Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 38 › Conversation 038-109

Nixon phone call with Ziegler on Watergate scandal and Henry E. Petersen

Thursday, April 19, 1973 · 1:39 PM–1:41 PM ET · White House Telephone · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.Conversation038-109 on Tape 38StartThursday, April 19, 1973 at 1:39 PMEndThursday, April 19, 1973 at 1:41 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 038-109 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler coordinate the administration's public response regarding the President’s ongoing meetings with Assistant Attorney General Henry Petersen. They specifically discuss how to address media inquiries concerning Watergate investigations and clarify that the President does not receive reports from the grand jury. Nixon instructs Ziegler to emphasize that while he receives updates on general investigative progress from Petersen, he is not privy to the contents or internal proceedings of the grand jury.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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.
What'd you say, sir?
Ron?
Yes, sir.
You're going to Florida, aren't you?
Yes, sir.
Good.
We're going to leave at 12.30 tomorrow.
Okay.
Tell the boys.
All right.
They can all get set.
Did you survive the day?
Yes, sir.
Would you like me to come over a moment?
That's all right.
I'll see you.
I'll tell you, I just need to do a little later.
Okay, fine.
I'm just going to eat a little lunch now.
Yes, sir.
Well, did you...
I said I won't characterize my comment in any way other than the fact that I make this observation because of the
the fact that the word is appearing in news reports, and I wanted to have included my observation regarding the intent of the president's statement the other day.
He had to get the truth.
He had to get the truth.
Now, how to interpret that, I don't know.
And they said, well, were you aware of his statement in advance?
I said, we were not, but I talked to John afterwards and indicated to him what I was going to say, and he understood that.
If I said that in a briefing, it's true.
So we followed that line.
I indicated they said that you met with Peterson again, and I said you had met with Mr. Peterson on a regular basis, receiving reports and passing information to him.
And then I qualified my use of the word reports.
I said I'm not familiar with what they're discussing, so I can't characterize it in any way.
No, not grand jury reports.
Of course, Jack Anderson has them verbatim.
That makes sense.
clear this grand jury.
But they said, well, as the president receiving reports in a grand jury, I said, ladies and gentlemen, I can only tell you that he is meeting with the assistant attorney general.
I do not know the scope of those discussions.
If they get that up again, I think you should say the president does know that I do not
I'm not getting reports from inside the Grand Jury.
That is, I refuse to take that.
I often get reports from Peterson or their investigations.
You see, the Grand Jury reports shouldn't have been given to me, in my opinion.
No, sir.
Reports from their investigations?
Reports of their interrogatories.
They conduct very extensive interrogatories, but the president...
specifically does not receive reports from the grand jury.
I'll go tell them that right now.
Yeah, you've got to clear that up.
Call Peterson and tell him that we're...
I have a call in to him now.
Yeah.
Bye.
Okay, sir.
Bye.
Bye.

NARA Description

On April 19, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 1:39 pm to 1:41 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 038-109 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 38-109

Date: April 19, 1973
Time: 1:39 pm - 1:41 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Ronald L. Ziegler.

[See also Conversation No. 429-4]

     Ziegler’s schedule
           -Florida

     Ziegler’s press briefing
           -Watergate
                 -Scapegoat
                        -John W. Dean, III
                 -Dean’s statement
                 -President’s meetings with Henry E. Petersen
                 -Grand jury
                        -Jack N. Anderson
                        -President’s knowledge
                                               -64-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Also recorded on April 19, 1973

  • 902-010 1:30 PM · 29 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:30 pm and 1:36 pm.
  • 038-108 1:36 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:36 pm and 1:39 pm.
  • 429-004 1:39 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:39 pm to 1:41 pm.
  • 038-110 1:41 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:41 pm and 1:45 pm.
  • 038-111 1:45 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 1:45 pm to 1:46 pm.
  • 429-005 1:45 PM · 55 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:45 pm to 1:46 pm.
  • 038-112 1:46 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:46 pm and 1:48 pm.
  • 429-026 1:46 PM · 9 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 1:46 pm and 1:48 pm.

All 54 conversations from April 19, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 038-109, April 19, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/038-109 (accessed October 23, 2026).