On April 27, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:00 pm and 5:37 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 906-016 of the White House Tapes.
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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.
Well, that's over with.
A couple things I think should be called to your attention, Mr. President, to see how we proceed with it.
There's information coming into my office from a number of different sources.
One is from
Shumway, who was told that Hirsch, Seymour Hirsch, in the New York Times, was told, told Bittman, that they may have information that takes this whole story to a new level.
And Shumway's source for this was apparently O'Brien.
And as a part of the transfer of this information, which comes from O'Brien, O'Brien being one of the lawyers, O'Brien,
Hirsch told Bittman, apparently Hirsch and Bittman are good friends, Hirsch told Bittman that they have information which will take this matter to a new level, a new plateau.
That means the president, of course.
Yes, sir.
Now, Bittman apparently communicated this to O'Brien.
They had their discussion.
And O'Brien told Shumway.
Shumway reported it over here.
As a part of the transfer of this information,
they indicated, and this is what makes me somewhat skeptical of it, of course, that Dean, in his testimony or statement, is reported to have implicated the president.
Now, Dean has not testified.
Dean has made a statement.
But that would be information that Peterson has had and therefore would have
in his discussions with you covered.
Now, also, okay, that's that side of the thing.
Woodward has called several people here.
Woodward is a personal friend of Gergen's from college days and so forth.
And also called Warren, and I had both of them milk as much as they could out of Woodward.
And Woodward's point is that they have very serious reports coming in today, stories reviewing, again, a new dimension, new plateau,
Two basic stories, the new level story suggesting, you know, someone implicating the president.
And the other one suggesting that the vice president is going to resign.
So they both fall into those, excuse me.
They both fall into these categories.
Now, the point, the reason I raise this is to how to head it off.
Now, there are several ways to do this, at least to approach it.
the direct dean approach, which I don't think is worthwhile.
The dean-garment approach, which I don't think is worthwhile.
Now, there is another approach, perhaps, and that would be a conversation that Gergen could have with Woodward and tell Woodward, look, you're looking for perspective on this.
You're looking for guidance on this.
You're confused about it, as Woodward said.
Stay 100% away from it.
There's no fact to it.
There's no substance to it, and so forth.
I've got Peters in here, and I'll talk to him and see what it is.
He says that Woodward says that they have this from Dean.
No, no, no, no.
Woodward does not say that.
The reference to Dean came through the Hirsch-Bittman-O'Brien channel.
Hirsch says that Bittman says that Dean says that.
Hirsch told Bittman that they have information that indicates the presence.
Bittman told that apparently to O'Brien.
O'Brien told it to Shumway.
Shumway then passed it back.
Yes, sir.
You still don't think he carried the tape recorder?
I don't think it matters that he did.
I don't think he did.
It don't mean anybody would believe you?
No, sir, but this again gets to the point of timing.
Yeah, I mean, this is the way, the reason I'm in races.
No, uh, yes, sir.
Yes, sir.
I sold that deal about 10% of all the rest of our economy now.
The point is that they have very serious reports coming as a new level story today.
Stories reviewing a new dimension, new plateau.
You know, someone implicating the president.
And the other one is suggesting that the vice president is going to resign.
Two basic stories.
The new level story.
And so they both fall into suggesting, you know, implicating the president.
And the other one is they both fall into these categories, suggesting that now the point the vice president is going to resign, so they both fall into this.
The reason I raise this is they both fall into these categories as to how to head it off.
Now, there are several ways to do this, at least two ways.
The point, the reason I approach it, the direction I raise this, is to how to head it off.
Now, there's the Dean approach, which I don't think is worthwhile.
The Dean Garment approach, which I don't think is worthwhile.
There are several ways to do this, at least to approach it.
Now, the direct Dean approach, which I don't think is worthwhile.
The Dean Garment approach.
There is another approach, perhaps.
And that would be, I don't think, worthwhile.
Now, there is another approach, perhaps.
Conversation that Gergen could have with Woodward.
And tell Woodward.
And that would be, you're looking for the perspective.
Conversation that Gergen could have with Woodward on this.
You're looking for guidance on this.
You're confused about it, as Woodward said.
Stay and tell Woodward, look, you're looking 100% away from it.
You're looking for perspective on this.
You're looking for guidance on this.
There's no fact to it.
There's no substance to it, and so forth.
You're confused about it, as Woodward said.
Stay 100% away from it.
There's no fact to it.
no substance to it.
He says that Woodward says that they have this from Dean.
No, no, no, no.
I've got Peters in here and I'll talk to him.
Woodward does not say that.
He says that Woodward says that they have this.
The reference to Dean came through the Hirsch Whitman O'Brien.
No, no.
Woodward does not say that.
The reference to Dean
speaking through the Hirsch.
Hirsch told Bittman that they have information that O'Brien is channeling.
Hirsch says to Bittman that in the case of the president.
Bittman told, Hirsch told Bittman to O'Brien.
O'Brien told it to Shumway.
Shumway then said that they have information that in the case of the president.
Bittman told O'Brien to O'Brien.
I don't think it matters.
I don't think it matters.
I don't think it matters.
I don't think it matters.
I don't think it matters.
No, uh, yes, sir.
I still hold that, no, sir, but the deal is that money gets to the point of money.
Yeah.
I mean, there's a way, for the reasons I'm going to raise, that are extraordinary.
Uh, no, uh, yes, sir.
Yes, sir.
I still hold that deal about Kendrick Carter and all that.
We'll be right back.