Nellie L. Yates
Nellie L. Yates was a career civil servant who worked in the West Wing across seven presidential administrations. During the Nixon administration, she initially served as the secretary to Appointments Secretary Dwight L. Chapin from January 1969 until his resignation in February 1973. Following Chapin's departure, Yates transitioned to the role of Staff Assistant from March 1973 to August 1974. Stationed just outside the Oval Office during the taping period, she was frequently recorded managing access to the President and interacting with senior aides.
When Yates is on the tapes
What Yates talks about on the tapes
Presidential scheduling 9Speechwriting 6Oval Office 6White House operations 4White House logistics 4Ronald L. Ziegler 4Logistics 4Administrative logistics 4White House staff 3White House administration 3Oval Office operations 3Henry Kissinger 3
Conversations (34)
President Nixon met with David M. Kennedy and General Alexander Haig to discuss the strategic objectives and logistical planning for Kennedy’s upcoming diplomatic tour of Vietnam, Indonesia, Micronesia, Hong Kong, and Thailand. The President emphasized the critical need for an expert evaluation of South Vietnam’s post-withdrawal economic viability and urged Kennedy to consult directly with local leaders and business figures to bypass the perceived limitations of State Department bureaucracy. Additionally, Nixon provided specific instructions for managing regional alliances, including reassuring Thai leadership of U.S. commitment and addressing the political complexities of Micronesian governance.
Nellie L. Yates met with maintenance workers in the Oval Office to address a request concerning the Cabinet Room. The discussion focused on specific maintenance issues, including a torn and scratched table surface. The workers agreed to inspect the damage.
On May 14, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Nellie L. Yates met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:11 am and 9:15 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 499-003 of the White House Tapes.
President Nixon met with speechwriter Raymond K. Price, Jr. to finalize the draft of his upcoming September 9 address to Congress regarding economic stabilization. The participants, assisted briefly by Alexander P. Butterfield and Nellie L. Yates, focused on structural edits to the speech, specifically refining sections on Phase II price controls, revenue sharing, welfare reform, and inflation rhetoric. The conversation also touched upon administrative logistics for a forthcoming Kennedy Center event.
President Nixon contacted Nellie L. Yates to check on the progress of a draft for his upcoming speech to Congress. Yates explained that she was re-typing the document to correct spacing issues, prompting Nixon to reassure her and advise against rushing the task. They concluded the call by arranging for Yates to deliver the completed draft to the Lincoln Sitting Room later that evening for the President's review.
On October 6, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, William L. Safire, and Nellie L. Yates met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 8:40 pm and 11:59 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 284-022 of the White House Tapes.
President Nixon placed a brief social call to Nellie L. Yates to wish her a pleasant vacation prior to her departure for Europe. During the conversation, Yates outlined her extensive travel itinerary, which included stops in London, Zurich, Austria, Italy, Morocco, and Portugal. The exchange concluded with Yates confirming that the President's ongoing work on an upcoming speech was progressing well.
President Nixon met with Nellie L. Yates in the Oval Office to discuss routine administrative and social matters. The brief conversation covered the care and maintenance of a plant in the office, a missed photograph opportunity involving White House secretaries, and an exchange regarding a potential trip to Florida. The President concluded the meeting by expressing an intention to reschedule Yates for a future excursion.
President Nixon met with Nellie L. Yates and briefly conferred with FBI Associate Director W. Mark Felt following the attempted assassination of Governor George Wallace. The conversation centered on the implications of the shooting, with Nixon drawing historical parallels to the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and the wounding of John B. Connally. Nixon emphasized the need for a thorough FBI investigation to avoid the controversies associated with previous high-profile political shootings.
President Nixon held a brief telephone conversation with Nellie L. Yates to discuss logistical arrangements and scheduling for the First Lady, Pat Nixon. The discussion centered on the First Lady's return to Washington, D.C., and details concerning upcoming New Year's celebrations, including the use of Chinese wine. The call served as a coordination check regarding these holiday social plans.
President Nixon coordinated travel arrangements with Nellie L. Yates to ensure she could return home in time for New Year's Eve festivities alongside First Lady Pat Nixon. The brief interaction focused on logistics for the First Lady's departure and included lighthearted, informal social pleasantries. No significant policy decisions were made during this exchange.
President Nixon met with Nellie L. Yates to review administrative details and preparations surrounding his second inauguration and the concurrent Vietnam peace negotiations. The discussion touched upon public relations strategies, including the President's potential television address regarding the peace settlement, as well as logistical coordination for inaugural events and staff roles. Additionally, the President engaged in long-term strategic planning for second-term government reorganization and executive branch personnel appointments.
On February 27, 1973, unknown person(s) and Nellie L. Yates met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 6:35 pm and 11:59 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 864-010 of the White House Tapes.
On April 18, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Nellie L. Yates met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:33 pm and 12:48 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 900-014 of the White House Tapes.
President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull and staff members, including Nellie L. Yates, to coordinate his daily schedule and manage administrative logistics. The conversation focused on upcoming cabinet meetings, the scheduling of various briefings, and the handling of departmental correspondence and materials. Throughout the meeting, the President attended to routine office matters, including securing specific writing supplies and briefly discussing personal grooming and appearances with staff.
On May 8, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Nellie L. Yates met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:56 pm and 12:59 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 912-016 of the White House Tapes.
On May 11, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Nellie L. Yates met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:10 am and 8:27 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 916-005 of the White House Tapes.
On May 15, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Nellie L. Yates met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 7:50 am and 8:10 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 918-005 of the White House Tapes.
President Nixon, Nellie L. Yates, and several unknown individuals met briefly in the Oval Office to discuss technical equipment and its operation. The participants coordinated the timing and functionality of a device, specifically focusing on the necessity of an external switch. This discussion also touched upon administrative personnel and arrangements regarding escort duties.
President Nixon met with Nellie L. Yates to discuss the administrative management of press secretary Ronald L. Ziegler’s schedule and briefing materials. The conversation focused on the excessive length of Ziegler's briefings and the burden of reviewing lengthy, multi-page reports. No formal policy changes were enacted, but the exchange highlighted the President's frustration with the volume of documentation required for upcoming briefings.
On May 22, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, and Nellie L. Yates met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:44 am and 8:50 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 925-007 of the White House Tapes.
President Nixon met with Nellie L. Yates in the Oval Office for a brief social interaction. Their discussion included an exchange regarding a note and a statement, as well as a short conversation about the age of Yates's niece. The meeting concluded quickly without any record of significant policy decisions or official action items.
President Nixon met with Nellie L. Yates and Manolo Sanchez to discuss the prevailing climate of the administration during the ongoing Watergate scandal. The participants exchanged impressions regarding public reaction, the President’s current mood, and the departure of key aides H.R. Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman. Nixon also provided administrative instructions to Yates concerning the delivery of a book to Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler.
President Nixon met with Nellie L. Yates to discuss administrative logistics and scheduling matters, specifically concerning an upcoming meeting with Henry Kissinger. Beyond the professional agenda, the two engaged in casual conversation regarding the President’s travel plans to Florida and Yates's recent personal activities. The discussion concluded with the President finalizing his schedule and confirming his preference for refreshments.
President Nixon met with Ronald Ziegler, Alexander Haig, and William Timmons to coordinate White House strategy regarding the impending Ervin Committee testimony of John Dean and the administration’s broader press relations. The participants discussed the necessity of discrediting Dean and managing public perception amid the Watergate scandal, while balancing these concerns with the President's upcoming economic address and the diplomatic significance of the forthcoming Leonid Brezhnev summit. Nixon emphasized the importance of maintaining a unified front with congressional allies and directed his staff to ensure that supporters, including members of the Chowder and Marching Society, publicly prioritize national policy over the ongoing hearings.
President Nixon met with Nellie L. Yates and Manolo Sanchez to discuss administrative details regarding his upcoming schedule and an economic speech. The brief conversation focused on logistical preparations, specifically concerning signage for the event. No major policy decisions were reached during this informal planning session.
President Nixon calls his assistant, Nellie L. Yates, to coordinate administrative work following his evening excursion on the presidential yacht, Sequoia. The pair discusses personal matters, including the evening's weather and office aesthetics, before transitioning to a work-related task regarding upcoming remarks for the Everett M. Dirksen Center. Nixon requests that Yates assist him at the Executive Office Building to prepare these materials, leading to an agreement for her to return to the office to complete the project.
President Nixon and Nellie L. Yates engaged in a brief, informal exchange to coordinate their evening movements and logistical arrangements. The conversation focused on the President's work schedule at the Old Executive Office Building and plans for Yates's departure and return. No substantive policy matters were discussed, as the dialogue served primarily as a personal administrative check-in.
President Nixon met with Nellie L. Yates in the Executive Office Building to coordinate the preparation and printing of an upcoming speech honoring Everett M. Dirksen. Beyond technical logistics regarding the speech’s formatting and delivery, the pair engaged in casual conversation about office decor, horticulture, and Yates’s dedicated work ethic. The meeting concluded with the President acknowledging Yates’s contributions to his administration.
President Nixon met with Nellie L. Yates to review and refine the text of his upcoming speech scheduled to be delivered in Pekin, Illinois. Beyond the legislative or policy-focused drafting of the address, the two engaged in casual conversation regarding Yates’s personal schedule. Their discussion touched upon recreational activities, specifically tennis and gardening advice involving Charles G. “Bebe” Rebozo.
President Nixon met with Nellie L. Yates to review and organize documents, including material regarding board policy, in preparation for an upcoming speech in Pekin, Illinois. The discussion focused on the clerical management of the president’s speaking notes and the physical organization of the draft text. No major policy decisions were made, as the interaction centered on administrative logistics and typing requirements.
On June 19, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Nellie L. Yates talked on the telephone at Camp David from 11:28 pm to 11:29 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 169-010 of the White House Tapes.
Nellie L. Yates met with unidentified individuals in the Oval Office to engage in an informal, disjointed conversation involving vague references to someone's volatile mental state and aggressive intent. The participants discussed work ethics and the status of an individual named Bard while coordinating the retrieval of materials from a lower level of the White House. The interaction remained largely cryptic, focused more on personal observations than formal administrative or policy matters.
President Nixon met with Nellie L. Yates and unnamed individuals to oversee logistical and security arrangements within the Oval Office and the Executive Office Building. The discussion focused on operational concerns, including the management of office doors, alarm system settings, and potential filming activities. The encounter concluded with administrative coordination and a brief exchange regarding protocol and personal departures.