"Cancer on the Presidency": John Dean explains the origins of the Watergate break-in, March 21, 1973

On March 21, 1973, President Richard Nixon met with White House Counsel John W. Dean, III. Recording devices in the Oval Office of the White House captured this conversation.

In this conversation segment, Dean warns President Nixon that the Watergate cover-up is a growing "cancer... close to the Presidency." He mentions blackmail and possible perjury. Dean describes the origins of what became the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex. Dean indicates his own role in recruiting G. Gordon Liddy, describes Liddy's background, and contrasts Jack Caulfield's early efforts to craft a campaign intelligence operation against more audacious schemes proposed by Liddy.

Persons mentioned include Donald Segretti, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Caulfield, Liddy, John D. Ehrlichman, John N. Mitchell, Daniel Ellsberg, Egil ("Bud") Krogh, and Jeb Stuart Magruder. The conversation also references the Committee for the Re-election of the President headquarters, located at 1701 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC.

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The Nixon Presidential Library has prepared captions, which may be accessed through the Closed Caption button. The National Archives does not guarantee the accuracy of these captions.

For the Watergate Special Prosecution Force-prepared transcript, please visit: http://www.nixonlibrary.gov/forresear...


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AUDIO RECORDING

Conversation 886-008, Audiotape 886 (NARA Identifier #7450039), Oval Office Sound Recordings, White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, College Park, MD and Yorba Linda, CA.


IMAGE

"Portrait study of John Dean in his office," March 7, 1973, WHPO-E0398-02A, White House Photo Office Photographs (NARA Identifier #194277), Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, College Park, MD and Yorba Linda, CA.

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