Conversation No. 918-6

Date: May 15, 1973
Time: 8:10 am - 8:35 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.

     Watergate
          -News story regarding allegations regarding President’s San Clemente property
                -Washington Post and New York Times
                -Associated Press
                -Nixon Foundation
                      -Leonard Garment and Frank DeMarco, Jr.
                -DeMarco’s forthcoming statement
                -Ervin Committee
                -National play
                      -Possible effect of Ziegler’s forthcoming statement
                -President’s meeting with Alexander M. Haig, Jr. May 14
                -White House handling
                      -Ziegler and Garment
                      -Ziegler’s forthcoming briefing
          -White House staff
                -Ziegler, Haig, Patrick J. Buchanan and George P. Shultz
                      -Demeanor
          -News leads, May 15
                -William D. Ruckelshaus and Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] files
                -Los Angeles Grand Jury
                      -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman
          -East European view
                -Conspiracy against the President
                                        -4-

             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. June-2012)

                                                        Conversation No. 918-6 (cont’d)

     -Popular opinion in United States 

           -Joseph C. Kraft       

     -President’s suggestions for Special Prosecutor 

           -Edmund G. (“Pat”) Brown and Warren E. Hearnes 

     -White House strategy        

           -Timing of possible press conference 

                 -US-Soviet Union summit         


President’s schedule
      -Meeting with Vera Clemente [widow of Roberto Clemente], May 14
            -Press coverage
      -Bipartisan Congressional leadership meeting
      -Substantive meetings
            -Quadriad
      -Press coverage of the President’s meeting with congressmen, May 15
            -Campaign reform
      -Norfolk, Virginia event
      -George H. Mahon and Edward W. Brooke
            -William E. Timmons

Watergate
     -John W. Dean III
           -Documents
                 -Justice Department
     -E. Howard Hunt, Jr.
           -Activities
                 -Plumbers
                 -Egil (“Bud”) Krogh, Jr.’s role
           -Dean’s knowledge
     -Dean
           -Documents
                 -Possible content
                 -Security classification
                 -Possible content
     -President’s possible statement
     -President’s schedule
           -Haile Selassie
                                             -5-


                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM 


                                      Tape Subject Log 

                                       (rev. June-2012)

                                                                Conversation No. 918-6 (cont’d)

                   -Timing of activities     

                   -Meeting with Clemente        

                   -Congressmen         

                   -Substantive meetings       

                        -Economy
                        -Cabinet
                        -Quadriad
                        -National Security Council [NSC]
                        -Congressional leaders
            -Haig’s mood        

            -President’s health       

                   -Concerns
                        -Haldeman and Ehrlichman’s possible roles on Nixon Foundation
                        -Executive privilege
            -J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr., Haig

An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 8:10 am.

     Stephen B. Bull’s schedule 

          -Delay       

                -Traffic      


The unknown man left at an unknown time before 8:35 am.

     Watergate      

          -President’s attention      

          -Press coverage        


     Spiro T. Agnew
           -Memorandum [memo] to Arthur F. Burns 

                 -Reaction to removal from Domestic Council 

                 -Kenneth R. Cole, Jr.     

           -President’s reaction     

           -Ziegler’s assessment       


     Haig       

            -Role on White House staff 

                                              -6-


                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM 


                                      Tape Subject Log 

                                       (rev. June-2012)

                                                           Conversation No. 918-6 (cont’d)

                  -Ehrlichman

      White House organization
           -White House Communications Agency [WHCA] staff
                 -Kenneth W. Clawson
                 -Structure and size
                 -Executive Office Building [EOB]
           -William E. Timmons’s staff

                 -New employees         

           -John E. Nidecker       

                 -Departmental move        

                       -Retention     


      Bull’s location

      Watergate       

           -White House strategy         

           -Effect on White House staff 

           -Popular confidence in the President 

           -President’s knowledge          

                 -Ervin Committee witnesses
                 -Lt. Gen. Vernon A. Walters
                 -Dean
           -Other events       

                 -Skylab launch        

           -Dean        

                 -Documents         

                        -Possible contents     

                 -Evidence        


      President’s schedule
            -Bipartisan Congressional leadership meeting
            -Bull
                  -Message

Ziegler left at 8:35 am.
                                               -7-


                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM 


                                      Tape Subject Log 

                                       (rev. June-2012)