Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 903 › Conversation 903-008

Nixon with unidentified visitors in the Oval Office on Henry Peterson

Friday, April 20, 1973 · 11:23 AM–11:32 AM ET · Oval Office · 10 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation903-008 on Tape 903StartFriday, April 20, 1973 at 11:23 AMEndFriday, April 20, 1973 at 11:32 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 903-008 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon instructed the White House operator to place a telephone call to Assistant Attorney General Henry Peterson. The request served as a direct communication link to the Justice Department during the escalation of the Watergate scandal. No further substantive discussion occurred during this brief administrative exchange.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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

Sir, Henry Peterson, please.

NARA Description

On April 20, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:23 am and 11:32 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 903-008 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 903-8

Date: April 20, 1973
Time: Unknown between 11:23 am and 11:32 am
Location: Oval Office

The President talked with the White House operator.

[See Conversation No. 38-128]

Also recorded on April 20, 1973

  • 903-006 11:07 AM · 42 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:07 am to 11:23 am.
  • 038-128 11:23 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:23 am and 11:32 am.
  • 903-007 11:23 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:23 am and 11:32 am.
  • 903-009 11:23 AM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:23 am and 11:32 am.
  • 903-010 11:23 AM · 38 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:23 am and 11:32 am.
  • 038-129 11:32 AM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry E. Petersen talked on the telephone from 11:32 am to 11:40 am.
  • 903-011 11:32 AM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry E. Petersen met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:32 am to 11:40 am.
  • 903-012 11:40 AM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:40 am and 11:43 am.

All 34 conversations from April 20, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 903-008, April 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/903-008 (accessed October 5, 2026).