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$Unique_ID{bob01214}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Nixon Tapes, The
April 16, 1973. (3:27pm - 4:04pm)}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Various}
$Affiliation{}
$Subject{nixon
pres
ehrlichman
unintelligible
ziegler
say
dean
yeah
get
that's}
$Date{1974}
$Log{}
Title: Nixon Tapes, The
Author: Various
Date: 1974
April 16, 1973. (3:27pm - 4:04pm)
Meeting: President Nixon, John Ehrlichman and Ron Ziegler, EOB Office
Pres. Nixon: Yeah - did you make any progress on that thing? How does it
stand? Fine.
J. Ehrlichman: I'd say that -
Pres. Nixon: Gray denies to Petersen that he ever got the bundle. Oh, he's
dumb. Well, Petersen tells me that he's told Haldeman - I mean
Ehrlichman. He was very (unintelligible) Mitchell
(unintelligible) this, Petersen being honest.
J. Ehrlichman: Dean informed Liddy that Hunt should leave the
Pres. Nixon: (Unintelligible) the idea that Dean, you know. But you warned
him didn't you?
J. Ehrlichman: Sure did. There (unintelligible) I was.
Pres. Nixon: You didn't see it?
J. Ehrlichman: No, didn't know what was in it. Could have been shredded
newspaper, as far as I know. So that, well it could be
Pres. Nixon: Well, Dean will say -
J. Ehrlichman: Dean will say what he put in it, I suppose. See, Dean arrived
at my office with a scotch-taped, sealed big envelope and
handed it to Gray. What - I said, "Well,
Pres. Nixon: There's the contents of (unintelligible) safe?
J. Ehrlichman: No. Dean had told me that before Gray got there, I think - I
can't be sure of this - but in any event, I knew what it
purported to be.
Pres. Nixon: Where - when was Gray told that it was not really the Watergate?
J. Ehrlichman: I don't know. I don't know. It may have been told him in my
presence or not, I just -
Pres. Nixon: But, you think be was told?
J. Ehrlichman: He says he was, and I don't have any reason to doubt it, but I
can't swear that I heard that said. Ah - and ah - again, I
can't.
Pres. Nixon: (Unintelligible)
J. Ehrlichman: Could say, you know, it may be that his story is I opened it
and it was full of paper napkins or, you know, some damned
thing. But if he says 1 was not in Ehrlichman's office and I
did not receive a big manila envelope from Dean, then I'm going
to have to dispute that. (Unintelligible\ there and then do
that.
Pres. Nixon: (Unintelligible)
J. Ehrlichman: Yeah.
Pres. Nixon: Has he testified to that, John, or do you think -?
J. Ehrlichman: He's told the U.S. Attorney that.
Pres. Nixon: That what?
J. Ehrlichman: That he cave him an envelope there that was the contents of
the Hunt safe.
Pres. Nixon: (Unintelligible)
J. Ehrlichman: Dick Howard just got a subpoena from the Grand Jury.
Pres. Nixon: Yeah.
J. Ehrlichman: The FBI agent who called said, "I'm coming over to serve you
with a subpoena from the Grand Jury, Mr. Howard. You may want
to go and talk to Mr. Dean while I'm on my way over there in
case you want to get any advice."
Pres. Nixon: Did he talk to Dean?
J. Ehrlichman: No, fortunately, he talked to Colson. Colson - I had told him
that Dean was over the hill, cautioned him, and then he told me
and said, "Boy, you got an outpost over there. Well. U.S.
Attorney's having the FBI agents send everybody a subpoena - go
talk to Dean.
Pres. Nixon: Because he was (unintelligible) the practice.
J. Ehrlichman: Well, I have - that's what they thought, but more probably
they'd like Dean to sit there and listen to every guy's story
and then call over and let them know what's going on.
Pres. Nixon: (Unintelligible) Dean (unintelligible) talk to (unintelligible)
apparently he's
J. Ehrlichman: I must caution you about that because it's certainly improper
for him to be counselling any of our people.
Pres. Nixon: I've got to talk to him. He's got to quit counselling anybody
right now.
J. Ehrlichman: Let me finish this.
Pres. Nixon: Oh, sure, John. Did (unintelligible) tell you about the other
(unintelligible) that he's coming to ask you about it? I'm not
asking you to make up any story, but I'm just simply saving, I
just can't - damned dumb Gray, Director of the FBI in the
position of having two White House people say he got an
envelope and be doesn't remember it. I heard you talked to
him. What did be say to you last night?
J. Ehrlichman: He said he can't say that.
Pres. Nixon: What did he say to you though?
J. Ehrlichman: He said, I said -
Pres. Nixon: After (unintelligible).
J. Ehrlichman: Dean say saying so and so, and he said he can't say that. And
I said, he already has. But he said, I destroyed it. Well.
that's it. You know, that's pretty tough (unintelligible) if
he doesn't now. (unintelligible) sure putting the best face on
what they did to Strachan over there. Questioned by the
prosecutors. Despite considerable fencing, he refused to
discuss the matter and was excused by the prosecutor.
According to Strachan - then they - you mustn't say anything to
anybody about this because I suppose he wasn't supposed to call
over here.
Pres. Nixon: Yeah, I don't.
J. Ehrlichman: He called to get advice. He said they really worked him over,
said stuff as, "Listen, Strachan, you're going to jail: think
about your wife, think about your baby and how would you like
to be disbarred, and -"
Pres. Nixon: I know. I know.
J. Ehrlichman: You know, that kind of stuff.
Pres. Nixon: I knew they were going to work him over. He asked for a lawyer?
J. Ehrlichman: No, they asked him to get a lawyer. They kept stressing it.
They wanted him to get a lawyer and I think what they are doing
is setting him up for (unintelligible).
Pres. Nixon: Well. That safe John, something about the damned notebooks - he
said, notebook.
J. Ehrlichman: Yeah, I know. He's said that right along.
Pres. Nixon: And there were?
J. Ehrlichman: Oh, I don't know. I honestly don't. Now, Kehrli and the
Secret Service agents were there when that safe was opened and
(unintelligible). Never tried (unintelligible) appointments
after that, so they are still on this.
Pres. Nixon: That's your only vulnerability, John.
J. Ehrlichman: Deep six and the FBI business and Liddy. Well, that's
interesting that Dean would take that remark and go out and act
on it.
Pres. Nixon: Deep sixing?
J. Ehrlichman: No, the Liddy deal.
Pres. Nixon: Told (unintelligible).
J. Ehrlichman: Hunt, yeah, that it came through Dean.
Pres. Nixon: But, apparently they didn't leave - in other words.
J. Ehrlichman: Oh, no. No, no.
Pres. Nixon: You were discussing it. I told, I tried to tell Petersen,
"Well, look, I can imagine them having a discussion - he said,
"He ought to leave the country - maybe we ought to deep six
it."
J. Ehrlichman: Mmhuh.
Pres. Nixon: And you didn't do any of those things. At least I think that's
based on - not any thoughts on this point?
-------------------------
Ziegler enters.
-------------------------
Pres. Nixon: Who have you talked to?
R. Ziegler: Yes, sir. I talked to Moore,
Pres. Nixon: Yeah.
R. Ziegler: Chappie Rose. Both of them are against it.
Pres. Nixon: They're against it? All right. Because of the reasons you
mentioned?
R. Ziegler: Some of those. But Rose - their best lawyer is working on that -
and -
Pres. Nixon: OK.
R. Ziegler: His concern.
Pres. Nixon: We just won't try to get out in front. We got anything else you
can say. Don't say, don't - we seem to, we've gotten into
enough trouble by saying nothing so we'll say nothing today.
You know, actually, thank God we haven't, thank God we haven't
had a Haldeman statement. Believe me. (Unintelligible) thank
God we didn't get out a Dean report. Right? Thank God. So,
we've done a few things right. Don't say anything.
R. Ziegler: (Unintelligible) made the point, looking at the statement, about
comments and so forth that stampede.
Pres. Nixon: Well, I (unintelligible). I've got an understanding, John, with
Petersen, and he wants us to move first and a - but I said,
"Well not before Magruder pleads." We've got to go out and -
what I had in mind having you say quickly that -
(unintelligible) statement. But in any event then, we're going
to have to wait for the Magruder thing. The point is you've
got the whole record. I just don't want to.
J. Ehrlichman: He wants to wait until Magruder talks? Is that it? Petersen?
No, I mean the others who -
R. Ziegler: Well, he didn't get into any discussion about Magruder talking.
No.
J. Ehrlichman: What was his objection?
R. Ziegler: His point is that, what Rose's point is, in the position of
stampeding on (unintelligible) how this has been
(unintelligible) this. But this point, the President is too
closely tied in as an investigator and too closely tied in to
the Grand Jury proceeding itself. In other words, he
(unintelligible) in his view of this is to have the first
(unintelligible) and suggests that the President is
(unintelligible).
Pres. Nixon: (Unintelligible). I don't.
R. Ziegler: No, not affect. But the President is becoming as an investigator
involved in knowledge and awareness of the Grand Jury
proceedings.
Pres. Nixon: Oh, yeah. Yeah.
R. Ziegler: Which well could affect direction of those proceedings. He has
contacted Petersen.
Pres. Nixon: Well, all the facts are going to show just otherwise though when
it comes out, but go ahead. But this (unintelligible)
R. Ziegler: I think so.
Pres. Nixon: He didn't. John, I asked about Magruder today and they haven't
got the deal with him yet because Magruder's attorneys insist
on something with Ervin and something with Sirica. Magruder
wants to go to the D. C. Jail (unintelligible) in there. They
haven't worked that out yet. I asked about the timing on Dean.
They haven't got a deal on him because - in fact his lawyers
made an interesting comment. He said Dean shouldn't do
anything to upset the unmaking of Haldeman and Ehrlichman and
Mitchell, and if they don't get immunity they're going to try
this Administration and the President. His lawyer, Schaffer.
Petersen says that's quite common. Everybody shouts to
everybody. I'm getting (unintelligible) difficult
(unintelligible). After all, the business of the - about the
Dean report, why end it that way? Dean will stick to the
position. John, you can see how he's going to (unintelligible)
Ehrlichman. You know, he did make some movement on his own in
this thing. I've asked Dean a specific question. Haldeman/
Ehrlichman, did they know in advance?" He said, "No." I said,
"I've asked you again, I've asked you." He told me that
(unintelligible) Well Dean said after a second meeting over
there he went over and saw Haldeman and said, "We oughtn't to
be in this. Haldeman said, I agree. I said, "Well what's
wrong with that." He said, "Well, Haldeman, by failing to act
-"
J. Ehrlichman: Yeah. That is true.
Pres. Nixon: Yeah.
J. Ehrlichman: Dean states Haldeman agreed, but apparently no initiating of
any instructions.
Pres. Nixon: Right. By failing to act. And then I said, I said, "Well how
could he act? He wasn't in charge of the campaign and -
(unintelligible) didn't he have (unintelligible) approval?"
"Why," I said, "He certainly did not. He had no responsibility
at all. The campaign was totally out of the White House." But
I suppose what he meant by that, Haldeman should - should have
called Mitchell and said, "Knock it off." Is that what they're
saying? Well, what does Haldeman say to that sort of thing?
J. Ehrlichman: That's hard to get around, understand, because Dean's story,
consistently, has been that at every one of those meetings, the
plan was disapproved by Mitchell.
Pres. Nixon: Yeah.
J. Ehrlichman: What's there to get out of?
Pres. Nixon: By going to Haldeman -
J. Ehrlichman: Dean came back and said, "Well there was a proposal, and
Mitchell disapproved it."
Pres. Nixon: You think he's making that up?
J. Ehrlichman: I don't know. I - it doesn't make sense, in the context of
those meetings, that everybody agreed on, that at all those
meetings Dean attended it ended in disapproval.
Pres. Nixon: Yeah. "Well, why did he go to Haldeman?"
J. Ehrlichman: So why? Yeah. Why is there a failure to act, when -
Pres. Nixon: Oh, he might -
J. Ehrlichman: Everything is disapproved?
Pres. Nixon: Yes, but that is Dean's problem, but -
J. Ehrlichman: Well, the suspenders.
Pres. Nixon: Huh?
J. Ehrlichman: A guy says, I was thinking about going out -
Pres. Nixon: Yeah.
J. Ehrlichman: and plugging a hole in your tire, but I decided not to.
Pres. Nixon: Yeah the point is, I think you've got a very good point here.
You say, "Well, look, what in the world is this? If the damn
thing was disapproved, why does Haldeman get blamed for not
disapproving it?"
J. Ehrlichman: Yeah. They need two disapprovals in order to make it stick?
Pres. Nixon: That's what I was going to say, but -
J. Ehrlichman: Well, I don't know enough about it I guess. I'd sure like to
see us come out sometime, and I suppose it has to be at a time
that Magruder makes his deal.
Pres. Nixon: Well, let me say, I'll - I've got Petersen on a short leash.
J. Ehrlichman: Ok.
Pres. Nixon: Petersen or Dean. Keep that statement, regardless, and get this
factual thing that John has worked up for you. You get that.
R. Ziegler: I've had, I had that typed.
Pres. Nixon: Fine. Because we've got to be ready to go on that instantly.
We may go it today. We will survive it. I don't think it's
very -
J. Ehrlichman: Not very appropriate news this morning.
Pres. Nixon: Yeah, and that's it. They will get back to (unintelligible) I
just think (unintelligible) their staff.
R. Ziegler: (unintelligible)
Pres. Nixon: It's obvious they will question him on this.
J. Ehrlichman: That's what matters though. The thing with the Ervin
Committee, will, I don't know. A statement of rules, and the
negotiations,
Pres. Nixon: Right.
J. Ehrlichman: They adopted an awful lot of my stuff. Their rule on
television is a very odd one. And it says "All still and
motion picture photography must be discontinued before the
witness commences his testimony. Television, however, may
continue under the standing rules of the committee during the
testimony of the witness."
Pres. Nixon: So it must - that means what? It's live?
J. Ehrlichman: That my interpretation. Well, no. Tape would be motion
picture.
Pres. Nixon: Yeah.
J. Ehrlichman: Why not?
R. Ziegler: That's electronic. See, the terminology is stills, motion
picture or electronic.
J. Ehrlichman: That isn't the way they used it, and so I've got a call in for
Baker to try and get a clarification.
Pres. Nixon: Right.
J. Ehrlichman: Because it may be their intent that if the networks will go
live, then let them go, but if they tape, then they can't tape
the testimony. And, if that's the interpretation, I think we
ought to go for it.
Pres. Nixon: Right.
J. Ehrlichman: Don't you?
R. Ziegler: At ten o'clock in the morning? Well, you know, just -
J. Ehrlichman: If they run it at ten o'clock. Anyway, I'll get an
interpretation and I'll be back to you on it for instructions.
Well, there isn't much point in me going through the whole
thing until -
Pres. Nixon: I think the Ervin Committee, who (unintelligible) a break in
this (unintelligible). Do you believe it would be at all
helpful to be forthcoming with Ervin then?
R. Ziegler: Well as we mentioned before, I think you have to have caution
with the Ervin Committee (unintelligible), depends upon
decisions. Whatever it is decided to check with
(unintelligible) alternative here (unintelligible) or it may be
to our advantage to analyze
J. Ehrlichman: Well, my problem's Howard Baker goes to Russia tomorrow, so
there's got to be action - or he goes Wednesday, excuse.
There's got to be action tomorrow. The Ervin Committee's
meeting up there now. Timmons thinks the thing they are
meeting about is that somebody has pulled the plug on Dash,
that he was nearly disbarred in Philadelphia - some unfortunate
scandal - something about - He's been taken by surprise again
and he's very unhappy and he's convened the Committee. The
thing provides - well, they're kind of cute about this too.
You can have a hearing in Executive Session. The Committee
rules at the witnesses' request for the purpose of determining
scope, in effect, what, where the witness should and should not
testify.
Pres. Nixon: Oh, I see. Well, that's good.
J. Ehrlichman: And that's good, I think. Then there's a lot of stuff in
there about - they do prevail in making closing statements.
They will.
Pres. Nixon: What's your advice, John.
J. Ehrlichman: There's very little left to argue about except the television,
and we could say we interpret this to mean that unless the
television is live, there won't be any and that's satisfactory
to us.
Pres. Nixon: Yeah.
J. Ehrlichman: Now we might get the jump on them that way.
Pres. Nixon: All right. Fine.
J. Ehrlichman: And then, let them come back and say, "No, that isn't what we
mean. We mean it can be taped." And then we'll come back and
say, "Well, that isn't satisfactory. By that time they're in a
recess.
Pres. Nixon: Right.
J. Ehrlichman: And the thing would be hung up until they get back.
Pres. Nixon: Yeah. And the other thing - we had to, you know, before it
comes from the Ervin Committee. But I don't think before it
comes to the Ervin Committee it's going to amount to a damn in
the next four weeks.
R. Ziegler: The overall -
Pres. Nixon: Yeah.
R. Ziegler: decision, but -
Pres. Nixon: Don't you think at the present time we ought to be forthcoming
here?
R. Ziegler: Yeah. I think -
J. Ehrlichman: What you say, Ron, is that we intend to avail ourselves fully
of the ground rule that permits the use of executive session
and that undoubtedly the majority of the White House witnesses
will be the subject of a request to the Ervin Committee for an
executive session.
Pres. Nixon: That's right. Agree with that.
J. Ehrlichman: Then, what we've done is gone to our high ground.
Pres. Nixon: Right.
J. Ehrlichman: And let them pull us off.
R. Ziegler: Of course, what really is the Ervin Committee investigating?
Pres. Nixon: (unintelligible)
J. Ehrlichman: They - it's probably moot. It's probably moot, but what we
can say is we feel we can live with these ground rules.
R. Ziegler: Yeah.
J. Ehrlichman: You know it's very - well, it is obvious that the negotiations
were very worthwhile. We think the Committee has come up with
a fine set of ground rules that we can live with. We are going
to fully cooperate and then, on the side, you can say, "See
this executive session provision."
Pres. Nixon: Well why don't we - frankly, frankly (unintelligible) executive
(unintelligible).
J. Ehrlichman: Maybe I ought to get them and have them for you, so that you
can talk to Rogers about them.
Pres. Nixon: Yeah. Later today you might just make your decision and go on
that. We can sell the Ervin Committee.
J. Ehrlichman: Well, then, I'll have to get Baker's OK.
Pres. Nixon: Well, why?
J. Ehrlichman: To make our announcement, because that's the way I have it set
up with him. They've got a meeting tomorrow before we make any
announcement.
Pres. Nixon: Do you want to make an announcement tonight?
J. Ehrlichman: No, I thought that's what you meant, if you were going to go
with the Ervin thing today.
Pres. Nixon: Oh. We'll make it tomorrow then.
J. Ehrlichman: OK, well then I'll have a chance to talk to Baker tonight.
Pres. Nixon: Baker, Baker will have left. He won't be at the meeting -
tomorrow.
J. Ehrlichman: Yes, he will. He won't go - he doesn't go until the next day.
I misspoke.
Pres. Nixon: Fine. You'll make the announcement tomorrow. Ok. Ron?
R. Ziegler: Yeah, but -
Pres. Nixon: Gives me time to think about it, that's the point. Go ahead.
What is it?
R. Ziegler: Well, I - if we make the announcement tomorrow, we could tie it
into something.
Pres. Nixon: Yeah. We have a general announcement. We want to
(unintelligible) and with Chappie Rose and those guys. Do they
realize that I've got to make this general announcement before
the Magruder thing comes up?
J. Ehrlichman: Well, does he fear the President will look like he's
interfering with the Grand Jury?
R. Ziegler: No, it's a quote. He said, to which he (unintelligible) much
contact with the Attorney General, the Assistant Attorney
General - the President being investigator.
J. Ehrlichman: Well, bless his heart, those contacts are a matter of record.
Pres. Nixon: That's right. I don't agree with him on that point.
J. Ehrlichman: That point's moot, you know. That was the President's only
recourse.
Pres. Nixon: That was it. I wouldn't worry about that (unintelligible).
See, he's thinking as a lawyer. They probably like to see the
President (unintelligible) this damned thing.
R. Ziegler: No, I agree with that.
J. Ehrlichman: (Unintelligible)
R. Ziegler: Well, I'm not arguing. Again, you see, can't argue. I'm just
passing this point to you.
Pres. Nixon: What would be your view about this kind of a statement? You
don't want it tonight?
J. Ehrlichman: I don't want it tonight, but I'd sure like to see you go full
breast on it tomorrow. See, Wednesday is the energy message.
Pres. Nixon: Yeah.
J. Ehrlichman: And, we're going to be sort of saturating the press Wednesday
with that.
Pres. Nixon: Will they write and use it?
J. Ehrlichman: I don't know. I mean we're having briefings and all that
baloney. And so, if possible, it would be best to go either
tomorrow or Thursday with this and I prefer tomorrow.
Pres. Nixon: We'll see how they get along with their negotiations. I suppose
they're
J. Ehrlichman: Seems to me like they're hard-nosing these negotiations. Dean
doesn't really give them all that much. He let me look at that
piece of paper you've got there and then he said, "Well, gee,
did Hunt go out of the country? No, Well, what else is there?"
"Well, he says, "I don't know about (unintelligible)."
Pres. Nixon: Dean isn't corroborating Magruder in any way?
J. Ehrlichman: Yes.
Pres. Nixon: That's what it looks like.
J. Ehrlichman: But can't they get that out of him anyway? You know.
Pres. Nixon: (Unintelligible)
J. Ehrlichman: Well, let's think about that. If you were the prosecutor,
what the hell do you care? You know, if you were Glanzer, you
were sitting over there, -
Pres. Nixon: The White House threatened, the President -
J. Ehrlichman: But what is, what is that he can say? You stop and figure.
Pres. Nixon: That he's informed the President and the President didn't act?
He can't say that can he? I don't think, I've been asking for
his damned report, you know.
J. Ehrlichman: The fact that he put the chronology all together - he comes up
with a hell of a lot of egg on his face.
Pres. Nixon: I think he blames - he would blame you and Haldeman.
J. Ehrlichman: Well, he's going to have a little trouble with that.
Pres. Nixon: Is he? Good.
J. Ehrlichman: And I put together my log today. And I have seen him on the
average of five times a month since the Watergate breakin.
See, Bruce Kehrli (unintelligible) you know (unintelligible).
I've seen none of his memos routinely. I don't supervise any
of his work, so I think he's going to have a tough time making
that stick. And some of those were on your estate plan.
Pres. Nixon: Yeah.
J. Ehrlichman: Some of them were on the Library.
Pres. Nixon: Good.
J. Ehrlichman: Some of them were on the leak scandal. So, he's not seen me
five times a month on Watergate.
Pres. Nixon: Well, listen, I've got to run. Let this go tonight. Fair
enough?
R. Ziegler: Yes, sir.
J. Ehrlichman: All right.
R. Ziegler: Did you want to meet Garment for five minutes before you see
Rogers?
Pres. Nixon: No. I'll have to put that off. I've got Rogers
(unintelligible) Garment's views and - you don't agree?
J. Ehrlichman: I agree totally. It's (unintelligible) for Garment is the
reason, you see.
Pres. Nixon: No, tell him, tell him that I feel very personally, but I want
to get a little - that I've had a long talk with the U.S., with
Petersen. There is a reason. Give him a little bull and tell
him (unintelligible) had a long talk. There are reasons we
can't say today, that there will be developments during the
day. Going to be public. Some things that I have in mind
(unintelligible) piece of paper on that, and I'll see him
before. Well, is it going to be that much of a problem? You
think I should see him? Maybe, you know, I don't. Wait 'til I
see Rogers. Tell him to stick around.
R. Ziegler: All right.
Pres. Nixon: Tie it in with Rogers. Why don't you do that? How's that?
R. Ziegler: The only advantage of (unintelligible) you have in your
possession.
Pres. Nixon: Well no. The point is - well, go ahead.
R. Ziegler: Fifteen minute session (unintelligible) and bounce that off of
Rogers.
Pres. Nixon: I know what he's going to do is - (unintelligible) I mean the -
this is a full court press, isn't it?
R. Ziegler: That's right, so you don't need to tell him.
Pres. Nixon: I know what the hell a full court press is.
R. Ziegler: I understand that.
Pres. Nixon: The thing you told me this morning.
R. Ziegler: Yes, sir.
Pres. Nixon: Well, I followed that already. He wants to go out and what? He
wants Haldeman, Ehrlichman and Dean to resign. Right?
R. Ziegler: Or just (unintelligible) You know, he has several variations
(unintelligible) and letters.
Pres. Nixon: Yeah.
R. Ziegler: Suggesting that (unintelligible) they would step down.
Pres. Nixon: They would (unintelligible) and then they would, and I would
accept that. However the case breaks?
R. Ziegler: Yes, sir.
Pres. Nixon: Do that today?
R. Ziegler: No, not today. You know, after the timing of the decision.
Pres. Nixon: I'd prefer.
R. Ziegler: I think it's - you have enough of that.
Pres. Nixon: I think I want it to be a little clear in my mind with Rogers
here.
R. Ziegler: No (unintelligible) I'll put him off.
Pres. Nixon: Tell him, that, look, that I got it and I'm just in the middle
of this thing and that I, I'm thinking along those lines. Just
say that, and that I'll, because of the talk, I cannot act
today. Just say that. I just finished this long meeting.
Didn't want to act, I can't act today, because it would frankly
jeopardize the prosecution.
R. Ziegler: Right. Ok.
Pres. Nixon: And the right of the defendants. And that therefore, that I
can't, that I've been told that by the Assistant Attorney
General. That I cannot do that today. It will jeopardize the
prosecution. (unintelligible) If the President (unintelligible)
it will tip a lot of others off that they are working on at the
present time, and that I had put the pressure on to get this so
that I can be (unintelligible) And I have in mind all of those
options. Tell him that I have met with all three of them
today. The President met with all three of them and discussed
this problem.
R. Ziegler: Well, you may not want to see him.
Pres. Nixon: Now, be sure -
R. Ziegler: Be thinking about it.
Pres. Nixon: Sure. Ask him if -
R. Ziegler: Yes sir.
Pres. Nixon: Right (unintelligible). Tell him I want to think about it;
then, I'd like to talk to him. I want him to get his things in
shape. I want a firm recommendation.
R. Ziegler: He apparently has a statement.
Pres. Nixon: Well, bring it in and I'd like to have that statement, if I
could, by six o'clock tonight. You deliver it at six. I'll be
with Rogers at six o'clock and I'd like to have that statement.
R. Ziegler: I'll bring it in.
Pres. Nixon: Oh, no. Should I have it before I see Rogers, that statement?
Tell him I'd like to have it, that I've just gotten tied up
here. Tell him I've been meeting with Petersen. I cannot act
today, but I'll be ready to do something quite soon.
R. Ziegler: Good.
Pres. Nixon: Don't tell him about it.
R. Ziegler: No.