Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 884 › Conversation 884-006

Nixon & Dean on Watergate scandal and Public relations

Tuesday, March 20, 1973 · 10:46 AM–10:47 AM ET · Oval Office · 24 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Dean, John W., IIIConversation884-006 on Tape 884StartTuesday, March 20, 1973 at 10:46 AMEndTuesday, March 20, 1973 at 10:47 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 884-006 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and John Dean briefly conferred regarding the status of a potential public statement. The exchange focused on whether Dean had prepared a draft or if the two needed to coordinate the planning of a joint release. No specific decisions were reached during this short preliminary discussion, which functioned as a prompt to align their messaging strategy.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Do you have a statement or are we ready to plan to make it with you together?

NARA Description

On March 20, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and John W. Dean, III met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:46 am to 10:47 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 884-006 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 884-6
Date: March 20, 1973
Time: 10:46 am - 10:47 am
Location: Oval Office

The President talked with John W. Dean, III.

[See Conversation No. 37-164]

Also recorded on March 20, 1973

  • 119-003 10:26 AM — George H. W. Bush and unknown person(s) met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 10:26 am and 1:00 pm.
  • 119-004 10:26 AM — a White House tour group met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 10:26 am and 1:00 pm.
  • 884-003 10:29 AM · 17 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Hugh Scott, Ronald L. Ziegler, Leslie C. Arends, and William E. Timmons met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:29 am to 10:46 am.
  • 037-163 10:46 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 10:46 am.
  • 037-164 10:46 AM · 26 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and John W. Dean, III talked on the telephone from 10:46 am to 10:47 am.
  • 884-004 10:46 AM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at 10:46 am.
  • 884-005 10:46 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at 10:46 am.
  • 884-007 10:47 AM · 1 hr 22 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, unknown person(s), and John D. Ehrlichman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:47 am to 12:10 pm.

All 46 conversations from March 20, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 884-006, March 20, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/884-006 (accessed October 5, 2026).