Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 37 › Conversation 037-164

Nixon phone call with Dean on Watergate and Public relations

Tuesday, March 20, 1973 · 10:46 AM–10:47 AM ET · White House Telephone · 26 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Dean, John W., IIIConversation037-164 on Tape 37StartTuesday, March 20, 1973 at 10:46 AMEndTuesday, March 20, 1973 at 10:47 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 037-164 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and John Dean discuss the status of a pending public statement, which Dean indicates is currently being finalized. Nixon instructs Dean to deliver the draft to him immediately upon completion for review. This brief exchange reflects the ongoing efforts of the White House staff to coordinate messaging regarding the escalating Watergate investigation.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yeah?
Mr. Dean, Mr. President.
Good morning, Mr. President.
Did you have that statement, or did you plan to make it?
What did you think of it?
We are stomping and honing it right at this very minute, and it's always about five to ten minutes away from complying.
Well, when you get through, give her a ring down here, and I'll see whether I've got her like when they're coming in.
Okay.
Good, sir.

NARA Description

On March 20, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and John W. Dean, III talked on the telephone from 10:46 am to 10:47 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 037-164 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 37-164

Date: March 20, 1973
Time: 10:46 am-10:47 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with John W. Dean, III.

[See Conversation No. 884-6]

       Public statement
              -Preparation
              -John D. Ehrlichman

Also recorded on March 20, 1973

  • 119-003 10:26 AM — George H. W. Bush and unknown person(s) met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 10:26 am and 1:00 pm.
  • 119-004 10:26 AM — a White House tour group met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 10:26 am and 1:00 pm.
  • 884-003 10:29 AM · 17 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Hugh Scott, Ronald L. Ziegler, Leslie C. Arends, and William E. Timmons met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:29 am to 10:46 am.
  • 037-163 10:46 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 10:46 am.
  • 884-004 10:46 AM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at 10:46 am.
  • 884-005 10:46 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at 10:46 am.
  • 884-006 10:46 AM · 24 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and John W. Dean, III met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:46 am to 10:47 am.
  • 884-007 10:47 AM · 1 hr 22 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, unknown person(s), and John D. Ehrlichman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:47 am to 12:10 pm.

All 46 conversations from March 20, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 037-164, March 20, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/037-164 (accessed October 5, 2026).