Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 947-003
Date: Tuesday, July 10, 1973 at 8:19 AM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.; [Unknown person(s)]
Recording device: Oval Office
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/947-003

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:02] of both you and the other guest.
[0:03] They used the section of five years ago, and then it went through that whole section.
[0:10] All of them used that, which is a key point to use.
[0:14] Didn't the summary point that out?
[0:18] I thought it did.
[0:21] All of them used that passage five years ago.
[0:23] No, they did not use that, sorry.
[0:25] How about both the general impression?
[0:28] The general impression was very good.
[0:31] But both Kelly and of the remarks had good framing.
[1:11] That's what they said, yes, sir.
[1:16] That was out.
[1:18] That's not justice, as far as much as it is, in some cases, the ones carrying the story in denial, not getting into the particular cycle.
[1:29] But this morning, it was playing very direct, that there was no White House ushering that the
[1:45] I don't know if Thomas got a rooster, which happens to be the president's look.
[1:49] And Haggard.
[1:51] Oh, that does say it.
[1:51] I have it.
[1:52] That was on a story relating to Kansas City, I don't know.
[1:56] Yeah.
[1:56] The part of Kansas City.
[1:57] Sorry.
[1:57] That makes it here.
[1:58] All those characterizations also gets to the point of sort of the negative impression, basically.
[2:17] Well, I think from the standpoint of the way that the Watergate story is breaking, it's breaking very well.
[2:28] The Mitchell, Mitchell looked very short on TV last night.
[2:33] I think he probably will do well today.
[2:35] And from the President's standpoint, both the Mitchell and Ehrlichman story coming as they have this morning.
[2:44] Yes.
[2:44] Ehrlichman agreed.
[2:46] Earlier in an interview with the Seattle Post Intelligence, the paper said that the president categorically turned down any discussion whatsoever of clemency on July the 9th.
[3:00] In other words, he relates to the refers to the beach.
[3:04] So that is out heavy.
[3:07] And Mitchell's just flat statement that he cannot implicate the president in any way.
[3:16] Well, then he said that he referred to the time that you apparently said that Colson shouldn't have brought that up in front of me.
[3:39] No, no, that's what I'm saying.
[3:46] Because there are three specific references in my direct conversation.
[3:51] And I just couldn't get one.
[3:54] That's right.
[3:55] I mean, in three different cases with him.
[3:58] He knows it.
[3:58] Well, sure.
[3:59] But then the dean touched upon me in no time.
[4:01] In what way, Ron?
[4:02] I mean, I thought I was bringing together two he knows of.
[4:08] Yeah.
[4:10] What about him?
[4:18] wrong on point after point after point.
[4:21] And he said it was 180 degrees from the truth.
[4:25] Mitchell was supposed to, as others in the story say, well not support the Dean testimony.
[4:32] So the Dean testimony
[5:07] Oh, they got him.
[5:41] The one thing I was a little bit surprised at is that he could have written, and I totally support Cox, I totally support her, after our statement.
[5:52] I read his memorandum.
[5:53] He didn't hold that view.
[5:54] And I talked to him last night.
[5:56] His memorandum to you is... No, I didn't.
[5:59] Yeah, right.
[6:00] He was just...
[6:03] He understands.
[6:05] I don't want to get his view.
[6:07] No, no, he doesn't.
[6:08] And he was not pushing for that point of view, as he said.
[6:26] No, that was only Malariani.
[6:38] Malariani said that it was ironic that he would refer to that.
[6:42] I don't, Mr. President, I don't believe that
[6:47] Hey, any honest reporter, if there are any.
[6:50] Yeah, I mean, we both agree it's our view.
[6:53] The view would have to be pretty well impressed with that Kansas City crowd and the 110 degree heat in the restroom, or would it?
[7:02] Yes, I think so, to the degree that these group of cynical men can be.
[7:07] How impressed, after year after year, or how many years?
[7:27] I think they were.
[7:39] The crowd stories played well.
[7:40] The reaction played well.
[7:41] But the reaction was included in all the stories.
[7:48] And it looked good on TV.
[7:49] I don't...
[7:51] I'm not disappointed with the coverage at all.
[7:56] You know, there's always a line, which makes it better.
[8:00] Even the NBC report was fairly good.
[8:02] Valeriani put that line in, of course.
[8:11] Most of the press knew that you were not going to speak for me because of your statement.
[8:18] That's right.
[8:18] You said so.
[8:23] I'm fine.
[8:25] Nothing else of particular interest in the summary?
[8:33] I didn't ask for the first part.
[8:41] Nothing of...
[8:41] The Metro lawyers have moved for dismissal of the Musco Police.
[8:43] I don't think you've seen that.
[8:47] Have they?
[9:16] I think you're aware that Abernathy resigned from the SCLC.
[9:26] Jack Anderson has a column this morning where he goes through, it looks pretty good, he goes through the April 15th meeting where you first learned all of the
[9:46] which makes it look very good you probably did where they said no that was not in there
[10:14] Somebody pointed out that for the first time, your thoughts that you'd been developing through March and so forth were verified in this meeting because they had stayed up all night hearing from the three prosecutors ask for a meeting with you.
[10:32] And that you were shocked and surprised when you heard the full scope of it.
[10:36] And immediately on the 17th, you made the announcement, which you made, and then moved to the April 3rd.
[10:49] I think that is a very good thing to get off the planet.
[11:37] You probably did.
[11:40] No, that was not in there.
[11:44] Simply pointed out that for the first time, your thoughts that you had been developing through March and so forth were verified in this meeting because they had stayed up all night.
[12:11] made the announcement, which you made, and then moved to the April 30th.
[12:15] Our record is very good.
[12:17] Yes, sir.
[12:18] Sure.
[12:20] That's the thing.
[12:22] I think that's a very good thing to get off my list.