Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 38 › Conversation 038-069

Nixon phone call with Dean on Watergate scandal and White House logistics

Monday, April 16, 1973 · 4:04 PM–4:05 PM ET · White House Telephone · 15 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Dean, John W., IIIConversation038-069 on Tape 38StartMonday, April 16, 1973 at 4:04 PMEndMonday, April 16, 1973 at 4:05 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 038-069 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon calls John Dean to coordinate an immediate in-person meeting in the Executive Office Building following a scheduling delay caused by a prior engagement with Peter Peterson. The brief exchange serves as logistical preparation for a high-stakes discussion regarding the unfolding Watergate investigation. Dean acknowledges the request and agrees to proceed to the President's location immediately.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Hello?
Mr. Dean.
Hello.
I got tied up with Peterson, so I, uh, I wonder if you'd come over now, huh?
Surely.
I'm in the U.B.
Thank you.

NARA Description

On April 16, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and John W. Dean, III talked on the telephone from 4:04 pm to 4:05 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 038-069 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 38-69

Date: April 16, 1973
Time: 4:04 pm - 4:05 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with John W. Dean, III.

[See also Conversation No. 427-8A]

     Dean’s meeting with President

Also recorded on April 16, 1973

  • 427-006 3:27 PM · 28 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John D. Ehrlichman, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:27 pm to 4:04 pm.
  • 038-068 4:04 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at 4:04 pm.
  • 427-007 4:04 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 4:04 pm.
  • 427-008 4:04 PM · 51 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and John W. Dean, III met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:04 pm to 4:06 pm.
  • 038-070 4:05 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:05 pm and 4:42 pm.
  • 427-009 4:06 PM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 4:06 pm.
  • 427-010 4:07 PM · 19 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John W. Dean, III met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:07 pm to 4:35 pm.
  • 038-071 4:42 PM · 38 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Julie Nixon Eisenhower talked on the telephone at 4:42 pm.

All 56 conversations from April 16, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 038-069, April 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/038-069 (accessed October 5, 2026).