Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 46 › Conversation 046-081

Nixon phone call with Buzhardt on Watergate scandal and John W. Dean

Wednesday, May 16, 1973 · 2:51 PM–2:52 PM ET · White House Telephone · 35 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Buzhardt, J. Fred, Jr.Conversation046-081 on Tape 46StartWednesday, May 16, 1973 at 2:51 PMEndWednesday, May 16, 1973 at 2:52 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 046-081 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with White House counsel J. Fred Buzhardt regarding his recent meeting with Charles Colson and the ongoing evaluation of sensitive documents provided by John W. Dean. Buzhardt confirmed that the materials matched the President's description but noted they presented significant legal or political complications. The two agreed that Buzhardt should take the necessary time to complete his assessment and prepare a formal report for the President.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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, Mr. President.
You finished your meeting with Chuck?
Yes, sir.
Are you free now?
Yes, sir.
We are now going over these documents, Mr. President.
I see.
We have... Oh, yeah.
And we'd like to get in a report to you.
I would... Yeah, take time.
All right.
All right.
Thank you, sir.
But they are the type you described.
They are the type, but they do present problems nevertheless.
Okay.
All right, sir.

NARA Description

On May 16, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. talked on the telephone from 2:51 pm to 2:52 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 046-081 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 46-81

Date: May 16, 1973
Time: 2:51 pm - 2:52 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr.

[See also Conversation No. 437-9]

      Watergate
           -J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr.’s meeting with Charles W. Colson
           -John W. Dean, III’s documents
                  -Evaluation

Also recorded on May 16, 1973

  • 046-079 2:44 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 2:44 pm to 2:46 pm.
  • 437-007 2:44 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:44 pm to 2:46 pm.
  • 046-080 2:46 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:46 pm and 2:51 pm.
  • 437-008 2:46 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:46 pm and 2:51 pm.
  • 437-009 2:51 PM · 35 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:51 pm to 2:52 pm.
  • 046-082 2:52 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:52 pm and 2:58 pm.
  • 046-083 2:57 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. talked on the telephone from 2:57 pm to 2:58 pm.
  • 919-032 3:02 PM · 1 hr 31 min — President Richard M. Nixon, J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr., Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:02 pm to 4:08 pm.

All 73 conversations from May 16, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 046-081, May 16, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/046-081 (accessed September 18, 2026).