Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 420 › Conversation 420-017

Nixon & Ziegler on Watergate scandal and John Dean

Monday, March 19, 1973 · 1:28 PM–1:31 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.Conversation420-017 on Tape 420StartMonday, March 19, 1973 at 1:28 PMEndMonday, March 19, 1973 at 1:31 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 420-017 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler held a brief, fragmented discussion regarding legal developments and pending charges involving individuals connected to the ongoing Watergate investigations. The participants specifically referenced the involvement of White House Counsel John Dean and a judge’s unfavorable prior rulings in the Adams and Jordan cases. The exchange reflects the administration's concern over unfolding legal complications and the associated public relations challenges.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 1 minute of this recording (about 48% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I don't know why that's in the cross.
I don't know why that's in the cross.
I don't know why that's in the cross.
I don't know why that's in the cross.
The dean needed to get off the plane.
The dean is the lawyer, and now they've heard no charge about the, uh, missing driver.
Yeah.
The judge was against him in the Adams case.
He was the central figure.
He was the second, basically, in this case, in the Jordan case.
Do they know something about the charge?
Well, I'm glad that you have to handle it.
Okay, fine, thank you.

NARA Description

On March 19, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:28 pm to 1:31 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 420-017 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 420-17

Date: March 19, 1973
Time: 1:28 pm - 1:31 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Ronald L. Ziegler.

[See Conversation No. 37-154]

Also recorded on March 19, 1973

  • 037-153 12:35 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:35 pm and 1:28 pm.
  • 420-012 12:35 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:35 pm and 1:28 pm.
  • 420-013 12:35 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:35 pm and 1:28 pm.
  • 420-014 12:35 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:35 pm and 1:28 pm.
  • 037-154 1:28 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 1:28 pm to 1:31 pm.
  • 420-018 1:38 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:38 pm and 2:37 pm.
  • 420-019 1:38 PM · 51 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:38 pm and 2:37 pm.
  • 420-025 1:38 PM · 45 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:38 pm and 2:37 pm.

All 31 conversations from March 19, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 420-017, March 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/420-017 (accessed October 5, 2026).