← 487-010487-012 →

Conversation 487-011

TapeTape 487StartFriday, April 23, 1971 at 12:29 PMEndFriday, April 23, 1971 at 12:40 PMTape start time02:51:24Tape end time03:01:12ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Buchanan, John H., Jr.;  Allen, James B.;  Pless, Norman;  Stevens, Elton;  Siebels, George;  Nidecker, John E.;  Huebner, Lee W.;  Atkins, Oliver F. ("Ollie")Recording deviceOval Office
AudioNARA Description

On April 23, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, John H. Buchanan, Jr., James B. Allen, Norman Pless, Elton Stevens, George Siebels, John E. Nidecker, Lee W. Huebner, and Oliver F. ("Ollie") Atkins met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:29 pm to 12:40 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 487-011 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 487-11

Time: 12:29 pm - 12:40 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with John H. Buchanan, Jr., James B. Allen, Norman Pless, Elton Stevens,
George Siebels, John E. Nidecker, and Lee W. Huebner.
[Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins was present at the beginning of the meeting.]

     Introductions
           -Pless
                 -Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

     Photographs
          -Arrangements

     [Unintelligible name]
          -President's previous visit
          -Fundraising dinner
          -Family

     Alabama delegation
          -Representation
          -Birmingham metropolitan area
          -Loyalty to nation
          -Congressional Medal of Honor recipients

     Medal of Honor recipients
         -Forthcoming meeting, October 25, 1971
               -Birmingham
               -Veterans
               -Invitation to the President
                     -Significance

     Birmingham
          -One hundredth anniversary

                 -Attendance
                 -President's participation
                 -Invitations
                 -Letters

     President's schedule
          -Possible visit to Alabama
                 -Plans
                 -Timing

     Bart Starr
           -Award
           -Note to the President
           -Coaching
           -Leadership
           -[Forename unknown] McKenney

     Presentation to the President
          -Invitation
                -President’s schedule

     Autograph

     President's schedule
          -Invitation
          -Congress

     Alabama delegation
          -Accomplishments
          -National defense issues
               -Buchanan
               -Senate
                     -Allen
                     -John J. Sparkman
                     -Support for the President

[A transcript of the following portion of this conversation was prepared under court order from
December 1978 through March 1979 for Special Access 8, Ronald V. Dellums, et al. v. James M.
Powell, et al., No. 71-2271. The National Archives and Records Administration produced this
transcript. The National Archives does not guarantee its accuracy.]

[End of transcript]

     Vietnam
          -President's policies
          -Withdrawal
          -Communist takeover

          -Cufflinks
                -Presidential seal
                -Bipartisan

     President’s program
          -Wilbur D. Mills
                -Prospects
                -Ways and Means Committee

     Alabama delegation
          -Support for the President

     President's schedule
          -Possible visit to Birmingham
                 -Turnout

     Farewells
          -Thin grey line

     President's schedule, April 22, 1971
           -Medal of Honor ceremony
                 -Sparkman
                 -Wives
                 -Mothers
                 -War

     Farewells

Buchanan, et al., left at 12:40 pm.
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

President, thanks for the chance.
Well, President, it's a big honor to see you every day.
It's a pleasure to be here.
How are you?
Good to see you again.
Good to see you again.
This is a distinguished group.
That's right.
That's right.
That's right.
That's right.
That's right.
That's right.
That's right.
That's right.
That's right.
This is a big time.
You know, I have a good friend.
Oh, my.
Yes.
He's a great.
Oh, I didn't make the place.
They told me about the big party.
They had a fundraising dinner.
Oh, he's got a wonderful man, too.
Wonderful man.
How did you know him?
We took a Caribbean cruise together.
Oh, you got it.
All right.
All right.
Mr. President, it is a great personal honor for me and the other members of this delegation to come before you, representing the 3 billion people of Allentown, and in particular, the 750,000 who live in the metropolitan area of Birmingham, the home of American City.
We convey to you the greetings and warmest regards.
In another sense, we represent the body of great Americans who, in the past, have displayed unquestionable loyalty and dedication to this country during its most trying and difficult periods.
As Commander-in-Chief of our nation's armed forces, you are very familiar with these men, the recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor.
On October 25, 1971, they were gathered in Birmingham for their venial meeting.
Joining them will be veterans from all awards to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Veterans Day, which was founded in Berkeley.
We are here today, Mr. President, to extend to you an invitation to come to Iowa City during this significant occasion and to join us in honor of these great patriots.
No gesture made on their behalf could be more appropriate
And I'm going to enthusiastically receive by them and all the active servicemen that will have actually been the personalest victim on this occasion.
This will also mark the third important moment by Alabama.
The beginning of the 100th anniversary of Birmingham, one of the youngest in America's great cities.
We anticipated attendance running into the thousands of this proud place.
Your participation was sure to make this an all-American event for an all-American city.
I wish that we could have brought with us personal messages from each of the people we represent.
Naturally, this was an impossible.
However, we have here a collection of documents of individuals among Alabama's most distinguished citizens.
Each extended an invitation to you to come to Alabama in October.
We hope that in looking through these letters, you will interpret the thoughts expressed herein as being indicative of the feeling of all Alabamians that you will make the first decision for Alabama.
I thank you very much, and I want to say that I've been trying to work with you to get into my schedule.
I do think that there's sometimes, well, the problem is the timing, of course, and to get it out of the way is sometimes hard, but I'll go this way, that I'm definitely planning to get some people
They were running.
They were running.
They were running.
I think he's going to be a, I think he's going to go on a coaching mission.
He's got leadership.
Is he?
My friend?
Yeah, well, we're just trying to make sure.
Oh, is that right?
That was the greatest thing.
I think he went on to do that.
One of those guys, well, I guess it was just something.
I think the rejuvenation of that is just remarkable.
That's right.
President, I would like one thing then.
Sure.
Would you like Robert, Master, the seven-year-old?
Sure.
Here's the name.
All right.
All right.
I took this off your hands.
All right.
Now you can get it.
Here's the name.
That's right, that's right, we'll get it.
He's stuck.
Robert, Robert, Robert.
I'm sorry, while we're doing that, we'd like to remind you that we're flexible.
At this hour, this meeting here will be Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday.
Oh, thank you.
And we look forward to it.
Well, let me say this, that you can be mighty proud of your...
We think of the national events issues.
Of course, we've got my good friend, the Congressman here, and who's happens to be a Republican.
But in the Senate, believe me, on national events, we don't have any two better senators than two senators from Alabama and Australia.
I mean, you follow, so I know you're a good Democrat, but you put the country first.
Without you, folks, we couldn't do it.
We appreciate it.
We're on the right side.
We're trying to come out on our rights.
You know, instead of you seeing us as administrators down here and so forth, we're always the right administrators.
On the other hand, there's just an awful lot of people in the country that want to do the right thing.
Yes, you may.
So, that's my answer to all of your questions about that.
is that I can't go along with them on Saturday.
But we'll get out of it.
But we want to do it in a way that they don't turn the country over to the Congress.
Because that every day, you know, it's lost.
It has to seal.
You know, it's a seal.
It's a seal.
It doesn't have my name on it.
it's coming along we've got no problem in terms of
But by and large, in terms of the House and those of the Board of Directors, we're trying to work out a deal or whatever where we can get their support.
It's very important, you know, on-scene support that the Congress and the judges are getting through the House.
That's what he means to me.
But I think you're gonna get something.
I think you're gonna get something.
Well, it will be changed.
Please rest with me.
I'll hold on to this problem that last Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.
I'm 100% behind.
I believe in this party.
We're behind the two of them.
Big turnout for you when you come to Burbank.
No way to see you again when you come to Burbank.
We're glad to see you.
Thanks for your presence.
Thanks for your time.
Good to see you.
Can you tell us what you call that thin gray line?
Oh, we appreciate it.
W-5.
Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Jacksonville.
The question was about the laundry.
Of course, the war is terrible.
Okay.
Thank you.
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