Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 39 › Conversation 039-039

Nixon phone call with Ziegler on Watergate and John W. Dean III

Sunday, June 3, 1973 · 6:40 PM–6:41 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.Conversation039-039 on Tape 39StartSunday, June 3, 1973 at 6:40 PMEndSunday, June 3, 1973 at 6:41 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 039-039 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon directs Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler to coordinate with Richard Moore regarding the details of past meetings involving John Dean. Nixon emphasizes that Moore’s participation in these discussions will serve to refute allegations that Dean was ordered to execute a cover-up. Ziegler confirms that he and J. Fred Buzhardt will meet with Moore to thoroughly review the record and establish a consistent narrative.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Ron, I forgot to mention, have you been in touch with or are you in touch with Dick Moore at all on this stuff?
Yes, he was in Connecticut over the weekend.
I talked to him once in Connecticut.
Yeah.
And the thing is that on these meetings that we had, he was in about half a dozen of them, and he is quite aware of what the situation is.
I think you should sit down with him and try to go over it chapter and verse.
Would you do that?
Yes, sir.
They plan on doing that.
Well, I don't—I think—who's going to do it?
You mean Buzard?
Right.
Well, that's all right.
Fine.
They're going to sit down with Moore and, like, for example, Moore would be able to knock down any ideas that Dean was directed to, you know, carry out aspects of a cover-up or something.
Right.
Because he knows goddamn well, I mean, that that didn't happen.
That's right.
because Maura was there, you know, and we discussed things.
But try to get his views out, if you would.
Right, Dave.
We're going to.
All right.
Thank you, sir.

NARA Description

On June 3, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 6:40 pm to 6:41 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 039-039 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 39-39

Date: June 3, 1973
Time: 6:40 pm - 6:41 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Ronald L. Ziegler.

       Watergate
             -Richard A. Moore
                    -Contacts with Ziegler
                    -Meetings with President and John W. Dean, III
                    -Forthcoming meeting with J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr.
                           -Meetings between President, Dean, and Moore
                                             -36-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Also recorded on June 3, 1973

  • 039-038 6:36 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:36 pm and 6:40 pm.
  • 039-040 6:41 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:41 pm and 6:47 pm.
  • 039-041 6:47 PM · 19 sec — White House operator and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at 6:47 pm.
  • 039-042 6:47 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:47 pm and 6:48 pm.
  • 039-043 6:48 PM · 12 sec — White House operator and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at 6:48 pm.
  • 039-044 6:48 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:48 pm and 7:06 pm.
  • 039-045 7:06 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 7:06 pm to 7:09 pm.
  • 039-046 7:09 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:09 pm and 7:30 pm.

All 29 conversations from June 3, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 039-039, June 3, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/039-039 (accessed October 21, 2026).