909–2

Conversation No. 909-2

Date: May 2, 1973
Time: 8:20 am - 8:44 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.

Press coverage

-Meeting with Willy Brandt [?]

-Photograph


Watergate

-Daniel Ellsberg break-in

-Press coverage

-Ziegler’s comment

-White House investigation

-President’s knowledge

-John D. Ehrlichman’s involvement

-E. Howard Hunt, Jr. and G[eorge] Gordon Liddy
 -2-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. October-2012)

Conversation No. 909-2 (cont’d)

-Ziegler’s possible response

-Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] investigation

-J. Edgar Hoover and Louis Marx

-Ziegler’s possible response

-President’s role

-National security

-Ongoing court cases

-Possible effect

-White House investigation

-Henry A. Kissinger

-Ehrlichman

-President’s knowledge

-Hunt’s photograph
-Hunt’s files

-Ziegler’s forthcoming press briefing

-Liddy and Hunt

-Ehrlichman

-Employment

-Committee to Re-elect the President [CRP]

-Effect

-Ziegler’s view

-Executive Office Building [EOB]

-Leaks to columnists

-Victor Lasky

-President’s previous Cabinet meeting


President’s schedule
-Trip to Florida
-Meeting with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-White House staff organization

-Ehrlichman

-Conversations with Ziegler

-Stephen B. Bull

-Meeting with Haldeman

-Timing


Watergate
 -3-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. October-2012)

Conversation No. 909-2 (cont’d)

-Haldeman
-Conversation with Ziegler
-Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] guards in office
-Resignation
-Ehrlichman, Haldeman
-President’s invitation to Camp David
-FBI leaks
-Compared to Ellsberg break-in
-New York Times story
-James B. (“Scotty”) Reston
-Sources
-Prosecutors
-Leaks
-Sources
-Accuracy
-Ziegler’s press briefing
-Washington Post
-Ellsberg break-in
-Press view of responsibility
-President and Ehrlichman
-Ziegler’s apology
-Compared to press errors

-Soviet Union

-Timing of discussion

-Press view
-President’s morale
-President’s previous Cabinet meeting
-Presence of staff
-Special Prosecutor
-William E. Timmons
-Charles H. Percy, Jr.

-Leaks

-Elliot L. Richardson

-Future

-FBI guards in offices

-Gerald L. Warren’s statement

-Haldeman, Ehrlichman

 -4-


NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM


Tape Subject Log

(rev. October-2012)

Conversation No. 909-2 (cont’d)

-Leonard Garment
-Helen A. Thomas’ news article
-Garment
-Ziegler’s assessment
-Percy

-President’s image

-President’s schedule

-Meeting with Haldeman

-President’s accomplishments

-White House staff system

-Haldeman

-Press coverage
-Compared to Cambodia, May 8th decision
-President’s television [TV] appearances

Press relations

-Economic statement

-George P. Shultz

-Briefing


President’s schedule

-Trip to Florida

-Timing



*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

President’s schedule

-Trip to Florida

-Necessity


[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************


President’s schedule
 -5-


NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM


Tape Subject Log

(rev. October-2012)

Conversation No. 909-2 (cont’d)

-Trip to Florida

-Necessity

-President’s workload
-Haldeman, Ehrlichman
-Effect of Watergate

Watergate

-Cover-up

-John W. Dean III

-Plumbers

-FBI

-1969, 1970
-Hunt and Liddy
-Possible statement by President
-National security
-Effects of leaks on foreign policy

-Ziegler’s response to possible questions

-Percy

-Richardson

-Timmons

-William J. Baroody, Jr.

-Morale

President’s schedule

-Shultz

-Forthcoming Quadriad meeting


Ziegler left at 8:44 am.