Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 417 › Conversation 417-007

Nixon & Rogers on Ceremonial planning and Diplomatic protocol

Monday, March 5, 1973 · 3:28 PM–3:32 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Rogers, William P.Conversation417-007 on Tape 417StartMonday, March 5, 1973 at 3:28 PMEndMonday, March 5, 1973 at 3:32 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 417-007 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Secretary of State William P. Rogers discuss the logistical planning for an upcoming event, specifically focusing on the unveiling of a plaque and a commemorative flag. Nixon emphasizes the symbolic importance of the unveiling over traditional speeches and provides guidance on guest selection for an associated luncheon. The two coordinate the involvement of State Department personnel to ensure the event projects an image of professional decorum and effective public relations.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 2 minutes of this recording (about 47% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Bill, I don't want to speak in here, but let me say that with regard to if you think, provided that you have an investor that would be preferred as an investment, that's what we would do with the plaque.
You can make the plaque better than the investment group.
Of course, if you do the plaque, you can still have a lot of people around.
And then your fight is to unveil the flag and then to make remarks there.
Well, that really symbolizes better than mine just standing up there and talking to people in the auditorium.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, I've been here.
Years ago.
And have your research guys send over to our people right away, the people who know what the other flag is, and so forth, so I can get that.
And there's a good answer to the nature of the flag.
Now, the other point is that on the dinner, on the luncheon, whoever you want, that's fine.
But that's about what I did.
It depends.
I had a lot of funny people, and we just sat around and talked about things.
Well, actually, we could control that thing.
The only person that I would bring from here would be Henry Hudson.
He would bring him, but he wouldn't let us.
And that would be the sort of, I don't know, I don't know.
I mean, somebody that has to sit.
And so we'll go down and do the black thing.
And also let the people, when they die, we'll do the black stuff.
So when I left, I said, OK, let the people out.
So as you've always done, let the people be out.
Because I think one thing about this is that it shows that the State Department people are not sitting here and tagging us with their credit card.
All these people would be just like people in the past.
Whatever you like.
I'll be there at 1.
And I was trying to stay over there.

NARA Description

On March 5, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and William P. Rogers met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:28 pm to 3:32 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 417-007 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 417-7

Date: March 5, 1973
Time: 3:28 pm - 3:32 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with William P. Rogers.

[See Conversation No. 37-55]
                                             -11-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                           Conversation No. 417-24 (cont’d)

Also recorded on March 5, 1973

  • 417-004 3:25 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 3:25 pm.
  • 417-005 3:25 PM · 56 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:25 pm to 3:26 pm.
  • 037-052 3:26 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 3:26 pm.
  • 037-053 3:26 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 3:26 pm to 3:27 pm.
  • 037-054 3:27 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 3:27 pm.
  • 417-006 3:27 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 3:27 pm.
  • 037-055 3:28 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William P. Rogers talked on the telephone from 3:28 pm to 3:32 pm.
  • 037-056 3:33 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 3:33 pm.

All 31 conversations from March 5, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 417-007, March 5, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/417-007 (accessed October 6, 2026).