Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 474 › Conversation 474-005

Nixon, Bull & Butterfield on White House Conference on Drugs and Oval Office

Friday, March 26, 1971 · 11:17 AM–11:22 AM ET · Oval Office · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.; Butterfield, Alexander P.Conversation474-005 on Tape 474 (tape position 00:33:01–00:42:36)StartFriday, March 26, 1971 at 11:17 AMEndFriday, March 26, 1971 at 11:22 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 474-005 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with Stephen Bull and Alexander Butterfield to review and critique the logistical arrangements for an upcoming White House Conference on Drugs involving religious leaders. Expressing frustration with the proposed schedule, Nixon questioned the feasibility of moving attendees between the White House theater and the Oval Office within the allotted time frame. Ultimately, the President rejected the rigid planning and opted for a more spontaneous approach to his interaction with the guests.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Yes, sir.
I don't quite understand this.
It says that I go to the White House theater and then the state's ministers come over to meet me personally.
And you're going to do that in 30 minutes?
Yes, sir.
You mean they'll walk from the theater over here and come to this office at all times in 30 minutes?
Yes, sir.
You're on the set.
You said there would be a couple minutes of remarks.
There is a couple, right?
You know, on the banner.
No bullshit.
No bullshit.
But then I don't think we'll bother you.
I think we won't bother you.
They're not expecting anything.
This will be a spontaneous type thing.
Not necessary, though.
Well, I'll just invite you to come over if I'd like to come for a special appearance in my office.
I'm not going to be...
We've got something to do with these religious leaders.
It can't be done in 30 minutes.
I can't breathe.
I can't breathe.
Well, listen, it can't be done.
But you know how long it takes you?
It's five minutes over there, five minutes back, five minutes there, and so forth and so on.
And you don't care.
So am I supposed to take your hand if you're not going to tell them?
They haven't been told anything, Mr. President.
I don't think it's going to happen.
The plan on my floor was how long it was approved, and that's the way it went.
I see.
They came out expecting some of it.
And he said, you know what?
Yes, sir.
No problem.
Your adversaries is the thing.
Yes, sir.
Doesn't matter.
Here.
I'm in the meeting.
Oh, no.
No, I'm not going to talk.
I'm not going to share.
What?
Paul goes downstairs kissing his knee.
Uh, then I will, uh, I'll, I'll finish this.
I'll do the drug conference.
Are they, will they be ready?
My mother would have run away.
Right after this, when I go over there.
I'll see where they are.
Right, it says 1145.
There's no reason, Mike.
Yeah.
What about these people here?
Are they going to take the tour now?
No, sir, there is no secretary voting to be created by you.
No, no, I don't get my point.
Why not have them come through the office and I'll reach this one because they can't.
It's not going to be the whole, you're not going to have a 210.
That's not necessary.
I'll invite them.

NARA Description

On March 26, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:17 am and 11:22 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 474-005 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 474-5
Date: March 26, 1971
Time: Unknown between 11:17 am and 11:22 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Stephen B. Bull

     President’s schedule
          -White House Conference on Drugs
                -Religious leaders
                -White House theater
                -Oval Office
                -President’s remarks
                -Length of President’s meeting
                -Oval Office
                -Scheduler
                -Length of meeting
                -Number attending
                -Time involved
                -President’s role

Alexander P. Butterfield entered at an unknown time after 11:17 am

                       -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
                 -President’s role

     Haldeman’s location
          -Meeting with Henry A. Kissinger

     President’s schedule
          -Justinian Society
          -Drug conference
                 -Time
           -Justinian Society
                 -An afternoon event
                 -Tour
                 -Volpe
                 -President’s role
                 -Tour of Oval Office
                       -Volpe, President

The President, Bull, and Butterfield left at 11:22 am

Also recorded on March 26, 1971

  • 474-001 9:40 AM · 16 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:40 am to 9:55 am.
  • 474-002 9:55 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:55 am to 10:00 am.
  • 474-003 10:00 AM · 38 sec — Nellie L. Yates and unknown person(s) [maintenance workers] met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:00 am and 11:12 am.
  • 051-013 10:02 AM · 25 min — President Richard M. Nixon and members of the Cabinet, including William P. Rogers, John B. Connally, Melvin R. Laird, John N. Mitchell, James W. Hargrove, Rogers C. B. Morton, Clifford M. Hardin, Maurice H. Stans, James D. Hodgson, John G. Veneman, George W. Romney, John A. Volpe, David M. Kennedy, George P. Shultz, Robert H. Finch, Donald H. Rumsfeld, George H. W. Bush, John D. Erhlichman, Henry A. Kissinger, Clark MacGregor, Peter G. Peterson, Herbert G. Klein, Ronald L. Ziegler, Alexander P. Butterfield, Raymond K. Price, Dr. Edward E. David, Jr., William L. Safire, Paul W. McCracken, Herbert Stein, Robert J. Dole, and [First name unknown] Brown, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 10:02 am and 11:12 am.
  • 474-004 11:15 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:15 am to 11:17 am.
  • 474-006 11:22 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:22 am and 11:35 am.
  • 474-007 11:22 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and members of the Justinian Society met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:22 am and 2:54 pm.
  • 474-008 4:09 PM · 32 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Melvin R. Laird, Adm. Thomas H. Moorer, David Packard, Henry A. Kissinger, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and John B. Connally met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:09 pm and 4:53 pm.

All 14 conversations from March 26, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 474-005, March 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/474-005 (accessed October 12, 2026).