Date: April 14, 1973
Time: 8:53 pm – 12:30 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with John D. Ehrlichman
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Greetings
The President talked with Elliot L. Richardson between 8:54 am and 8:56 am.
[Conversation No. 428-19A]
[Begin telephone conversation]
[See Conversation No. 38-19]
[End telephone conversation]
Boston Navy Yard
-Edward W. Brooke’s actions on behalf of the facility
-Return from trip to Vietnam
-Voting record
-Peace
-Defense budget cuts
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 8:56 am.
President’s schedule
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr. and H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
Bull left at an unknown time before 9:00 am.
Base closure issue
-Budget battle
-Length of debate
-Brooke
-1972 election
-Budget impact
Haldeman entered at 9:00 am.
[A transcript of the following portion of this conversation was initially prepared for the
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Watergate Special Prosecution Force (WSPF) and can be found in Record Group (RG) 460, Box
173, pages 1-57 and 79-102 and in United States v. Mitchell, Exhibit 18. The Nixon Presidential
Materials Staff reviewed the transcript and made changes as necessary. This transcript has been
reviewed under the provisions of the Presidential Recordings and Materials Preservation Act of
1974 (PRMPA). The National Archives does not guarantee its accuracy.]
[A transcript of the following portion of this conversation was also prepared Richard Nixon’s
Special White House Counsel for Watergate Matters and submitted to the Committee on the
Judiciary of the House of Representatives. This transcript can be found in Submission of
Recorded Presidential Conversations (SRPC), pages 408-514 (1-10). Please refer to the RG 460
transcript.]
[Begin transcribed portion]
[End transcribed portion]
John N. Mitchell
-Relations with William P. Rogers
-Mitchell’s view of Rogers
-Position on Cambodia and May 8, 1972 decision in Vietnam War
-Rogers’s alleged position
-Reaction to Ehrlichman
-Supreme Court nominations problems
-Clement F. Haynsworth, Jr., G. Harrold Carswell
-Justice Department operations
-Oversight
[Resume transcribed portion]
[End transcribed portion]
Watergate
-Independent commission
-John Williams
-Howard H. Baker, Jr.
-Congressional relations
-May 9 dinner
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-Money issue
-Cambodia
Clark MacGregor
-Relationship with White House
-Attitude towards Watergate
-Press statements
-Watergate
-Effect on 1972 election
-White House Congressional liaison job
-MacGregor’s opinion of Bryce N. Harlow, William E. Timmons
-President and Ehrlichman’s handling of Congress
-MacGregor’s job performance prediction
Watergate
-Ervin Committee
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-White House cooperation
-Cover-up
-Press relations
-Carroll Kilpatrick [?]
-Richard G. Kleindienst
-Executive privilege
-Ervin Committee rules
-Negotiations with White House
-Executive session
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Committee’s independence
-Possible lawsuit
-[First name unknown] Lipschitz [?]
-Samuel Dash
-Dash, Garment
-Test case
-Motion to quash
-Federal District Court
-Delay of White House staff testimony
-John N. Mitchell
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-Indictment
-Charles W. Colson, David Shapiro
-Donald H. Segretti
-Press
-Ervin Committee
-Judge’s delay
-Ervin Committee
-White House cooperation
-Options
-Mitchell’s indictment
-White House staff testimony
-Cover-up
-Watergate break-in
-Segretti
-Dwight L. Chapin
-Haldeman’s statement
-Kissinger
-Mitchell, E. Howard Hunt, Jr. [?]
-Grand Jury
-Press coverage
-Ehrlichman’s commitment to Samuel J. Ervin, Jr., Baker
-Mitchell’s indictment
-Paul L. O-Brien
-Earl J. Silbert
-Jeb Stuart Magruder
-Mitchell
-Sources of information
-Shapiro
-Dean
-Silbert
-New York grand jury
-Robert L. Vesco
-Securities and Exchange Commission [SEC]
-Vesco’s campaign contribution
-Maurice H. Stans
-Mitchell
-Harry L. Sears
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-Edward C. Nixon
-Quid pro quo
-SEC violation
-Mitchell’s telephone call
-William P. Rogers
Grand juries
-Contractor Joel Klein [?]
-Baltimore
-Washington, DC
-Spiro T. Agnew’s reaction
-Klein case
-Committee to Re-elect the President [CRP]
-Regional finance chairman
-Jews
-Agnew
-Stans
-Alleged cash contribution from Klein
-Delivery to Mitchell
-Alleged promise of government contract
-Alleged acceptance of money by Mitchell
-Comparison to 1968 Presidential campaign
-Howard Hughes
-Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo’s role
-Attorney General, campaign manager
-Vesco case
-Agnew’s associate [first name unknown] Wolfe
-Role as aide dealing with financial matters
-Baltimore County Executive, governor of Maryland
-Cash contributions
-Maryland law
-Contractor contribution
-Charles McC. Mathias, Jr.
-Meetings
-Contractor targeting
-Wolfe’s notes
-George Beall
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-US Attorney
-Interrogation of Wolfe
-J. Glenn Beall, Jr.
-Wolfe’s transfer of notes to his lawyer
-Quotes about Agnew
-George White
-Call from Wolfe’s lawyer
-President’s opinion of governor’s role
-Otto Kerner
-Illinois
-William T. Cahill
-Agnew’s request to Haldeman
-Call to Glenn Beall
-George Beall
-Indictments
-Colson’s contact with George White
-Outsider communication away from White House
-Agnew’s vulnerability
-Beall’s possible action
-Maryland politics
-Prospects for 1976 presidential campaign
-Vulnerability of Republican candidates
-John B. Connally
-Possible indictment
Ervin Committee
-Lowell P. Weicker, Jr.
-Vulnerability
-Campaign contributions
-$65,000 [?]
-Timing of action
-Possible replacement
-Intelligence
-Public relations
-Staff leaks
-Questioning of CRP secretaries
-Committee staff
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-Weicker’s staff
-Relations between the staffs
-Cooperation
-Possible call to Ervin by Ehrlichman
-Weicker’s investigation tactics
-White House’s response
[Resume transcribed portion]
The President talked with the White House operator during the transcribed portion.
[Conversation No. 428-19B]
[Begin telephone conversation]
[See Conversation No. 38-20]
[End telephone conversation]
The President talked with Stephen B. Bull between 10:49 am and 10:50 am during the
transcribed portion.
[Conversation No. 428-19C]
[Begin telephone conversation]
[See Conversation No. 38-21]
[End telephone conversation]
Ehrlichman talked with John W. Dean, III at an unknown time between 10:50 am and 11:31 am
during the transcribed portion.
[Conversation No. 428-19D]
[Begin telephone conversation]
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[See Conversation No. 38-23]
[End telephone conversation]
[End transcribed portion]
President’s schedule
-White House Correspondents Dinner
-Awards for Watergate reporting
-Robert U. (“Bob”) Woodward and Carl Bernstein
-President’s reaction
-Press coverage
-President’s remarks
-Length
-Timing
-Event schedule
-Gift presentation
-Press relations
-Watergate
-Legislative – executive branch relations
-Role of press
-Stewardship obligation
-Accuracy of reporting
-Criticism of the executive branch
-Events of 1972
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-USSR
-Vietnam settlement
-1972 election
-Accomplishments of presidency
-Tons of future reporting
-Substance
Haldeman left at 11:30 am.
Ehrlichman’s forthcoming meeting
-Haldeman’s presence
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-Haldeman’s forthrightness
-Allegations
-Silbert
Henry A. Kissinger and Haig entered at 11:31 am.
President’s schedule
-Meeting
Ehrlichman left at 11:31 am.
President’s schedule
-News reports on alleged meeting with Kissinger
Kissinger’s actions
Vietnam and Southeast Asia
-Cambodia
-Reports of enemy action
-Laos
-Situation
-Negotiation and withdrawal of forces
-Violations of Vietnam settlement
-Vietnam settlement
-Cambodia
-Laos
-South Vietnam
The President talked with Bull between 11:33 am and 11:34 am.
[Conversation No. 428-19E]
[See Conversation No. 38-25]
Vietnam settlement
-North Vietnam’s influence
-Laos
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-Cambodia
-Support for possible action
-Washington, DC
-Canada
-Military situation
-Confidence of populace
-Army of the Republic of Vietnam [ARVN]
-Attitude
-Readiness
-Capabilities
-Unrealistic expectations
-Effectiveness
-North Vietnam’s adherence
-North Vietnam’s treatment of Prisoners of War [POWs]
-Torture
-Enforcement
-Lack of authority
-Possible military action
-Air strikes
-Frequency
-Mining
-Washington Special Actions Group (WSAG )
-Reconnaissance flights
-Rogers
-Frequency
-US military cooperation with Kissinger
-WSAG
-Proposals
-Possible meeting with Rogers, Melvin R. Laird
-December 1972 bombing decision
-Possible military action
-Congress
-Timing of notification
-President’s justification
-Khe Sanh [?]
-Violations of agreement
-Cambodia
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-Laos
-Timing of notification
-Public reaction
-Haig’s son
-Georgetown University
-Effect
-National interests
-Polls
-President’s credibility in foreign policy
-Peace movement
-[Arnold] Eric Sevareid
-North Vietnam’s violations
-Timing
-US response
-Avoidance
-Conflict between North Vietnam and South Vietnam
-Possible military action
-Protection of national interests
-WSAG meeting
-Possible reaction
-Comparison to Cambodia
-Richardson
-Adm Thomas H. Moorer, Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.
-Durability
-Laos
-Return of Last POWs from North Vietnam
-Possible military action
-North Vietnam’s reaction
-Restart of war
-POWs
-Advocacy for US
-Event
-Henry Birl’s brother
-B-52s
-President’s meetings with POW leaders
-Possible military actions
-North Vietnam
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-Joint Economic Commission
-Delay
-POWs
-Arrogance
-Economic aid
-Haig’s meeting with Richardson
Ambassadorial Appointments
-Cambodia
-Emory C. Swank
-Removal
-William Kintner
-Possible Congressional reaction
-Military aide
-Bombing
-Gen. Richard G. Stilwell
-Military aide
-Kintner’s approval process
-Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] background check
-William Byroade
-Thailand
-Henry Kearns
-Pakistan
-Telephone Calls
-Haldeman
-Rogers
-Kintner
-Byroade
-Thailand
-Memorandum to Rogers
-Byroade
-Drinking
-Kintner
-Kearns
-Pakistan
-Foreign Service
-US Ambassador to USSR
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-Recommendation
-William Porter
-President’s commitment
-Byroade, Kintner
-Swank
Haig’s trip
-New York Times
President’s schedule
-White House Correspondents Dinner
-President’s remarks
Haig left at 12:02 pm.
Press
-White House Correspondents Dinner
-President’s demeanor
Watergate
-Advance information on Gallup Poll
-Haldeman
-Size of poll sample
-Poll results
-Effect of economy and inflation
-Great Britain
-Edward M. Heath
-Opposition
-Inflation
-Economy
-Election trends
President’s schedule
-Forthcoming meetings
-WSAG
-National Security Council [NSC]
-Congressional leaders
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Watergate
-Mitchell’s handling of campaign director job
-Martha Mitchell
-President’s instructions regarding knowledge of Watergate
-President’s responsibility
-Need to seize initiative
-Haldeman
-Veracity
-Leonard Garment
-Possible resignation
-Cooperation with grand jury
-Congress
-Executive session
-Prognosis
-Haldeman’s position
-Forthcoming Congressional hearings
-Revelations
-Mitchell and Magruder
-Comparison to Sherman Adams case
-Bernard Goldfine
-Adams’s position in White House compared to Haldeman, Ehrlichman,
Kissinger
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Mitchell, Magruder
-Lipshitz [?]
-1966 wiretapping conviction
-Suspended sentence
-Kissinger’s award ceremony on April 13, 1973
-Charles L. Bartlett
-Kissinger’s comments
-Samuel Dash
-Civil liberties issue
-Bartlett
-Kennedy association
-Watergate burglars
-Communists
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-McCarthyism
-Watergate burglars
-Length of Hunt’s sentence
-Effect on President
-Discounting of polls and press attacks
-Emphasis on human factor
-Men involved in case
-Mitchell and Magruder
-Break-in
Libya
-Reconnaissance flight
-Mediterranean Sean
Kissinger’s speech to Associated Press [AP] editors
-Vietnam
-Europe
-Latin America
-Public interest
-Vietnam
-Background
-President’s trips to PRC and USSR
-Changes in the world over the last quarter century
-New assessments
-Europe
-USSR
Kissinger left at 12:30 pm.