Conversation: 909-029
Prev:  909-028 Next: 909-030Start Date: 2-May-1973 4:13 PM
End Date: 2-May-1973 4:56 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ehrlichman, John D.; Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On May 2, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:13 pm and 4:56 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 909-029 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 909-29 Date: May 2, 1973 Time: Unknown between 4:13 pm and 4:56 pm Location: Oval Office The President met with John D. Ehrlichman. Watergate -Ehrlichman’s conversation with Egil (“Bud”) Krogh, Jr. -Krogh’s conversation with Elliot L. Richardson -John W. Dean, III’s conversation with President -Richard G. Kleindienst’s conversation with President -Krogh’s possible affidavit regarding Daniel Ellsberg break-in -Content -David R. Young, Jr.’s possible actions -Forthcoming New York Times story -Krogh’s role -Timing of Krogh’s affidavit -Krogh’s conversation with Richardson -Dean -Timing -58- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2012) Conversation No. 909-29 (cont’d) -President’s conversation with Henry E. Petersen -E. Howard Hunt, Jr.’s testimony -Ellsberg break-in -Krogh’s possible affidavit -Petersen -Dean’s conversation with Krogh, November 1972 -Petersen, L[ouis] Patrick Gray, and Earl J. Silbert -Petersen’s role -Prosecutions -Ellsberg break-in -Krogh’s conversation with Richardson -President’s conversation with Kleindienst -President’s conversations with Dean -President’s possible conversation with Richardson -Ehrlichman’s notes -National Security Council [NSC] leak to Jack N. Anderson -Bangladesh and Pakistan issue -Rose Mary Woods’s safe -Adm. Thomas H. Moorer -President’s possible conversation with Richardson -President’s conversations with Dean -Photograph of G[eorge] Gordon Liddy -Justice Department -Petersen -Richardson’s handling of case -Petersen and Silbert -Need for disclosure -Ehrlichman’s knowledge of Ellsberg break-in -Photograph of Liddy -Possible reporting -National security -Dean’s conversations with Ehrlichman -Petersen -Timing -Dean’s conversation with Krogh -Ehrlichman’s response -59- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2012) Conversation No. 909-29 (cont’d) -Ellsberg case -Petersen -Ehrlichman’s assessment -US Supreme Court -President’s knowledge of Ellsberg break-in -Dean’s conversations with President -Photograph of Liddy -Dean -Petersen -Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] -Central Intelligence Agency [CIA] and FBI -CIA and FBI -Gray and Silbert -Dean’s conversation with Ehrlichman -Petersen -Krogh -Conversation with Richardson regarding Ellsberg break-in -Forthcoming resignation -New York Times story -Young’s employment -President’s knowledge of Ellsberg break-in -Petersen -Ehrlichman’s knowledge of Ellsberg break-in -Timing -Plumbers -Hunt -Dean’s conversation with prosecutors -President’s subsequent meeting with Kleindienst and Petersen -President’s response -President’s knowledge -Reliance on counsel -Dean’s conversations with President -Petersen -President’s possible conversation with Richardson -Ehrlichman’s informing the President regarding Petersen’s knowledge of photograph of Liddy -Timing -60- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2012) Conversation No. 909-29 (cont’d) -President’s investigation -Meeting with Dean, March 21, 1973 -Camp David -“Cancer on the Presidency” conversation -Seymour M. Hersh’s article in New York Times, May 2, 1973 -Ehrlichman’s and Haldeman’s role in cover-up -James W. McCord, Jr. -Liddy -Hugh W. Sloan, Jr. -Conversation with Ehrlichman -Ehrlichman’s response -Need for attorney -Dean -Haldeman and Ehrlichman -Immunity -Ervin Committee -Compared with prosecutors -Procedures -Impact on prosecution -Grand jury -Press coverage -Public perception -Contrasted with Ehrlichman and Haldeman -Corroboration -Adm. Thomas H. Moorer -LaCosta -Attorney -Recollection -LaCosta -Conversations with President -Executive privilege -Ervin Committee -L[ouis] Patrick Gray, III -John N. Mitchell White House staff -Spiro T. Agnew’s meeting with Kenneth R. Cole, Jr. -61- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2012) Conversation No. 909-29 (cont’d) -Agnew’s role in domestic policy -President’s remarks, May 1 -Cole’s telephone call to Ehrlichman -Agnew’s role -Leaks -Ambition John B. Connally -Party affiliation -Announcement President’s schedule -Otto E. Passman -Haldeman Watergate -Ehrlichman’s lawyer’s view -Robert L. Vesco -Ellsberg break-in -Obstruction of justice -Ellsberg break-in -Dean’s knowledge -Timing -President’s knowledge -Photograph in Hunt’s camera -CIA -Ehrlichman’s knowledge -Possible reporting -Motives -Neil Sheehan -Harvard University -Krogh’s responsibility -Ehrlichman -Press coverage -Role -Covert operation contrasted with burglary -62- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2012) Conversation No. 909-29 (cont’d) White House staff -Ehrlichman’s assistance -Agnew -Domestic Council -Cole -President’s response -Ehrlichman’s forthcoming conversation with Cole -Briefing of President -Trip to Florida Watergate -President’s possible conversation with Richardson -Timing -Trip to Florida -President’s previous conversation with Richardson -National security investigations -Plumbers -Hunt and Liddy -Possible update -Krogh -President’s conversations with Ehrlichman and Dean -Justice Department -Dean’s blackmail -Justice Department -Immunity -President’s actions -Ehrlichman’s contact with Justice Department -President’s possible conversation with Richardson -Tone -Perception -Krogh’s conversation with Richardson -Kleindienst -President’s knowledge of Ellsberg break-in -Dean -Krogh -Possible clemency -Erhlichman’s request -63- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2012) Conversation No. 909-29 (cont’d) -Mitchell -Krogh -Obstruction of justice -Motives -Possible clemency -Authority -Ehrlichman’s viewpoint -Petersen’s conversation with President -Dean -Petersen’s possible statement regarding knowledge of Ellsberg break-in -Petersen’s telephone conversation with President -Ellsberg break-in -Reporting to Justice Department -Petersen -Tenure in office -Richardson -Kleindienst -Motives -Dean -Ervin Committee -Howard H. Baker, Jr. -Dean -Testimony -Timing -Possible conviction -Immunity -Contempt -Ehrlichman’s testimony -Timing -Hearing schedule Ehrlichman left at an unknown time before 4:56 pm. -64- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2012) Conversation No. 909-30 (cont’d)