Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 903
Nixon White House Tape 903 (April 20, 1973)
21 conversations · Oval Office · about 2 hr 22 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Haldeman, Bull, Kissinger, Ehrlichman
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman met to coordinate their strategy for navigating the escalating Watergate scandal and the mounting pressure from ongoing investigations. They discussed the complexities of potential hush money payments, attempting to frame them as legitimate legal defense aid while distancing themselves from the unauthorized activities of subordinates like John Dean and Jeb Magruder. The President expressed a desire to develop a public narrative to address the controversy, emphasizing that he had been misled by false reports from his own staff.
President Nixon met with an unidentified individual in the Oval Office to discuss matters related to the President's schedule. Due to the lack of available transcripts, the specific details regarding the agenda or any resulting actions remain unclear. This brief interaction concludes without documented evidence of formal policy decisions or major developments.
President Nixon held an Oval Office meeting with an unidentified male visitor to review the President’s daily schedule. The discussion focused on logistical planning and the upcoming agenda for the Chief Executive. No further details regarding specific topics or outcomes are preserved due to the lack of available transcripts.
President Nixon met with George H. W. Bush to discuss the transition of Robert Finch out of his current role and into a potential Senate candidacy, as well as coordination efforts regarding Ronald Reagan and California gubernatorial politics. The conversation subsequently pivoted to the Watergate scandal and its impact on the administration's relationship with Congress. Nixon emphasized the necessity of handling ongoing investigations through the Grand Jury process rather than congressional committees, while they addressed the potential legal exposure of campaign staff members like Kenneth Rietz and Jeb Magruder.
President Nixon met with an unidentified individual to discuss scheduling matters concerning National Security Advisor Henry A. Kissinger. The brief dialogue centered on the coordination of Kissinger’s upcoming engagements and communications. No definitive policy decisions were reached during this short administrative interaction.
President Nixon and H.R. Haldeman discuss the deteriorating political situation surrounding the Watergate scandal and the mounting pressure on the White House to provide accountability. They assess the reliability of various witnesses and the potential for John Dean and Jeb Magruder to shift blame toward higher-level officials, including Haldeman. The two men also evaluate potential legal and public relations strategies, specifically focusing on how to maintain a credible posture regarding national security while managing the risk of further disclosures.
President Nixon met with an unidentified individual in the Oval Office to coordinate his official daily schedule. The brief discussion primarily focused on planning for an upcoming engagement involving National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger. No further details regarding the substance of the meeting were preserved in the recording.
President Nixon instructed the White House operator to place a telephone call to Assistant Attorney General Henry Peterson. The request served as a direct communication link to the Justice Department during the escalation of the Watergate scandal. No further substantive discussion occurred during this brief administrative exchange.
President Nixon met with an unidentified individual to coordinate his immediate schedule and manage logistical delays. The discussion centered on an upcoming meeting with National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger and the necessity of handling a pending telephone call. The conversation concluded with Nixon emphasizing the need for the staff to prioritize these scheduling adjustments.
President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull in the Oval Office to discuss administrative logistics regarding the President’s personal schedule and the management of his briefcase. The discussion centered on the handling of specific folders and the removal of sensitive materials from his briefcase. The interaction concluded with the President emphasizing the need for Bull's presence at an upcoming presentation.
President Nixon met with Assistant Attorney General Henry E. Petersen to discuss the ongoing investigation into the Watergate scandal and legal concerns surrounding White House Counsel John Dean. Nixon urged Petersen to accelerate the investigation to counter negative public leaks and emphasized the need to distinguish between Dean’s official work product and his potential personal liability as an activist. The President reiterated that he would not grant executive privilege regarding Dean’s activities, except for private presidential communications, while expressing his intent to maintain distance from the investigation to allow Petersen full operational independence.
President Nixon met briefly with an unidentified individual in the Oval Office to coordinate his official schedule. The conversation focused on the President's upcoming engagements, with specific attention directed toward arranging a meeting with National Security Advisor Henry A. Kissinger. No further details regarding the discussion or final decisions are available due to the lack of a transcript.
President Richard Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Oval Office to receive refreshments. The interaction was brief and perfunctory, serving solely as a routine domestic service encounter. No substantive policy matters or political developments were discussed during the short meeting.
President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to discuss international affairs and the unfolding Watergate crisis. The pair reviewed Kissinger’s upcoming speaking engagements, European trip preparations, and contingency military options for Vietnam, including potential bombing campaigns. Regarding Watergate, they deliberated on the political necessity of maintaining a unified administration response, the potential departures of high-level staff like H.R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman, and the challenge of managing the crisis while preserving the presidency. Nixon emphasized his commitment to a thorough internal investigation, framing it as a standard of integrity superior to previous administrations.
President Nixon contacted the White House operator to facilitate an outgoing call. The brief exchange served as a routine administrative request to connect the President with an external party. No substantive policy matters or major political developments were recorded during this short connection.
President Nixon and Secretary of Labor Peter J. Brennan met briefly to discuss the administration's ongoing struggle with the intensifying Watergate scandal and the negative impact of unauthorized leaks. Nixon emphasized the necessity of surviving the political crisis and outlined the need for a more coherent public relations strategy to protect innocent staff members from unfair allegations. The two men also confirmed that Brennan had submitted his policy recommendations for upcoming initiatives.
President Nixon met with his top aides, John Ehrlichman and H. R. Haldeman, to coordinate his immediate schedule and manage the administrative flow of the Oval Office. The brief discussion focused on reviewing upcoming meeting requests and prioritizing the President's availability amidst the mounting pressures of the administration. No major policy decisions were recorded during this brief administrative check-in.
President Nixon held a brief, eight-minute meeting in the Oval Office with an unidentified individual. While no transcript exists to detail the specific content of their discussion, the encounter involved the exchange of physical items, specifically a briefcase and a book. No further administrative or political context regarding the nature of this interaction has been preserved.
In this meeting, President Nixon, H.R. Haldeman, and John Ehrlichman discuss the intensifying Watergate investigation and the shifting legal strategies of John Dean, who had recently changed attorneys. The participants focus on insulating the White House from culpability, with Haldeman and Ehrlichman detailing their lack of direct involvement and asserting that Dean had acted as an impediment to their previous efforts to produce a full report on the scandal. Additionally, they discuss the growing political risks regarding administrative oversight and the danger of accepting broad responsibility for campaign actions.
President Nixon and Richard A. Moore discussed the narrative surrounding the La Costa meeting, focusing on framing the President's directives regarding Donald Segretti as legitimate attempts to formulate political strategy rather than obstruction. They reviewed the involvement of key figures including John Mitchell, John Dean, H.R. Haldeman, and John Ehrlichman, particularly regarding the distribution of funds to Watergate defendants. Nixon sought to clarify and distance his inner circle from potential legal culpability by emphasizing that his subordinates did not knowingly participate in illegal activities.
President Nixon met with unidentified individuals to review his upcoming calendar and logistical preparations for a trip to Key Biscayne. The discussion centered on managing the President's schedule and the immediate necessity of departing the office. No significant policy decisions were recorded during this brief administrative exchange.