{"conversationCode":"917-017","tapeNumber":917,"conversationNumber":17,"identifier":"37-wht-conversation-917-017","startDateTime":"1973-05-14T15:28:00.000Z","endDateTime":"1973-05-14T15:40:00.000Z","startDate":"14-May-1973","startTime":"11:28 AM","endDate":"14-May-1973","endTime":"11:40 AM","dateCertainty":"certain","timeCertainty":"estimated","participants":"Nixon, Richard M. (President);","description":"On May 14, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:28 am and 11:40 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 917-017 of the White House Tapes.","locationCode":"OVAL","recordingDevice":"Oval Office","latitudeEstimated":38.8974,"longitudeEstimated":-77.0374,"chronCode":"5.5","chronRelease":"Fifth Chronological Release: Part V","chronReleaseDate":"21-Aug-2013","aogpRelease":null,"aogpSegment":null,"lastModified":"2015-07-27T17:04:10.235Z","findingAid":"Conversation No. 917-017\n\nDate: May 14, 1973\nTime: Unknown between 11:28 am and 11:40 am\nLocation: Oval Office\n\nThe President played portions of a previously recorded dictabelt tape.\n\n**********************************************************************\n[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift\nduring chronological review 2007-2013]\n\n       Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542\n\n       Dictabelt entry, April 6, 1973\n              -San Clemente\n                      -Location\n              -Discussion\n\n       [Pause]\n\n       April 10, 1973 [?]\n\n       Watergate\n             -President’s conversation with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman\n                    -President’s knowledge prior to press coverage\n             -President’s conversation with Henry A. Kissinger\n                    -President’s support for Haldeman\n                            -Appearance of guilt\n                            -Strength\n\n       [Pause]\n\n       Watergate\n             -President’s conversation with John D. Ehrlichman\n                    -Samuel J. Ervin, Jr. [?]\n                            -Haldeman\n                                    -Staff\n                            -Delay\n                            -Impartiality\n                    -Dean\n                            -Prosecuting strategy\n                                    -Jeb Stuart Magruder\n                                            -Conviction\n                                            -Immunity\n                                            -Witness\n                    -Charles W. Colson\n                            -Clemency\n                                    -Review\n                            -White House staff\n\n       Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542\n\n                                        -Set-up\n                                                  -Dean, Haldeman\n\n       [Pause]\n\n       [April 7. 1973]\n\n       Memos [April 7, 1973]\n            -President’s drive through Laguna, California\n                    -Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo\n\n       [Pause]\n\n       Memos for file, April 8, 1973\n\n       [Pause]\n\n       Memos for file, April 14, 1973\n\n**********************************************************************","filename":["917-017.mp3"],"tapeStart":"","tapeEnd":"","participantsList":["Nixon, Richard M. (President)"],"prevCode":"917-016","nextCode":"917-018","transcript":[{"start":155.05,"end":157.38,"text":"Yeah, yeah, yeah."},{"start":209.3,"end":209.48,"text":"Thank you."},{"start":272.34,"end":274.26,"text":"This is a memorandum of file on the eighth day of April."}],"aiSummary":{"text":"President Nixon reviewed personal dictabelt recordings and memos to document his internal thoughts and prior communications regarding the unfolding Watergate scandal. He assessed the legal and political vulnerabilities of key staff members, including H.R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman, and John Dean, while considering potential legal strategies involving immunity and clemency. The session served as a retrospective evaluation of his administration's handling of the crisis and his efforts to establish a clear record of his knowledge and decision-making.","topics":["Watergate","H.R. Haldeman","John Dean","John Ehrlichman","Legal strategy","White House staff","Presidential record-keeping"],"generatedAt":"2026-04-09T00:05:07.017Z"},"topicSlugs":["watergate","h-r-haldeman","john-dean","john-ehrlichman","legal-strategy","white-house-staff","presidential-record-keeping"],"audioDurationSec":335,"audioFiles":[{"file":"917-017.mp3","bytes":14134568,"durationSec":335.26,"bitrate":337279,"missing":false}],"audioIsShared":false,"audioProbedAt":"2026-09-18T02:20:06.413Z","findingAidSource":"nixonlibrary.gov subject log (2024-05), reslice-v2","findingAidUpdatedAt":"2026-09-18T08:45:02.595Z","audio":["https://nixon.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/audio/917-017.mp3"],"url":"https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/917-017","nixonLibraryUrl":"https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/white-house-tapes/917/conversation-917-017","license":"Public domain (U.S. Government work). AI-generated fields (transcript, aiSummary) are provided as-is without warranty."}