Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 45 › Conversation 045-049

Nixon, Dent & Cox on Watergate and Cabinet meeting

Monday, April 30, 1973 · 10:39 PM–10:40 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsWhite House operator; Cox, Tricia Nixon; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Woods, Rose Mary; Dent, Harry S.; Eisenhower, [Dwight] David, IIConversation045-049 on Tape 45StartMonday, April 30, 1973 at 10:39 PMEndMonday, April 30, 1973 at 10:40 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 045-049 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon received a call from Secretary of Commerce Frederick B. Dent, who expressed his support and praise for the President's recent televised speech regarding the Watergate scandal. The two discussed the importance of showing strong leadership and maintaining administrative unity during this challenging period. Nixon concluded the brief exchange by confirming the rescheduling of an upcoming Cabinet meeting to Wednesday to accommodate the arrival of West German Chancellor Willy Brandt.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Yes?
I have Secretary Dent calling the president.
Secretary Dent?
Dent.
Oh, yes.
Just one moment.
All right.
That way.
Secretary Denson.
Hello.
Secretary Denson.
Yeah, okay.
Sit down, David.
David, come on, sit down.
Hello, how are you?
This is Fred Dent, Mr. President.
I know who it is.
I wanted to tell you that I thought your speech was one of humility and, more importantly, inspiring leadership, and it leaves me mighty proud to be a member of the administration that's striving for the goals you outlined tonight.
And I just hope that you'll keep up the good work.
It's making a much better world for all of mankind.
Well, thank you, Fred.
That's very nice of you to say that.
We'll do the best we can.
We're going to have a cabinet meeting Wednesday.
Yes, sir.
I was going to have it Thursday, but we were able to move it to Wednesday, which I thought was more important.
I wanted to get in very fast.
We couldn't do it Tuesday because this damn brand is coming in here.
It was a jerk, as you know.
I can do any time.
You let me know.
I know it, Fred.
You've been a great soldier.
Great to be on your team, sir.
Wednesday, we'll have the cabinet meeting, and stand up, Fred.
Stand up hard and firm, okay?
Don't worry about that.
I have and just so proud to be on your team, Mr. President.
Thank you, Fred.
Good night.

NARA Description

On April 30, 1973, White House operator, Tricia Nixon Cox, President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, Harry S. Dent, and [Dwight] David Eisenhower, II talked on the telephone from 10:39 pm to 10:40 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 045-049 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 45-49

Date: April 30, 1973
Time: 10:39 pm - 10:40 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The White House operator talked with Tricia Nixon Cox. The President and unknown persons
can be heard in the background.

     Frederick B. Dent’s telephone call

Tricia Nixon Cox conferred with the President. Rose Mary Woods can be heard in the
background.

[Begin conferral]

     Telephone call from Dent

     Telephone calls [?]
          Elliot L. Richardson

     Telephone call from Dent

[End conferral]

The President talked with Dent.
                                            -34-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                              Conversation No. 45-49 (cont’d)

     Greetings

The President conferred with [Dwight] David Eisenhower, II.

[Begin conferral]

     Greetings

[End conferral]

     Watergate
          -President’s speech
                -President’s leadership

     President’s schedule
           -Cabinet meeting
           -Willy Brandt’s visit

     Dent’s schedule

     Cabinet meeting

Also recorded on May 1, 1973

  • 045-048 10:34 PM · 4 min — White House operator, Tricia Nixon Cox, and Richard G. Kleindienst talked on the telephone from 10:34 pm to 10:36 pm.
  • 045-050 10:41 PM · 1 min — White House operator, Tricia Nixon Cox, and Adm. Thomas H. Moorer talked on the telephone from 10:41 pm to 10:42 pm.
  • 045-051 10:43 PM · 2 min — White House operator, Tricia Nixon Cox, Rose Mary Woods, and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 10:43 pm to 10:45 pm.
  • 045-052 10:45 PM · 20 sec — Tricia Nixon Cox, White House operator, and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:45 pm and 10:48 pm.
  • 045-053 10:48 PM · 2 min — White House operator, Tricia Nixon Cox, President Richard M. Nixon, and Ronald W. Reagan talked on the telephone from 10:48 pm to 10:50 pm.
  • 045-054 10:51 PM · 2 min — George P. Shultz and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone from 10:51 pm to 10:54 pm.
  • 045-055 10:54 PM · 44 sec — White House operator, President Richard M. Nixon, Tricia Nixon Cox, and Edward R. F. Cox talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:54 pm and 11:04 pm.
  • 045-056 10:54 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon, Julie Nixon Eisenhower, Tricia Nixon Cox, and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:54 pm and 11:04 pm.

All 181 conversations from May 1, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 045-049, May 1, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/045-049 (accessed October 10, 2026).