← 917-019917-021 →

Conversation 917-020

TapeTape 917StartMonday, May 14, 1973 at 11:42 AMEndMonday, May 14, 1973 at 11:59 AMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Ziegler, Ronald L.Recording deviceOval Office
AI Summary

President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler met to coordinate the White House response to upcoming media reports concerning the Pentagon Papers investigation and wiretapping activities. Nixon instructed Ziegler to frame the administration's involvement in the Egil Krogh-led investigation as a routine, legitimate national security measure. The two also discussed the status of presidential files and sought to downplay the administration's prior knowledge of sensitive intelligence activities by emphasizing the President's lack of personal recollection of specific documents.

WatergatePentagon PapersEgil KroghWiretappingNational SecurityPress Strategy
AudioNARA Description

On May 14, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:42 am to 11:59 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 917-020 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 917-20

Date: May 14, 1973
Time: 11:42 am - 11:59 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.

     Watergate       

          -Washington Star story, May 14 

                -President’s letter to J. Edgar Hoover 

                       -Egil (“Bud”) Krogh, Jr.      

                -Ziegler’s forthcoming press briefing     

          -William D. Ruckelshaus’s forthcoming statement 

          -Ziegler’s statement on wiretaps 

                -White House knowledge
                       -John W. Dean, III and Henry A. Kissinger
                       -National security
          -Search of President’s files
                -President’s memoranda [memos] to Dean, March 1973
                       -George S. McGovern
                       -Barry M. Goldwater
                             -Washington Post story
                                   -College student [?]
                                   -Violence
                             -McGovern
                             -Peace groups
                             -Demonstrations
                                   -Funding
                                            -27-


                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM 


                                     Tape Subject Log 

                                      (rev. June-2012)

                                                            Conversation No. 917-20 (cont’d)

                              -1972 campaign work
                              -President’s order
                              -President’s recollections
                                     -Meeting
                              -Evidence
                              -Goldwater
                        -Charles W. Colson [?]          

            -William C. Sullivan         

                  -Wiretaps, 1964 and 1968          

            -Dean       

                  -Possible memos from the President 

                  -Documents          

                        -Possible content
                              -E. Howard Hunt, Jr.
                              -Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
                              -John D. Ehrlichman’s knowledge of wiretaps
            -Pentagon Papers investigation        

                  -President’s letter to Hoover concerning Krogh 

                        -Ehrlichman        

                  -Krogh        

                        -Ehrlichman’s orders          

                        -Hunt, Ellsberg’s psychiatrist     


Ziegler left at 11:59 am.
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.

The Star has a story this afternoon, which is not a problem at all.
I just want to know how to handle it.
In June of 71, at the time of the Pentagon paper leaks, when we had a great concern about national security affairs, a letter was sent to Edgar over your signature that said Crowe is the guy in charge of this investigation.
Now, I assume that took place totally
of those things that came across my choice in my son.
Right, right.
So I think what I'm going to simply say is not to be uptight about it at all.
This gentleman has great concern about the .
.
.
Absolutely, absolutely.
And he was designated as the man to be in charge.
Yes.
Absolutely.
Yep.
Good.
They're working on that now.
Well, I, when I did say it, I'll just have Dean Crowe on it.
I said that no one in the White House was aware of
Oh.
Perhaps, but God damn it, that's what Dean told me.
Tell me.
Henry was aware.
I know, but I'm crumbling.
See, I wasn't aware, but the people I checked indicated they weren't now, so I'm fine.
I stumbled right on the couch.
I don't want you to get your credibility out.
Well, it's, it's, it's out there on this, it's out there on all the rest of that stuff, too.
No, you could just say you were not aware of anything.
this being a national security area that's it's probably understandable that you were not put that way and frankly you didn't probe in the national security special agent why don't you say that
I agree.
But the only memory I ever wrote to you on the evening of mine.
Would you see my point?
How goddamn innocent that is.
Sure.
I say, look, in the 36th, can't we get the dope out on L.A. Neptune?
And you notice how I said, how I had ordered no demonstrations against the governor there.
Maybe Goldwater has the guts to do this.
Not as a semblance of any thought of it.
I didn't think I'd ever written anything, but that just probably popped out of my head one day because I didn't see it.
I don't know what it was, but I said, this is an uncut one.
I really have a copy.
That's good.
Sure it is.
It's reassuring sometimes.
Yes, it is.
And sometimes, you know, if you have a recollection of something.
I mean, you always think that you might have done it, which I don't think I would have ever written anything that was wrong.
Because I had no knowledge.
But I got it taken out of context.
Goddamn papers, whatever.
What the hell do you think are in them now?
They say they've got secret men.
I had the slightest idea.
You've never felt those papers or all that before?
I still don't.
I still don't.
It may be that some of them are made.
It may be that they're used as money.
On activity, maybe.
Yeah, but he says if they're intercepted,
I see 100% of the FBI agents.
If they're FBI agents, I don't give a shit because they're all back in the mirror.
God damn it, they are FBI agents.
I don't even know that.
If they're 100%, they cause problems.
Yes, sir.
Absolutely.
I just wanted to make sure.
Don't send me anything about this.
Oh, sure.
Of course I ordered it.
Sure.
I said, Crowe was the man.
I'll tell you, I did it.
Personally.
And I didn't have a personal recollection of it.
But I did what happened.
I said, Crowe was the best guy to handle it.
He gave me at least a paper and I signed it.
That's what happened, I'm sure.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
← 917-019917-021 →