Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 458 › Conversation 458-008

Nixon & Chapin on White House logistics and Astronaut dinner

Thursday, February 25, 1971 · 4:34 PM–4:42 PM ET · Oval Office ·8 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Chapin, Dwight L.Conversation458-008 onTape 458 (tape position 01:48:32–01:56:38)StartThursday, February 25, 1971 at 4:34 PMEndThursday, February 25, 1971 at 4:42 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 458-008 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Dwight L. Chapin discussed logistical arrangements for upcoming White House events, specifically a reception involving John Quincy Adams' portrait and a dinner honoring astronauts. They reviewed seating plans, the program structure, and potential guest list additions, including the possibility of inviting prominent golfers. Nixon also addressed the travel arrangements for John B. Connally to Camp David and decided against inviting an MIT scientist who had contributed to the Apollo 14 mission due to concerns over his appearance.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Oh, thank you.
Whoops, sorry.
Is Mr. Rose here?
Uh-huh.
Yeah, he is, yes.
I pushed you off the top.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I thought you had something on me.
Well, I don't have anything.
I don't want you to silence me, but maybe after Ambassador Kennedy leaves, I've got a couple of plans today.
Oh, just go ahead now.
I'll be right back.
Oh, I see.
Do you expect to participate the whole time, or would you?
3 o'clock, 3.20.
That's it.
We've got a scenario here, which I think...
The only question I had, they've got all four of you sitting on the stage rather than in the front row.
I didn't think you'd want to be sitting on the platform facing the audience for that period of time while John Quincy Adams and Mr. Andrew Oliver speak.
The scenario is that 250 guests, you and Mrs. Nixon,
Come in.
Mr. Adams and Mr. Hallberg will be pre-positioning their chairs on the platform.
And Mrs. Nixon.
Quiet.
This is the way to do it.
So they know us, too.
And I don't say anything.
They expect me to shake hands with the guests.
No, no.
But you're the last of the remarks.
Full press coverage.
No handshake.
Good.
All right.
No questions.
The other quick one, I want to get a feel for how you envisage the plan for the astronaut dinner on March 1st.
Do you want to treat it somewhat like the state dinner and meet up with your old room and the families, I mean, with the husbands and wives?
Yes, thank you.
I don't have a plan.
I think we should have a situation where they sit with us.
at the head table of the sentries.
Okay.
At the head table.
And leave them there.
So I can mention to you if you're going to meet the members of Congress there.
Yes.
They're late.
Do you have any entertainment afterwards?
No.
No formal entertainment at the East Rumble.
Yes, I do.
A little heavy.
A little heavy on the entertainment during dinner.
Well, the presentation.
The presentation is the speaker's service thing.
Yes, sir.
And I'm also going to ask you, did you get that situation in regard to pulling one close?
Yes, sir.
Sapphire, something, I don't know yet how that was done.
Yeah, well, I want to be sure that I'm going to make it.
See, I'll make a big one.
So you'll know what to do.
Very, very brief thing.
or whatever it is.
I don't know what the damn thing is.
I haven't read the material.
We might even find him in the Dells.
Or another nice thing would be to invite maybe Arnold Palmer to come in for the dinner.
That's a great idea.
I've got to know to get something different.
Arnold Palmer or Billy Cash, or one of our good supporters.
That might be a good idea.
That's not a good idea.
so but yeah that's all we'll do and then everybody gas around afterwards you don't want to make a toast you just make remarks if you want to toast no we would just uh just make remarks so i think we ought to have each of them say they shouldn't respond let's see
I'll tell you what I mean.
How many flights in all would be represented?
Why don't we have a minute from each one?
A minute from the commander of each flight?
Each Apollo?
Or each that's represented generally?
Go clear back.
In other words, there may be ten, and that would be a very interesting program.
Each one, yes, one minute.
I'm not sure.
How would they do?
Astronauts, they'd grab a list, I think, here.
Certainly not.
Maybe that wouldn't be so good.
Certainly not.
I think it's better to just have the three of them speak.
We'll want to be on hand for that presentation portion, even though it's in the same time.
Just for the presentation of medals.
Yes, presentation of medals with the lights and the presentation.
Your remarks can go to the press.
Thank you.
In other words, all they do have is come in here and produce music.
Well, the thinking was, and this happened in a military session, I noticed it, it was like a great reunion for all those guys.
Yeah.
They like to sort of get around and have a lot of dance music and so forth, and they like talking to each other rather than sitting around.
It's great.
Is it about Tom?
Is he going to go up there and knock him?
Yes, I've written you a note.
He was delighted, really, by the extra call, and I reiterated your appreciation for the fact that he's been going full steam.
You really were sincere about your wish that he... Are you going to helicopter him up?
He's going to be helicoptered up on Friday.
He was delighted.
He's only going to his wife.
They're not taking anyone.
Yesterday was her birthday, and Saturday is his, and the Camp David staff knows that.
Well, let's have others put it on, be sure.
As I said, have you used the brand?
The one that hasn't been used by anyone.
That's right.
That's Beach.
He's got that.
They're going to really lay off.
Great.
Rose just gave me this before I came in.
There's a Dr. Iles of MIT.
He's the young man who solved the lunar lander's computer problem on this Apollo 14 flight.
But he's a long hair, and he wears the granite glasses.
But he did, well, one of you might want him included in this dinner.
He's not now, but he did figure.
into the success of that apartment.
Well, I don't care.
I don't care about his hair being long.
But I don't want to have him here.
See what I mean?
I agree, but he's a rascal.
He don't care about the others.

NARA Description

On February 25, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Dwight L. Chapin met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:34 pm and 4:42 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 458-008 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 458-008

Date: February 25, 1971
Time: Unknown between 4:34 pm and 4:42 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with an unknown person [Dwight L. Chapin]

     The President’s schedule
          -Milton C. Rose
          -David M. Kennedy
          -Forthcoming White House reception
                -John Quincy Adams’ portrait
                      -President’s attendance
                      -Seating arrangements
                            -Adams
                            -Andrew Oliver
                      -Number of guests
                      -Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon
                      -Press coverage
          -Astronaut dinner
                -Seating
                -Program
          -Hole-in-one club
                -William L. Safire
                -Hugh M. Downs
                -Arnold D. Palmer
                -Billy Casper
          -Astronaut dinner

                 -President’s remarks
                 -Remarks of astronauts
                 -Location
                 -Presentation of medals
                 -The President’s remarks
            -Camp David
                 -John B. Connally
                 -Accommodations
            -Astronaut dinner
                 -Dr. [Forename unknown] Isles [sp?]
                       -Rose Mary Woods
                       -Possible invitation
                       -Background
                             -Apollo 14 role
                       -President’s position

The unknown person [Chapin] left at an unknown time before 4:42 pm

Also recorded on February 25, 1971

  • 458-003 3:28 PM · 33 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:28 pm to 3:35 pm.
  • 458-004 3:35 PM · 12 min — President Richard M. Nixon, George Renercomb, Thomas S. Kleppe, Glenda L. (Gompf) Kleppe, Jill Kleppe, Jane Kleppe, Gladys Anderson, Ruth Edick, Anthony G. Chase, Arthur H. Singer, Marshall J. Parker, Jack Eachon, Jr., Arthur McZier, Howard Russell, Einar Johnson, Wilfred J. Gavin, John A. Knebel, Loren J. Rivard, Raymond E. Stull, Milton R. Young, Patricia M. (Burne) Young, Robert J. Dole, Silvio O. Conte, Joseph L. ("Joe") Evins, Christine Gallagher, Lucey Sharp, Dorothy A. Kabis, Magnus Lutnass, Rogers C. B. Morton, Clark MacGregor, and Maurice H. Stans met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:35 pm to 3:46 pm.
  • 458-005 3:46 PM · 19 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Felipe Herrera, Charls E. Walker, Henry J. Costanzo, and Ashley Hewitt met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:46 pm and 4:05 pm.
  • 458-006 4:05 PM · 37 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:05 pm and 4:07 pm.
  • 458-007 4:07 PM · 28 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Joe D. Waggonner, Jr., Juanita Morris Moody, John C. Whitaker, Richard K. Cook, White House photographer, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:07 pm to 4:34 pm.
  • 458-009 4:42 PM · 23 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Milton C. Rose, Manolo Sanchez, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:42 pm to 5:05 pm.
  • 458-010 5:05 PM · 38 min — President Richard M. Nixon, David M. Kennedy, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., White House photographer, Nellie L. Yates, Marjorie P. Acker, and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:05 pm to 5:43 pm.
  • 458-011 5:44 PM · 45 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Alexander P. Butterfield, and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:44 pm to 6:30 pm.

All 12 conversations from February 25, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 458-008, February 25, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/458-008 (accessed September 18, 2026).