Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 317 › Conversation 317-010

Nixon & Butterfield on Robert Anderson and Ambassadorship

Monday, January 24, 1972 · 3:15 PM–3:17 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 39 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Butterfield, Alexander P.Conversation317-010 on Tape 317 (tape position 01:18:24–01:20:04)StartMonday, January 24, 1972 at 3:15 PMEndMonday, January 24, 1972 at 3:17 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 317-010 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with Alexander P. Butterfield to discuss the pending appointment of Robert Anderson, a Foreign Service officer, to an ambassadorship in Dahomey. The primary objective was to review the necessary background documentation and prepare the paperwork for the President's signature. The brief exchange focused on verifying Anderson's credentials and ensuring the nomination process was moving forward.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Okay, sir.
Where's the Anderson back?
Oh, it's the Anderson.
Bob Anderson of the District Department, Foreign Service Officer, plan to be invited to home.
To where?
To home.

NARA Description

On January 24, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:15 pm to 3:17 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 317-010 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 317-010

Date: January 24, 1972
Time: 3:15 pm - 3:17 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

       Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542

The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield.

      Bills for the President's signature

      Robert Anderson
           -Background
           -Ambassadorship to Dahomey

Butterfield left at 3:17 pm.

Also recorded on January 24, 1972

  • 019-043 3:08 PM · 37 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and William L. Safire talked on the telephone from 3:08 pm to 3:09 pm.
  • 317-008 3:08 PM · 32 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and William L. Safire met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:08 pm to 3:09 pm.
  • 317-009 3:09 PM · 28 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:09 pm and 3:15 pm.
  • 019-044 3:17 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:17 pm and 3:23 pm.
  • 317-011 3:17 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:17 pm and 3:23 pm.
  • 019-045 3:23 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John B. Connally talked on the telephone from 3:23 pm to 3:29 pm.
  • 317-012 3:23 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John B. Connally met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:23 pm to 3:29 pm.
  • 019-046 3:29 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:29 pm and 3:32 pm.

All 54 conversations from January 24, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 317-010, January 24, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/317-010 (accessed September 26, 2026).