans
-Republicans
-Concern over Watergate
-Fears
-Isolation of White House and Committee to Re-elect the President [CRP]
Staff
-Defense of President
-Criticism in Congress
-59-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2010)
Conversation No. 890-33 (cont’d)
-Campaign funds
-Problems in all campaigns
-President's campaign
-Compared with other campaigns
-Republicans
-Fears over Watergate
-Sherman Adams case
-Attacks on President
-Enemies
-Strategy
-Criticism of President's campaign
-President's responsibility
-1972 campaign
-President's involvement in other issues
-USSR, PRC
-Mitchell
-Control of campaign
-Problems
-Attorney General position
-Martha Mitchell
-International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT]
-Richard G. Kleindienst
-Lack of control
-Haldeman
-President's foreign trips
-Reasons for attacks on White House staff
-Mitchell
-Haldeman
-Ehrlichman
-Dean
-Colson
-Magruder
-Attacks on President
-Nature of White House staff
-Press
-Bush
-Baker's speech
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-60-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2010)
Conversation No. 890-33 (cont’d)
Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Activities
-USSR event
Tricia Nixon Cox
-Meeting with Jewish group
Watergate
-Mitchell
-Responsibility for problems
-Assumption
-Unwillingness
-A statement
-Campaign committee
-William P. Roger's view
-Segretti's role
-Origins
-Riots, demonstrations
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 1:55 pm.
President's meeting with Dean
President's trip to California
Bull left at an unknown time before 2:53 pm.
Dean
-Maureen Dean
-Trip to California
-Maureen Dean's mother
-Stay at Camp David
-Maureen Dean
-Trip to California
-Stay at Camp David
-Report
The President left at an unknown time after 1:55 pm.
-61-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2010)
Conversation No. 890-33 (cont’d)
[No conversation]
The President entered at an unknown time before 2:53 pm.
Dean's location
Haldeman's call to Dean
California trip
-Haldeman's presence
Haldeman left at an unknown time before 2:53 pm.