Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 460 › Conversation 460-014

Nixon, Dudley & Dent on Diplomatic appointments and Resignations

Friday, February 26, 1971 · 1:14 PM–1:18 PM ET · Oval Office · 4 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Dudley, Guilford, Jr.; Dent, Harry S.; White House photographer; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Dudley, Guilford, Jr.; Dent, Harry S.; White House photographerConversation460-014 on Tape 460 (tape position 00:55:58–01:00:06)StartFriday, February 26, 1971 at 1:14 PMEndFriday, February 26, 1971 at 1:18 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 460-014 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with U.S. Ambassador to Denmark Guilford Dudley, Jr. and advisor Harry S. Dent to discuss Dudley’s desire to step down from his diplomatic post. Dudley requested a sabbatical for 1972, citing his intention to focus on Nixon’s reelection campaign and to settle personal business affairs. The President expressed appreciation for Dudley’s service and agreed to coordinate the transition to ensure a suitable successor for the ambassadorship.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 1 minute of this recording (about 35% 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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Hey, well, you know what?
We need to support you.
Well, how's it going over there?
Fine, I'm all right.
Thank you.
By the way, I want to congratulate you on your speech yesterday.
I think this will be a tremendous help to all of your classes, including me.
It's been a lot of help, but I thank you because I finally know that...
I know you've got a heavy schedule, so I'll make this fast.
What I would like to do, Mr. President, is I like time.
I'm having a wonderful time.
It's a great privilege to be here.
It's a great force.
It's a great force.
I'd like to say that if I was to this year, I'd like to go with you again in 73, if you would need me at all.
But I would also, at this point, like to ask for a sabbatical in 72.
That's the year of the Mount, approximately, in January, for two reasons.
One is that I think the most important thing in the world today, and to the world today, is...
as well as the United States is to see that you get re-elected in 1972.
I'd like to do what I can to... Well, you did before.
Well, I'd like to do it again.
And the second reason is that I'd also like to get my old affairs in order.
and go back, so that I can go over to you and say, right, go back as not as president, but as chairman of the board of my company, including the radio and TV, and keep those.
That's what enabled me to be in a position to do anything that's necessary.
So I'm only asking for about a year off.
You might wonder why I'm doing this so far in advance, but I have to make my plans.
And also, if you talk to us this end of the week, you might have no fun.
And we'll try to give some really deserving guy that opportunity.
It's a wonderful post, and we can, well, Delford, I can't say how much you really hope your wife enjoys it, too.
She has, and so does my daughter-in-law.
I remember her asking me to give you that, well, we're such loving people, such a good household.
We had a promise to her.
Well, that's all I have, Mr. President.
I love you.
Anyway, we want you to know that I appreciate it.
We'll handle it any way you want.
As long as you want to stay, you can.
Right.
would you say about January 30th and 17th?
Yes, sir.
You ready?
All right, let's go.
We really want a good man for this job.
Some guy deserves it, you know.
Yeah, we got a lot of new wives.
Oh, these are little crates.
They're your wives.
Oh, well, that's right.
They're the first person I should talk to.
Oh, they haven't already.
How about you get down to... And your wife, too.
Yeah.
There's the President, she's awful.
I don't mind her.
I'd like to have you seal off her signature.
What?
Why do you remind me of that?
Why do you do that?
I always kid, I say, I've never been to the Vice President anymore.
Thank you, you know, one sec.
I don't mind you.
You're a great guy.
I thought I had none of them, but I woke up the night before you.
I'll never forget that beautiful party at your home.

NARA Description

On February 26, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Guilford Dudley, Jr., Harry S. Dent, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:14 pm to 1:18 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 460-014 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 460-14

Date: February 26, 1971
Time: 1:14 pm - 1:18 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Guilford Dudley, Jr. and Harry S. Dent; the White House photographer
was present at the beginning of the meeting

     Greetings

     Dudley’s plans
          -Resignation as US Ambassador to Denmark
               -Rationale
               -The President’s appreciation
               -Peter M. Flanigan

     Gifts

     Golf
             -The Vice President
             -Leslie T. (“Bob”) Hope

     Farewells

Dudley and Dent left at 1:18 pm

Also recorded on February 26, 1971

  • 460-009 1:00 PM · 40 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at 1:00 pm.
  • 460-010 1:00 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon, T. Harding Jones, Anthony Radd, Charles Kolb, Jeb Stuart Magruder, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:00 pm to 1:08 pm.
  • 460-011 1:08 PM · 26 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at 1:08 pm.
  • 460-012 1:08 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Cecil W. Stevenson, Frank G. Wood, George T. Bell, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:08 pm to 1:12 pm.
  • 460-013 1:12 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Thomas L. Lias, Harry S. Dent, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:12 pm to 1:14 pm.
  • 460-015 1:18 PM · 23 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at 1:18 pm.
  • 460-016 1:18 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:18 pm to 1:23 pm.
  • 460-017 1:26 PM · 48 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Stephen B. Bull, unknown person(s), and Dwight L. Chapin met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:26 pm to 2:20 pm.

All 30 conversations from February 26, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 460-014, February 26, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/460-014 (accessed October 12, 2026).