Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 488 › Conversation 488-002

Butterfield & Bull on Technical malfunction

Monday, April 26, 1971 · 8:22 AM–9:00 AM ET · Oval Office · 28 sec

ParticipantsButterfield, Alexander P.; Bull, Stephen B.Conversation488-002 on Tape 488 (tape position 00:00:48–00:05:46)StartMonday, April 26, 1971 at 8:22 AMEndMonday, April 26, 1971 at 9:00 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 488-002 ↗

AI Summary

Alexander P. Butterfield and Stephen B. Bull met to troubleshoot technical malfunctions regarding the presidential buzzer system in the Oval Office. The participants expressed frustration over their failure to hear or respond to multiple signals from the President. They discussed the audible range of the system and acknowledged the operational implications of missing these alerts.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I didn't get three buzzers.

I don't think I have to reason that.

I know you understand.

I know that.

That's what I said.

I didn't get three buzzers.

I could hear it out in the hall.

Pretty bad.

Excuse me.

Pretty bad that we didn't hear it.

What was that?

I don't see it.

NARA Description

On April 26, 1971, Alexander P. Butterfield and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:22 am and 9:00 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 488-002 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 488-2

Date: April 26, 1971
Time: Unknown between 8:22 am and 9:00 am
Location: Oval Office

Alexander P. Butterfield met with Stephen B. Bull.

     Buzzes from the President

     President's location

     Buzzes from the President

     Bull's activities

Butterfield and Bull left at an unknown time before 9:00 am.

Also recorded on April 26, 1971

488-001 8:22 AM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:22 am and 9:00 am.
488-003 8:22 AM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:22 am and 9:00 am.
488-004 8:22 AM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:22 am and 9:00 am.
488-005 8:22 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:22 am and 9:00 am.
488-006 9:00 AM · 29 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:00 am to 10:04 am.
489-001 10:24 AM · 8 sec — Manolo Sanchez and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:24 am and 11:05 am.
489-002 10:24 AM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:24 am and 11:05 am.
489-003 11:05 AM · 42 sec — United States Secret Service agents met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:05 am and 11:52 am.

All 36 conversations from April 26, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 488-002, April 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/488-002 (accessed October 11, 2026).