Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 454 › Conversation 454-001

Nixon, Butterfield & Sanchez on Joseph E. Parker and Staffing

Friday, February 19, 1971 · 4:11 PM–4:59 PM ET · Oval Office ·5 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Butterfield, Alexander P.;  Sanchez, Manolo;  Ziegler, Ronald L.;  White House operator;  Woods, Rose Mary;  Ehrlichman, John D.Conversation454-001 onTape 454 (tape position 00:00:41–00:05:42)StartFriday, February 19, 1971 at 4:11 PMEndFriday, February 19, 1971 at 4:59 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 454-001 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with various staff members regarding administrative matters and staffing inquiries. The primary focus of the discussion involved evaluating the professional background and political reliability of Joseph E. Parker, a Washington insider with extensive experience in Congress and agricultural policy. Nixon sought to assess Parker's suitability for a potential role, specifically noting his Democratic affiliation and his reputation for being savvy on Capitol Hill.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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He didn't tell us.
He didn't tell us.
He didn't tell us.
He didn't tell us.
He didn't tell us.
Okay.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Good, I remember him now.
Pleasant, good looking man.
Okay, that shows, feel better.
Joe Parker is the name.
Joe Parker, Joseph E. Parker, he's a termite here in town.
I don't know if he's a good looking guy.
I don't know.
Bryce will know it, as you mentioned.
But he is very savvy, knows the hill.
He's a Democrat, which doesn't bother me.
Which doesn't bother me particularly, but I know he's sort of on our side.
But he's a great guy, I know.
We're referring to him as a termite.
Okay?

NARA Description

On February 19, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, Manolo Sanchez, Ronald L. Ziegler, White House operator, Rose Mary Woods, and John D. Ehrlichman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:11 pm and 4:59 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 454-001 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 454-1

Date: February 19, 1971
Time: Unknown between 4:11 and 4:59 pm
Location: Oval Office

Alexander P. Butterfield met with Manolo Sanchez and Ronald L. Ziegler [?]

******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Non-historical]
[Duration: 1m 18s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

******************************************************************************

     President’s schedule

The President entered and Butterfield and Ziegler [?] left at 4:52 pm

     Rose Mary Woods
          -Telephone call

[The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 4:52 pm and
4:53 pm]

[Conversation No. 454-1A]

     Call to Rose Mary Woods

[End of telephone conversation]

     Woods’ health

[The President talked with Woods between 4:53 pm and 4:54 pm]

[Conversation No. 454-1B]

     Joseph E. Parker

[End of telephone conversation]

[The President talked with an unknown man [John D. Ehrlichman?] at an unknown time between
4:54 pm and 4:59 pm]

[Conversation No. 454-1C]

     Parker
          -Work experience
               -Congress
                    -Farming
          -Bryce N. Harlow

[End of telephone conversation]

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 4:59 pm

Also recorded on February 19, 1971

  • 453-001 3:15 PM · 38 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John D. Ehrlichman, George P. Shultz, John C. Whitaker and Stephen B. Bull and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:15 pm and 3:59 pm.
  • 453-002 3:59 PM · 58 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:59 pm and 4:00 pm.
  • 453-003 4:00 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Melia Black, Pamela Southall, Orville Black, Hilary Black, Rosemary Manarin, Betty Fountain, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:00 pm to 4:05 pm.
  • 453-004 4:06 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald C. Romas, Linda McQuaig, Glenn Wilson, Jay Morris, Joseph Abate, Robert C. Odle, Jr., and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:06 pm to 4:11 pm.
  • 453-005 4:11 PM · 5 min — United States Secret Service agents met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:11 pm and 4:52 pm.
  • 454-002 4:54 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:54 pm and 4:59 pm.
  • 454-003 4:59 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, John D. Ehrlichman, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:59 pm to 5:08 pm.
  • 454-004 5:08 PM · 1 hr 39 min — President Richard M. Nixon, George P. Shultz, Paul W. McCracken, Arthur F. Burns, John B. Connally, Ronald L. Ziegler, Rose Mary Woods, the White House photographer, and members of the press met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:08 pm to 6:34 pm.

All 30 conversations from February 19, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 454-001, February 19, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/454-001 (accessed September 18, 2026).