Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 899
Nixon White House Tape 899 (April 17, 1973)
6 conversations · Oval Office · about 34 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Ziegler, Haldeman, Ehrlichman, United States Secret Service agents
President Nixon met with H. R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman, and Ronald Ziegler to formulate strategies for handling impending legal challenges and potential grand jury testimony related to the Watergate scandal. The discussion focused on managing John Dean's shifting narrative, coordinating with legal counsel, and determining whether to assert executive privilege regarding White House communications. Participants deliberated on the political implications of requesting leaves of absence and the anticipated public pressure from impending congressional hearings.
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler coordinate the administration's public messaging regarding the ongoing Watergate investigation. They discuss how to address press inquiries concerning John Dean's role and the validity of Nixon's previous August 29th statement about White House staff involvement. Nixon instructs Ziegler to emphasize that the President is managing the matter directly with Assistant Attorney General Henry Petersen and to avoid further commentary that could interfere with the judicial process.
President Nixon held a brief, six-minute meeting in the Oval Office with an unidentified individual. While no transcript exists to detail the specifics of their dialogue, the meeting notes indicate that the discussion centered on an inquiry and a subsequent agreement. The interaction concluded with the visitor departing the office shortly before 4:41 pm.
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler met to discuss the escalating Watergate scandal and the problematic roles of key staff members, specifically John Dean, H.R. Haldeman, and John Ehrlichman. They evaluated the political risks of potential legal developments, such as the naming of staff as unindicted co-conspirators, while rejecting the idea of a massive, premature purge of White House personnel. The conversation concluded with the President instructing Ziegler to contact Dean to manage the administration's public narrative and address concerns regarding leaks.
This brief meeting between President Nixon and unidentified participants occurs during the height of the Watergate investigations. While the specific substance of the discussion remains unclear due to the lack of a transcript and minimal archival records, the participants touch upon an inquiry and the concept of smallness. Given the timing, the interaction likely pertains to the ongoing internal assessments or procedural concerns regarding the escalating political scandal.
Secret Service agents, Manolo Sanchez, Stephen B. Bull, and other unidentified individuals gathered in the Oval Office to coordinate logistics and housekeeping tasks, including clearing the office. The discussion primarily involved administrative and operational movements, such as the relocation of items and the handling of telephone communications. These activities occurred during a period of transition regarding the President's whereabouts and office management.