Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 427 › Conversation 427-017
Nixon & Petersen on Watergate investigation and Department of Justice
Monday, April 16, 1973 · 8:58 PM–9:14 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 5 min
AI Summary
President Nixon met with Assistant Attorney General Henry E. Petersen to discuss the ongoing investigation into the Watergate scandal and its potential impact on his administration. The two focused on the necessity of managing the investigation's pace and gathering sufficient facts to justify legal proceedings. Nixon emphasized the importance of staying informed on developments and coordinating communication to avoid jeopardizing the integrity of the prosecution.
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 3 minutes of this recording (about 67% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
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NARA Description
On April 16, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry E. Petersen met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 8:58 pm to 9:14 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 427-017 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 427-17 Date: April 16, 1973 Time: 8:58 pm - 9:14 pm Location: Executive Office Building The President talked with Henry E. Petersen. [See Conversation No. 38-82]
Also recorded on April 17, 1973
- 038-078 8:45 PM · 17 sec — White House operator and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at 8:45 pm.
- 038-080 8:45 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:45 pm and 8:58 pm.
- 038-081 8:45 PM · 21 sec — White House operator and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:45 pm and 8:58 pm.
- 427-014 8:45 PM · 13 sec — White House operator and President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 8:45 pm.
- 427-015 8:45 PM · 15 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 8:45 pm and 8:58 pm.
- 427-016 8:45 PM · 11 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 8:45 pm and 8:58 pm.
- 038-082 8:58 PM · 16 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry E. Petersen talked on the telephone from 8:58 pm to 9:14 pm.
- 038-083 9:18 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:18 am and 9:19 am.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 427-017, April 17, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/427-017 (accessed September 28, 2026).