Nixon White House TapesTape 465 › Conversation 465-002

Nixon, Safire & Butterfield on Law enforcement speech and Judicial reform

Wednesday, March 10, 1971 · 9:33 AM–9:45 AM ET · Oval Office

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Safire, William L.;  Butterfield, Alexander P.Conversation465-002 onTape 465 (tape position 00:03:32–00:18:02)StartWednesday, March 10, 1971 at 9:33 AMEndWednesday, March 10, 1971 at 9:45 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 465-002 ↗

President Nixon met with William Safire to refine a draft of an upcoming speech on law enforcement, focusing on themes of judicial reform, respect for the law, and the appropriate tone for addressing national concerns. The discussion included adjustments to language regarding radicalism and the legal system, as well as the President’s stance on legal services for the poor. Following this, Alexander Butterfield joined to finalize the logistics and procedure for a scheduled signing ceremony regarding revenue sharing for rural community development.

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This conversation has not yet been cut into its own clip, so the player above contains the full tape segment shared with neighbouring conversations. It begins about 00:03:32 into the tape and ends around 00:18:02.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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2:51Oh, right.
2:54I was wondering, have you... Actually, it's a little shorter than the last draft.
3:12It's about 3,100 words.
3:14The last speech you gave, you gave it about 116 words a minute.
3:20Well, I thought I made a couple of cuts.
3:23Two questions.
3:24What about the national history?
3:39Has that reached you far?
3:43Well, it didn't offend Chief Justice Krueger.
3:48Basically, the missile didn't get thrown by the... Well, look at the way it's handled.
3:59I know it's handled all right.
4:02I'm just wondering if the lead was picked out.
4:09Let's talk finally.
4:11And if you...
4:17National tragedy, I think, could have more sorrow than anger in it.
4:24Disaster.
4:47A deep national concern?
4:52Deep.
5:14And that reform, the years of neglect, have been the years of neglect.
5:20The ones that made reform have been the years of neglect.
5:26And now the demand for reform of the American system is going to be the first national crime in the United States.
5:43That was a good kind of describing the problem there, therefore we should have .
6:29That's striking.
6:31How about using the first part of that as the lead to benefit?
6:34Next page.
6:36Lead to hard work and dedicated joy is something that's important.
6:39It's just something that's in the news.
6:45That's right.
6:51Well, I would make it seem like this is the conclusion.
6:56The next barrier is essentially one point.
7:03I'd modify it by saying many hard work.
7:20That puts, that leads entirely in terms of your idea of protecting the community.
7:29That's what the hell we're talking about.
7:30This paragraph was created by Patrick J. Buchanan.
7:39Okay, let's just let it go now.
7:42The only other thing, I know it's a nice balance, but I notice we break the eight-gallon law back here.
7:51Do you... Can we really slow down?
8:01Respect the law.
8:05Respect the law.
8:06Well, I know that it doesn't balance with your hate law.
8:10I see what you're down to say.
8:14We've got hate law and love law.
8:16Respect is what I have to say.
8:21Maybe we can get another balance then.
8:22We live in a time of headlines and maybe we're those who show an act of disrespect for all institutions.
8:28By those who show an act of disrespect for all institutions.
8:32By those who
8:41What's the matter?
8:43Are we using these radicals as a ploy?
8:47Well... My word is that we're mostly using the term, love the law.
9:10We lawyers understand that, Bill.
9:11I don't think people love the law.
9:16They either love the law, or lawyers, or cops, or anything.
9:19You know what I mean?
9:21Right.
9:21Is it within the professional term?
9:23It's within the professional term.
9:24You say, I love the law.
9:25Well, I don't know.
9:28You see what I mean?
9:28Right.
9:29That's what concerns me.
9:31The fact that it's fine for lawyers, but not for folks.
9:35What about doing both?
9:36but only if accomplished by those who, by the people who respect the law, and the professionals who love them, or led by those who love them.
9:47No.
9:47I don't think we'll follow the law again at all, either use it like this or not use it at all.
9:56I'd like to defy the law and respect the law.
10:12Garment and Krogh will both want to add one sentence about legal services.
10:33I think it will be criticized if you don't say something about, I approve in principle the idea of legal services.
10:40I don't care.
10:48All right.
10:50You've got this new thing coming out with the spitting it off as a separate corporation.
10:56And I thought that since you're going to do that, go in that direction.
10:59You ought to say something about it.
11:01I'm all for legal services for the poor.
11:05I'm going to do something in that direction.
11:08I'm going to do it at the right time.
11:10It's not subject to this one here.
11:14But I don't mind being criticized for that.
11:17It's a good one.
11:19Definitely in one way or another, you just put the whole pop over this.
11:26That's fine.
11:27That's fine, John.
11:28That's good.
11:28This photo I just received is...
11:30I'll send this down to Helicopter Wicked.
11:32This is the Berger and Mark for the same thing.
11:36It's a dull speech.
11:38He has to be going.
11:40He's a remarkable man.
11:41He really worked on this.
11:42But I spent a lot of time in your speech on weighing every word.
11:51Has this been the final line of the war?
11:54No.
12:07Do you want to last crack it this way?
12:09No, that's just fine.
12:11I did it last time.
12:13Okay.
12:15Okay.
12:16Fine.
12:16Fine.
12:17Good.
12:18Oh, yeah, that's right.
12:20We did another one.
12:22There you go.
12:25I thought it was a, I thought it was a good initiative.
12:27I thought it was, recently I did a little interview with you, but it's all very like, I've given them to various people.
12:35I've had Stuart Alsop and,
12:42various others and so forth.
12:44And I thought he was doing one for the Times.
12:47It's not a bad idea to take it with a sigh.
12:50Because he's the only one that's got any damn balance up there, left, you know.
12:54Well, everybody can make any balance with foreign policy.
12:58He's balanced with foreign policy.
12:59Scottie and the others aren't too bad at domestic policy.
13:02He's not an optimist.
13:04He's not the greatest genius in the world, but he's a bit of a solider for it.
13:13I think you're right about the world, I'm sure.
13:18I said to him, when he asked me, he said, do you mind if I use this?
13:21I said, no.
13:21I said, it's nice if you want to.
13:29Yes, sir.
13:30I want to sign it, then.
13:31Where's that due?
13:32Well, it'll be in two parts, and Mark Griggs is going to come in and just give you a...
13:35I'm not going to do anything on television, so that's, uh... Well, what if he tells I'm on television?
13:39Yes, sir.
13:39Yes, sir.
13:40This is a debate.
13:41You have to come in for individual handshakes, with all the actors taking the photograph, and then signing over there.
13:48I'll let you take a look for the photograph.
13:50See?
13:50I'll just...
13:52I have to check.
13:53I thought I was going to sign it.
13:55Do you have the, uh...
13:57Bring me the, bring me the talking paper, please.
13:59I have it there.
14:04Mail it to this man, I'm gonna say it.
14:10He asked that question because he thought we'd be glad to submit it to you for correction.
14:15I said, of course not.
14:17You know, I can correct anything in my life.
14:21He was surprised.
14:21That's the foolish thing ever to do, though.
14:25If you don't trust your court, and if your court isn't good enough, your court's your life.
14:31I treated it as an enormous compliment.
14:33I'm handling that sentence.
14:34Is there?
14:35Have you been writing the story yet?
14:39No, we don't.
14:40I never.
14:41I never.
14:41Any such story has been heard.
14:47Just play along.
14:49I just went off.
17:22We're not going to bother much with this because I'm just going to stop it so you don't need to
17:28It's a very simple setup.
17:30It's just, you bring it right in, and I'll march it out.
17:34I've got some people waiting here to speak to us.
17:36We can enter the Rosenthal's office and Alex's office.
17:40Well, I may not be safe in there.
17:42There's a desk immediately to the left of the microphone.
17:46And that when you finish, just pocket the pen, and Steve will pass out the ceremonial pens for people.
17:58All right.
17:59All right.
18:00OK.

On March 10, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, William L. Safire, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:33 am to 9:45 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 465-002 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 465-2

Date: March 10, 1971
Time: 9:33 am - 9:45 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with William L. Safire

     Draft of President’s forthcoming speech on law enforcement
           -Length of draft
           -President’s revisions
                 -Wording
                       -Warren E. Burger
                       -John N. Mitchell
           -Wording
           -Reform of judicial system
                 -Priority
           -Patrick J. Buchanan
                 -Wording
           -Respect for law
                 -Radicals
                 -Lawyers
                 -Police
           -Leonard Garment and Egil (“Bud”) Krogh, Jr.
                 -Legal services reference
                       -Office of Economic Opportunity

           -Delivery of final draft
                 -Burger’s remarks
           -Burger’s review
           -Williamsburg
                 -President’s previous speech

     Interviews with President
           -Stewart J. O. Alsop
           -New York Times and Sulzberger
                -James B. (“Scotty”) Reston

Alexander P. Butterfield entered at 9:45 am

     President’s schedule
          -Ceremony for Revenue Sharing for Rural Community Development
                -Signing ceremony
                -Television appearance
                      -Mark I. Goode
                -Handshakes and photographs
                      -Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins
                -Signing ceremony
                      -Message to Congress
                      -Talking paper

Butterfield left at 9:45 am

     President’s previous interview with Sulzberger
          -Possible review by President

Safire left at 9:45 am
  • 465-001 9:25 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:25 am and 9:33 am.
  • 465-003 9:50 AM · 53 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Mark I. Goode met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:50 am to 9:51 am.
  • 465-004 9:51 AM · 12 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John W. Scott, Robert N. Hampton, Lowell J. Endahl, C. W. McMillan, John E. Butterbrodt, Don F. Magdanz, John Palmer, Eugene Moos, Robert Lederer, Patrick Healy, Harry Graham, Claude Gifford, Devoe H. Willard, John I. Sutherland, Parke Brinkley, Frank Frazier, Walter W. Goeppinger, Charles Toan, Albert Russell, Robert J. Andrews, Elbert Harp, Ralph T. Jackson, Lorraine Kirker, Roy B. Keppey, unknown person(s), and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:51 am to 10:01 am.
  • 682-001 9:57 AM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:57 am and 10:06 am.
  • 465-005 10:06 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:06 am and 10:13 am.
  • 465-006 10:13 AM · 18 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Peter M. Flanigan met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:13 am to 10:23 am.
  • 465-007 10:23 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:23 am and 10:42 am.
  • 465-008 10:42 AM · 2 hr 33 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Raymond K. Price, Jr., Noel C. Koch, Alexander P. Butterfield, Henry A. Kissinger, Stephen B. Bull, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:42 am to 1:15 pm.

Conversation 465-002, March 10, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/465-002 (accessed September 18, 2026).