Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 903-011
Date: Friday, April 20, 1973 at 11:32 AM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Petersen, Henry E.
Recording device: Oval Office
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/903-011

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:08] I have a direct consider because of these things.
[0:10] We're going to make sure to fix that.
[0:12] And he talked about that too, that I specifically do not know what substance was said.
[0:19] So, and I want you to bear that in mind because I don't want to be in a position where I might inform somebody else.
[0:32] And I'd like you to be sure that you remember that.
[0:35] We said it because I find it's what I would like to know.
[0:40] You have mentioned today.
[0:43] How long will that be, do you think?
[0:45] Will it be several days or one day?
[0:55] I see.
[0:59] The other thing that occurred to me, and just as a matter of the strategy, which you might have impressed upon, it seems to me that dragging this thing out is going to make your problem increasingly difficult.
[1:13] The leaks and the statements that the recruiter and dean are making publicly and all that sort of thing.
[1:19] I know, obviously, you're trying to get corroboration and that sort of thing and get down the four corners and nail it all down.
[1:30] I'm inclined to think, I don't know what your views are, but Iverson and Spock, your Spock, I would try to accelerate the thing.
[1:42] You do know pretty well what the hell's going on.
[1:44] Or do you agree with that?
[1:45] I don't know.
[1:50] I see.
[2:10] Well, I just threw that out, and I can see the practical problem.
[2:18] So the other thing is that the
[2:28] Yeah.
[2:29] Yeah.
[2:30] Yeah.
[2:31] Yeah.
[2:31] Yeah.
[3:02] What was that, right?
[3:07] I think it brings you back to the critical problem, doesn't it?
[3:11] It occurs to me that one other problem we've got to deal with, because we want to be fair to the individuals in all of this case, is that I suppose that you could distinguish that
[3:24] Whatever he did as basically work product, you know, and so forth and so on, as counsel, what he did as an activist was something else.
[3:35] And I suppose that distinction is something that they're bearing in mind.
[3:39] And he's bearing in mind.
[3:40] In other words, if Dean's conducting an investigation, I'm just trying to figure, I'm figuring out how I'm just trying to deal with his own vulnerability.
[3:48] If Dean conducts an investigation, that's what he's doing, buddy.
[3:55] and activist thing and the recovery process and something else again.
[4:00] But is there any distinction there that could be made?
[4:03] I haven't talked to Dean, so I was just asking you.
[4:14] If he has a brain, he has to give it.
[4:26] I'm frankly thinking, I'm not talking about his testimony, I'm talking about his own legal liability.
[4:34] And there, his liability runs only through his activism, unless he was suppressed in a violation of law.
[4:57] Right.
[4:58] I get it.
[4:59] Right.
[4:59] Yeah.
[5:03] Yeah.
[5:06] Right.
[5:07] Right.
[5:08] Right.
[5:09] Well, as I told you, as far as Dean was concerned, this isn't true of any of these.
[5:14] There's absolutely no, there's no commentators I haven't seen at all, but as far as any others know, there's no privilege, whatever, except for conversations with the president, which
[5:30] That's the only thing.
[5:31] Otherwise, you'd just go right to the heart of this campaign.
[6:13] I see you.
[6:14] I see you.
[6:14] I see you.
[6:42] Right.
[6:42] Well, now, as you understand, I have not done that with Dean, and I don't tend to.
[6:48] Yep, I can't, but the recruiter's talking, and Dean's not.
[6:53] I mean, Dean is still in the arms with the deal, and frankly, that's only fair to him.
[6:58] I mean, I'm trying to be fair to all of them in this case.
[7:02] I mean, I can't have one rule for Dean and one other rule for all of them.
[7:10] Right.
[7:11] Absolutely.
[7:16] Right.
[7:16] I think you're absolutely right on that.
[7:20] Absolutely right.
[7:23] Okay.
[7:23] Uh, well, they, uh, I'll be in Florida with, uh, I believe it's about an hour and a few that, I mean, I can't, but they'll let me know, but otherwise it won't bother me.
[7:32] And I hope they don't bother you.
[7:33] The grand jury's on session tomorrow, isn't it?
[7:36] And not Sunday, but Monday again at the end.
[7:40] I may stay down here Monday or Tuesday myself.
[7:44] But as I say, don't call me unless it's something you think I need to know.
[7:48] Because the main thing is you just got to be free to conduct this investigation.
[7:54] And there's no lack of it.
[7:55] And of course, you must know that there's lack of cooperation by anybody.
[7:59] Because that is another reason to see it.
[8:02] And to indictment, that's the reason for me.
[8:06] Lack of cooperation, of course, by anybody.
[8:09] So you're, you're coming any place that ever, out.
[8:12] You understand?
[8:12] All right.