Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 38 › Conversation 038-049
Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on John D. Ehrlichman
Sunday, April 15, 1973 · 4:00 PM–5:15 PM ET · White House Telephone · 12 sec
AI Summary
President Nixon initiates a call to the White House operator to be connected with his Assistant for Domestic Affairs, John D. Ehrlichman. The primary purpose of the communication is to facilitate a direct conversation between the President and Ehrlichman amidst the escalating Watergate crisis. No further substantive discussion occurs during this brief administrative exchange.
Audio
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data
Each line starts with a timestamp button; press it to play the audio from that point.
NARA Description
On April 15, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:00 pm and 5:15 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 038-049 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 38-49
Date: April 15 1973
Time: Unknown between 4:00 pm and 5:17 pm
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with the White House operator.
Telephone call to John D. EhrlichmanAlso recorded on April 15, 1973
- 038-042 2:22 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:22 pm and 3:27 pm.
- 038-043 3:27 PM · 18 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 3:27 pm to 3:44 pm.
- 038-044 3:44 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:44 pm and 3:48 pm.
- 038-045 3:48 PM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Richard G. Kleindienst talked on the telephone from 3:48 pm to 3:49 pm.
- 038-046 3:50 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at 3:50 pm.
- 038-047 4:00 PM · 20 sec — Henry E. Petersen, White House operator, and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:00 pm and 5:15 pm.
- 038-048 4:00 PM · 7 min — Henry E. Petersen, White House operator, President Richard M. Nixon, Charles N. Shaffer, and Earl J. Silbert talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:00 pm and 5:15 pm.
- 038-050 5:17 PM · 24 sec — White House operator and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at 5:17 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 038-049, April 15, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/038-049 (accessed October 12, 2026).