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.
On April 17, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:48 pm to 5:03 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 899-004 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 899-4 (cont’d)
Conversation No. 899-4
Date: April 17, 1973
Time: 4:48 pm - 5:03 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.
Watergate
-John N. Mitchell’s visit to White House
-Martha (“Beall”) Mitchell
-John D. Ehrlichman
-President
-John W. Dean, III’s role in investigation
-President’s investigation
-August 29, 1972 statement
-Dean’s investigation
-Dean’s role in investigation
-President’s investigation
-Henry E. Petersen
-James W. McCord’s statement
-Results
-Mitchell, Jeb Stuart Magruder, H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman, and John D. Ehrlichman
-Dean
-Possible action
-Attorney’s threats
-Knowledge of Ehrlichman’s activities
-Plumbers
-Daniel Ellsberg
-Watergate participants’ motives
-Herbert W. Kalmbach
-Mitchell
-Cover-up
-Leonard Garment’s approach
-5-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation No. 899-4 (cont’d)
-Firing of Haldeman, Ehrlichman, and Dean
-Mitchell
-Magruder’s statement after guilty plea in open court
-Haldeman and Ehrlichman as unindicted co-conspirators
-Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-Usefulness to President
-President’s action
-Garment’s approach
-President’s statement
-Effects
-Ziegler’s conversation with Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-White House staff’s appearance before Ervin Committee
-Dean
-Possible telephone call by Ziegler
-Possible leaks
-Possible comments by Ziegler
-Possible effects on judicial powers, civil rights
-Dean
-Possible telephone call by Ziegler
Ziegler left at 5:03 pm.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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.