Nixon White House Tapes › Topic
Nixon Tapes on Cover-up
16 conversations · frequently with Nixon, Ehrlichman, Ziegler, Haldeman
President Richard Nixon met with H.R. Haldeman to coordinate the administration's response to the recent break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex. The discussion focused on leveraging the Central Intelligence Agency to impede the ongoing FBI investigation by claiming the inquiry threatened national security interests. This meeting resulted in a critical directive to obstruct justice, marking a pivotal moment in the administration's effort to conceal its involvement in the scandal.
In this Oval Office meeting, President Nixon, John Dean, and H.R. Haldeman discuss the escalating legal and political dangers of the Watergate scandal, which Dean characterizes as a 'cancer' growing within the administration. Dean warns that ongoing blackmail demands from the Watergate burglars and the potential for perjury among key staff members threaten to unravel the administration's containment strategy. The participants deliberate on how to manage these liabilities, weighing the high risks of continued silence against the potential fallout of a public disclosure or a new, controlled grand jury investigation.
President Nixon and Secretary of State William P. Rogers met to discuss the mounting political pressures of the Watergate scandal and the administration's strategy for managing public perceptions. Nixon sought counsel on how to address allegations of a White House cover-up, specifically exploring the possibility of using the judicial system, such as a special grand jury, to handle investigations rather than submitting to an independent congressional committee. The two men also discussed the importance of full disclosure, the potential waiver of executive privilege to maintain credibility, and the necessity of distinguishing legitimate campaign intelligence activities from criminal conduct.
John D. Ehrlichman calls Acting FBI Director L. Patrick Gray III to advise him on how to handle testimony regarding a sensitive envelope containing E. Howard Hunt’s materials. Ehrlichman encourages Gray to maintain that the documents were irrelevant political papers, cautioning him against providing inconsistent testimony that could expose them to broader legal risks. The discussion underscores the escalating pressure and confusion surrounding the White House's efforts to manage the fallout from the Watergate investigation.
President Nixon met with Secretary of State William P. Rogers and later consulted with John D. Ehrlichman to strategize on the mounting Watergate crisis. The discussions focused on the unfolding allegations involving John Dean, H.R. Haldeman, John Mitchell, and Jeb Magruder, specifically addressing the disbursement of hush money and the handling of sensitive materials from E. Howard Hunt’s safe. Nixon and his advisors sought to manage the legal and political fallout by coordinating with Assistant Attorney General Henry Petersen while distancing the White House from the increasingly damaging testimony regarding the cover-up.
President Nixon, H. R. Haldeman, and Ronald Ziegler met to discuss the escalating legal and political fallout from the Watergate investigation, specifically focusing on John Dean's role, his demand for immunity, and his threats to implicate the White House. The participants strategized on how to manage media narratives, maintain the President's credibility, and address the potential for damaging testimony from Dean regarding cover-up activities and blackmail demands from E. Howard Hunt. Nixon also directed Haldeman to handle his collection of White House tapes, suggesting that most should be destroyed while preserving only material deemed worth keeping for the library.
John Ehrlichman updates President Nixon regarding an ongoing investigation into a mysterious removal of eight boxes of materials from a committee office the day after the Watergate break-in. Ehrlichman reports that Charles Colson, H.R. Haldeman, and others lack knowledge of the event, though they suspect it involved someone with high-level access like Robert C. Odle or Frederick C. LaRue. The President expresses concern over the potential link to Watergate and emphasizes the urgent need to identify the individual who reportedly moved the materials to a private apartment.
President Nixon and Attorney General Richard Kleindienst met to discuss the legal and political fallout surrounding the discovery that E. Howard Hunt and G. Gordon Liddy had burglarized the office of Daniel Ellsberg’s psychiatrist. Kleindienst, citing advice from Assistant Attorney General Henry Petersen and Judge Roger Robb, urged the President to immediately disclose this information to the judge overseeing the Ellsberg trial to avoid a cover-up scandal. Nixon expressed deep frustration with John Dean, whom he viewed as self-serving and potentially willing to blackmail the administration to secure personal immunity, and agreed that the Justice Department must follow the legal protocol of disclosure to preserve the integrity of the presidency.
President Nixon and Henry E. Petersen met to discuss the ongoing Watergate investigation, focusing heavily on John Dean's attempts to secure immunity and his potential testimony regarding a cover-up. Nixon expressed deep concern over being blackmailed by participants like Dean and reaffirmed his desire for a full investigation while asserting his own lack of prior knowledge regarding illegal activities. The two also addressed the handling of the Ellsberg break-in, the destruction of sensitive documents by L. Patrick Gray, and the necessity of managing political contributions and potential indictments without compromising the presidency.
Ronald L. Ziegler initiated a call to Gerald L. Warren to receive a briefing on an impending Washington Post story regarding the Watergate scandal. Warren reported that John Dean was prepared to testify under oath that H. R. Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman directed a White House cover-up and possessed knowledge of illegal activities, including wiretapping. The conversation highlights the internal state of alarm and the chaotic efforts by senior officials to mount a counter-offensive against Dean's damaging allegations.
President Nixon and Richard A. Moore met to coordinate their narratives regarding the Watergate scandal and address the potential threat posed by John W. Dean III’s testimony. They reviewed past conversations and meetings to solidify the President’s position that he lacked prior knowledge of the cover-up and to frame the administration’s actions as a legitimate attempt to uncover the truth. The discussion focused on discrediting Dean, managing the fallout of the ongoing Senate hearings, and preparing a legal strategy to defend the administration while distancing Nixon from the illegal activities of his subordinates.
President Nixon directed Alexander Haig to contact H.R. Haldeman regarding his recent meeting with Richard Helms, Vernon Walters, and John Ehrlichman. Nixon expressed frustration over the perception of a cover-up and instructed Haig to reassure Haldeman that their actions were based on presidential directives to investigate the matter. The discussion highlights Nixon’s effort to manage the fallout of the Watergate scandal by ensuring his staff remained firm in their defense against the ongoing investigation.
President Nixon and J. Fred Buzhardt discussed the status of the "Huston Plan," specifically seeking evidence that the controversial intelligence program had been formally rescinded or terminated. They aimed to locate documentation of its termination to distance the White House from the plan and counter potential allegations that it provided a legal "cover" for the Watergate break-in. Nixon and Buzhardt speculated that John W. Dean may have attempted to use the document as a retroactive justification for his actions, and they agreed to coordinate with intelligence agencies to establish a clear record of the plan's cancellation.
President Nixon met with Ronald Ziegler to strategize the White House's public response to the escalating Watergate investigation and the recent release of a "White Paper." The discussion focused heavily on refining the narrative regarding the President's awareness of "hush money" payments and the timing of his knowledge of the cover-up, specifically pinning the start of his personal investigation to his March 21 conversation with John Dean. Nixon also emphasized distancing the administration from illegal activities by characterizing his own previous actions—such as discussions regarding the CIA—as efforts to protect national security rather than to facilitate a cover-up.
President Nixon and Charles Colson discussed their strategy for countering damaging allegations made by John Dean, who had recently claimed to the press and prosecutors that Nixon was aware of the Watergate cover-up as early as early 1973. Both men dismissed Dean's claims as an attempt to leverage a deal for immunity, citing his lack of evidence and the President's preoccupation with foreign policy matters like Vietnam during that period. Nixon decided to move forward with exclusive interviews with Howard K. Smith and The New York Times to personally address the accusations and challenge the media's framing of the story.
President Nixon met with his counsel J. Fred Buzhardt to strategize the administration's defense regarding the Watergate scandal, specifically focusing on John Dean's conduct and credibility. Nixon emphasized the need for a general denial strategy, suggesting that Dean's failure to report information directly to the President proves Dean withheld details of the cover-up. They discussed potential lines of questioning to undermine Dean's narrative and explored the legal defense surrounding national security claims and hush money demands.