Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 456 › Conversation 456-004

Nixon & Butterfield on Appointment management

Tuesday, February 23, 1971 · 9:54 AM–9:55 AM ET · Oval Office ·1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Butterfield, Alexander P.Conversation456-004 onTape 456 (tape position 00:05:51–00:06:47)StartTuesday, February 23, 1971 at 9:54 AMEndTuesday, February 23, 1971 at 9:55 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 456-004 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield discussed the scheduling of upcoming meetings during the President's designated "open hour." Nixon reviewed a list of potential visitors, including John R. Williams, Jr. and John B. Waters, Jr., and instructed Butterfield to vet the appointments to ensure they added value. The President ultimately decided to limit the number of attendees to keep the meetings productive and focused.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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There's no words in here except on the items that I've selected.

I don't think I've sorted everything out.

For example, you've got my names and my enemies.

It is.

Frankly, it doesn't feel right to the people.

They don't get any part of it.

But we'll take the one.

We have Williams, Arizona, nobody needs to be in there.

And John D. Waters, nobody needs to be in there.

So, today, even just on the open, the office hours, it's alright.

and say, which one of these do you think?

There might be a little color.

And then mark a couple, then let the guy come in for those.

And then we bring them in.

NARA Description

On February 23, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:54 am to 9:55 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 456-004 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 456-4

Date: February 23, 1971
Time: 9:54 am - 9:55 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield

     The President’s schedule
          -”Open Hour”
               -Reporters
                      -The President’s view
                      -John R. (“Jack”) Williams, Jr.
                      -John B. Waters, Jr.
                      -Ronald L. Ziegler

Butterfield left at 9:55 am

Also recorded on February 23, 1971

456-002 9:42 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:42 am to 9:44 am.
456-003 9:46 AM · 39 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:46 am to 9:48 am.
456-005 10:05 AM · 1 hr 36 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Alexander P. Butterfield, unknown person(s), John D. Ehrlichman, Ronald L. Ziegler, Henry A. Kissinger, Manolo Sanchez, and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:05 am to 11:30 am.
456-006 11:30 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:30 am and 11:36 am.
456-007 11:36 AM · 13 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Milton R. Young, Mark Andrews, Lee W. Huebner, unknown person(s), and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:36 am to 11:48 am.
456-008 11:48 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at 11:48 am.
456-009 11:49 AM · 13 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John R. ("Jack") Williams, Jr., John D. Ehrlichman, Lee W. Huebner, White House photographer, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:49 am to 12:02 pm.
456-010 12:02 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John B. Waters, Jr., Patsy (Temple) Waters, Cynthia Waters, John B. Waters, III, John D. Ehrlichman, Ronald L. Ziegler, Lee W. Huebner, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:02 pm to 12:06 pm.

All 27 conversations from February 23, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 456-004, February 23, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/456-004 (accessed September 18, 2026).