Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 909 › Conversation 909-011

Nixon, Ziegler & Haldeman on Watergate and FBI

Wednesday, May 2, 1973 · 9:59 AM–10:08 AM ET · Oval Office · 5 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.; [Unknown person(s)]; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation909-011 on Tape 909StartWednesday, May 2, 1973 at 9:59 AMEndWednesday, May 2, 1973 at 10:08 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 909-011 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with Ronald Ziegler and H.R. Haldeman to address the public relations fallout and procedural concerns regarding FBI guards placed in the offices of Haldeman and John Ehrlichman. Ziegler briefed the President on his consultations with Leonard Garment, Elliot Richardson, and William Ruckelshaus, asserting that these actions would bolster the President's image by projecting strength and a commitment to a transparent investigation. The participants also touched upon press arrangements for an upcoming foreign policy briefing and discussed the political courage required for John B. Connally’s impending announcement regarding his party affiliation.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Lynn told me that he called me.

Well, you've got your line.

Len called me the night before and discussed the procedures.

He said he was concerned about the procedures.

I said, Len, I can't help you in any way on this.

I said, you know, it's not something out of my way, the area.

I said, this is your council, and you've got to proceed as it was directed by the president in his meeting with you.

And then he said, well, I consulted with Richardson and with Ruckelshaus.

And we feel that procedures have to be put into effect from the protection of the men and the protection of the president.

I said, Len, you know, that's something that I can't help you with.

And I really was not in a position to do so.

That's when he gave me the procedures.

OK. Then the first time that I was aware, you asked me for a report of the FBI men standing in the hall

was when Helen Thomas came up and said, the FBI, we understand there's a purge of FBI people coming on.

I don't know where she got it.

And then she didn't get it from Len.

Okay.

Then I started pursuing it.

I talked to Elliot.

I talked to Len.

I said, well, we've got to make sure that this is in the right context and the right perspective.

And then that's what developed in terms of the briefing.

That is the fact.

That is a fact.

But let me say,

It is not casting any further aspersion on Bob and John.

How about the president?

It makes the president look very strong, in my view.

And this is the reaction that you get.

And that is that the president's not pulling any bones.

He's not playing any, you know, he's playing this straight out.

And from the standpoint of the president,

And I'm serious on this.

I mean, I'm not carrying anyone who wants to take the water.

My view is that it makes the president seem he's moving to get the thing done, Brian.

What else do you have before you get out?

That's really all this morning.

Henry's going to brief on the foreign policy report this morning.

He's going to ask me if I could do a final briefing with him, or should I?

What kind of thing are you meant to do?

Have you on the air talking about something?

I'm going to see if they get something.

I told him we'll keep the auction open and I'll have a public sign.

I've been shooting down, and he'll cover that today.

Shooting down from the standpoint of saying the president's made a decision?

No, it's probably the Republican.

It takes a lot of guts.

You know, it's a smart thing.

He has no future.

He knows this will pass, and he's going to leave it to me.

Good, what do you think?

Yes, sir.

A lot of guts.

He goes at 11 o'clock.

Yeah.

Okay.

NARA Description

On May 2, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, unknown person(s), and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:59 am to 10:08 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 909-011 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 909-11

Date: May 2, 1973
Time: 9:59 am - 10:08 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.

       Watergate
                      -Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] guards in offices of H. R. (“Bob”)
                 Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman
                      -Ziegler’s knowledge

An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 9:59 am.

       Ziegler
                 -Whereabouts

The unknown man left at an unknown time before 10:02 am.

       Watergate
             -FBI guards in offices of Haldeman and Ehrlichman
                    -Leonard Garment’s telephone call to Ziegler
                            -Timing

The President talked with H. R. Haldeman between 10:02 am and 10:04 am.

[Conversation No. 909-11A]

[Begin telephone conversation]
                                               -20-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                               Conversation No. 909-30 (cont’d)

[See Conversation No. 45-133]

[End telephone conversation]

       Watergate
             -FBI guards in offices of Haldeman and Ehrlichman
                    -Garment’s telephone call to Ziegler
                            -Ziegler’s advice
                                                   -Consultations with Elliot L. Richardson and
                             William D. Ruckelshaus
                    -Ziegler’s knowledge
                            -Conversations
                                    -Helen A. Thomas
                                           -Source
                                    -Garment and Richardson
                                           -Briefing
                    -Effect on public opinion
                            -Haldeman, Ehrlichman
                            -Perception of President

       Press relations
               -Foreign policy report
                       -Kissinger’s briefing
                       -President’s possible radio statement
                              -Ziegler’s assessment
                       -Signing ceremony

*****************************************************************

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift during
chronological review 2007-2013]

       John B. Connally
              -Courage
              -Forthcoming press conference
              -White House role
                     -Speculation
                                              -21-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                             Conversation No. 909-30 (cont’d)

               -Change in party affiliation
                     -Motives
                     -Courage
               -Timing of announcement

*****************************************************************

Ziegler left at 10:08 am.

Also recorded on May 2, 1973

909-007 9:50 AM · 22 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:50 am and 9:53 am.
045-131 9:53 AM · 57 sec — John B. Connally and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone from 9:53 am to 9:54 am.
909-008 9:53 AM · 53 sec — John B. Connally and President Richard M. Nixon met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:53 am to 9:54 am.
045-132 9:54 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:54 am and 9:59 am.
909-009 9:54 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:54 am and 9:59 am.
909-010 9:54 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:54 am and 9:59 am.
045-133 10:02 AM · 42 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 10:02 am to 10:04 am.
045-134 10:08 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:08 am and 10:14 am.

All 82 conversations from May 2, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 909-011, May 2, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/909-011 (accessed October 5, 2026).