Conversation: 912-002
Prev: 912-001 Next: 912-003Start Date: 8-May-1973 8:21 AM
End Date: 8-May-1973 9:23 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.; [Unknown person(s)];Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On May 8, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:21 am to 9:23 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 912-002 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 912-2
Date: May 8, 1973
Time: 8:21 am - 9:23 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.
Watergate
-News summary
-Harris poll
-President’s possible resignation
-President’s possible resignation
-Bella S. Abzug
-Previous conversations in Florida
-Ziegler’s forthcoming press briefing
-President’s knowledge of Watergate activities
-Exposure to story in newspapers, reports
-James W. McCord, Jr.
-Break-in and cover-up
-Donald H. Segretti
-2-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-2012)
Conversation No. 912-2 (cont’d)
-Dwight L. Chapin and H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Funds for defendants
-Dinner for Daniel Ellsberg
-President’s involvement in cover-up
-Role of intent
-President’s conversation with John W. Dean, III, March 21
-E. Howard Hunt, Jr., William O. Bittman and $120,000
-Egil (“Bud”) Krogh, Jr.
-Pentagon Papers
-President’s instructions regarding leaks
-President’s knowledge of Ellsberg break-in
-Krogh
-Timing
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Reaction to knowledge of break-in
-President’s investigation
-Photograph
-Justice Department
-Krogh
-President’s meeting with Richard G. Kleindienst and Henry E. Petersen,
April 15
-Need for disclosure to judge
-President’s reaction
-Press allegations
-President’s prevention
-President’s telephone call with Petersen
-National security
-Interrogation of Hunt
-President’s concerns over press allegations
-Dean
-Delay in disclosing evidence
-W. Matthew Byrne
-National security
-President’s meeting with Kleindienst and Petersen
-Disclosure of evidence
-Justice Department investigation
-Confirmation from Kleindienst
-3-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-2012)
Conversation No. 912-2 (cont’d)
-Delays
-President’s telephone conversation with Petersen, April 16
-Hunt
-Ellsberg
-National security
-Fruits of plumbers’ investigation
-Ellsberg prosecutors
-President’s knowledge of Hunt’s involvement
Henry A. Kissinger’s cable
-Announcement of US - Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] summit
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
Watergate
-Dominance in press
-Harris poll
-President’s possible resignation
-Special Prosecutor
-Implications
-Public support of bold actions
-Ziegler’s conversation with Haig on plane
-William P. Rogers
White House staffing
-Changes
-Ziegler’s views
-Internal shuffling
-Conversation with Haig
-Rogers
-Resignation
-Leonard Garment and Joseph R. Califano
-Kissinger and State Department
-Rogers
-John B. Connally
-Consultant
-Domestic Council
-Pentagon
-4-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-2012)
Conversation No. 912-2 (cont’d)
-Dr. James R. Schlesinger
-William J. Casey
-Central Intelligence Agency [CIA]
-Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] Director
-Public relations [PR] aspects
-James T. Lynn
-Richard B. Ogilvie
-President’s conversations with Haig, Ziegler
-Connally
-Treasury Department
-State Department
-Kissinger
-Kissinger
-Foreign policy role
Impact on Watergate
Press relations
-News stories
-Lebanon
-Release of Terrance G. Leonhardy in Mexico
-River convoy to Phnom Penh
-North Vietnam
-Invitation to US families to visit burial sites in North Vietnam
Watergate
-Elliot L. Richardson
-Ziegler’s forthcoming press briefing
-President’s knowledge and participation
-Allegations of cover-up
-John N. Mitchell
-Funds for defendants
-President’s investigation
Press relations
-News items
-Wounded Knee
-Watergate
-5-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-2012)
Conversation No. 912-2 (cont’d)
-Ziegler’s forthcoming press briefing
-Disaster Preparedness and Assistance Act
-Transmission to Congress
Watergate
-Hunt’s possible testimony
-Charles W. Colson
-Clemency
-Dean
-Possible immunity by prosecutors
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS] report
-Ziegler’s opinion
-Dean’s reaction
-President’s statement
-Prison
-Fear
-Treatment
-Jeb Stuart Magruder
-Conviction
-Bargain
-Conversations with President
-Tone
-Bittman’s request for $120,000
-President’s response
-Haldeman’s recordings
-President’s response
-Possible statement by Dean
An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 8:21 am and left at an unknown time before
9:23 am.
Watergate
-Ellsberg break-in
-President’s knowledge
-Ehrlichman
-Ziegler’s knowledge
-Ziegler’s forthcoming conversation with Haldeman
-6-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-2012)
Conversation No. 912-2 (cont’d)
-President’s knowledge
-Press coverage
-Revelations regarding Hunt and G[eorge] Gordon Liddy
-Timing
-Ziegler’s conversation with Ehrlichman
-Ehrlichman’s possible departure
-National security
-Bugging compared to burglary
-Hunt and Liddy
-Ehrlichman’s files
-Hunt and Liddy
-National security
-President’s discussion with Henry E. Petersen
-President’s need for counsel
-Ziegler’s discussions with Haig
-Garment
-Harris Poll
-National mood
-Rogers
-Possible departure from State Department
-PR impact
-Possible role on White House staff
-Haig
-Kissinger
-Haldeman
-Image in nation
-Kissinger
-Connally
-Dean
-Papers
-Administration’s attempts to obtain
-Justice Department
-Haldeman’s motion [?]
-Garment
-Possible immunity
-Possible statements by lawyers
-Reasons for departure
-7-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-2012)
Conversation No. 912-2 (cont’d)
-Seeking immunity
-Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-Possible White House response to attacks
-Patrick J. Buchanan and Garment
-Money for Bittman
-President’s investigation
-Ziegler’s conversation with Garment
-Fred D. Thompson’s desire for a private meeting with Ziegler
-Ziegler’s conversations with Dean
-Guidance for briefings
-Ziegler’s and Richard A. Moore’s forthcoming meeting with Thompson
-Ziegler’s conversations with Dean
-Thompson’s desire for private meeting with Ziegler and Gerald L. Warren
-Dean’s guidance for press briefings
-Dean
-Possible charges against President
-Assertions of executive privilege
-Blackmail
-Thomas A. Pappas
-Ziegler’s possible response
-Conversations with President regarding funds
-Possible response by President
-Ziegler’s conversations with Warren and L. Diane Sawyer
-Newsweek article
-Warren’s allegations regarding Dean’s veracity
-Jack N. Anderson comments
-Conversation with President, February 27
-Executive privilege
-Dean and L[ouis] Patrick Gray, III
-FBI files
-Dean’s possible investigation
-Possible strategy
-Newsweek article
-Possible charges against President
-Bittman
-John N. Mitchell
-Possible obstruction of justice
-8-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-2012)
Conversation No. 912-2 (cont’d)
-Newsweek article
-Conversation with Ziegler
-Feelings for President
-President’s statement on immunity
-Trials
-Difficulties for prosecution
-Mitchell
-Magruder
-Dean
-Dean
-Possible charges against President
-Bittman
-Lying by administration
-Clemency
-Veracity
-Ehrlichman
-Meeting with President, September 15, 1972
-Possible attack on credibility
-President’s request for resignation, April 15
-Possible testimony
-New York Times story
-Delay in presenting affidavit
-Petersen
-Jim Weihard of New York Daily News
-Conversation with Justice Department
President’s schedule
-Haig
Ziegler left at 9:23 am.
-9-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-2012)
Conversation No. 912-3 (cont’d)