John Dean was born on October 14, 1938, in Akron, Ohio. He attended Staunton Military Academy and graduated from the Georgetown University Law School in 1965. In June 1970, Dean was appointed counsel to President Nixon. Of the key Watergate figures, John Dean was among those most responsible for bringing about the president's downfall, and he is attributed with one of the most enduring quotes from the Watergate saga.

The Watergate scandal was triggered by the burglary of Democratic National Committee Headquarters at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C. by individuals connected to the White House. Subsequent White House attempts to cover up the break-in and other illegal activities were revealed in congressional and law enforcement investigations whose scope was defined by Senator Howard Baker before a federal congressional committee in June 1973: "What did the president know and when did he know it"" Key to answering those questions was John Dean...