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Conversation 899-002

TapeTape 899StartTuesday, April 17, 1973 at 4:35 PMEndTuesday, April 17, 1973 at 4:41 PMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Ziegler, Ronald L.Recording deviceOval Office
AudioNARA Description

On April 17, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:35 pm and 4:41 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 899-002 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 899-2

Date: April 17, 1973
Time: Unknown between 4:35 pm and 4:41 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.

[A transcript of the following portion of this conversation was initially prepared for the
Watergate Special Prosecution Force (WSPF) and can be found in Record Group (RG) 460, Box
174, “Transcript of a Recording of a Meeting among the President, John Ehrlichman, Ronald
Ziegler, and H. R. Haldeman, in the Oval Office on April 17, 1973, from 3:50 to 4:35 p.m.,”
pages 26-28. The Nixon Presidential Materials Staff reviewed the transcript and made changes
as necessary. This transcript has been reviewed under the provisions of the Presidential
Recordings and Materials Preservation Act of 1974 (PRMPA). The National Archives does not
guarantee its accuracy.]

[A transcript of the following portion of this conversation was also prepared Richard Nixon’s
Special White House Counsel for Watergate Matters and submitted to the Committee on the
Judiciary of the House of Representatives. This transcript can be found in Submission of
Recorded Presidential Conversations (SRPC), pages 1115 - 1133 (18-19). Please refer to the
RG 460 transcript.]
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                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      (rev. August-2011)

                                                           Conversation No. 899-2 (cont’d)

[Begin transcribed portion]

[End of transcribed portion]

Ziegler left at an unknown time before 4:41 pm.
Transcript (AI-Generated)

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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

They got to have a perfect charge for bringing in, but bringing in a page, she's got to see it on that.
She must.
Do you have some?
Do you have a question?
She has types of things.
She has types of things.
Does John raise with you a couple of questions about that?
He is?
You should take any questions.
No.
No, no, I mean, in terms of the next day or so.
And afterwards, I'll say, is Dean still in charge of the, uh, investigation?
Johnson, do you want me to say no?
No, that's right.
No, we, uh, we've discussed it, but no, uh, that, uh, the, uh, that the president is, uh, that the president is dealing directly in this matter, that the, uh, that the assistant attorney general, Mr. Peterson, is in charge of the investigation.
Right.
Secondly, they'll say, does the president stand by the August 29th statement, no one presently employed in the White House?
And the base of the report made at that time.
And we're not going to...
This is the operative statement now?
And the facts will determine whether that statement is correct or not.
And now it would be in agreement with the judicial process to comment further, right?
That the facts go up.
But that was the statement made at that time.
I wouldn't say that... Because then you'd be commenting on whatever evidence we got.
That's correct.
I'll just say this is the operative statement now that was the statement.
They're in the presence.
You're not going to answer questions today, are you?
No, no.
But, guys, no.
But, I mean, if I walk through the press room, they'll be pounding on my door.
Of course.
Go ahead.
Don't press on me.
No, I'm not going to.
I'm just saying, no, that he is...
I'll try and avoid it altogether, but I just want to get guidance in.
I couldn't give the wires to that crowd about how aggressively and how much time you've spent on this for the last three weeks.
So where can I do a little of that?
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