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Conversation 495-008

TapeTape 495StartFriday, May 7, 1971 at 10:55 AMEndFriday, May 7, 1971 at 11:00 AMTape start time00:11:05Tape end time00:12:09ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Butterfield, Alexander P.Recording deviceOval Office
AI Summary

President Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met to finalize logistical arrangements for a dinner event involving agricultural representatives. Nixon expressed a strong desire to streamline the reception process by minimizing physical contact and restricting time spent in formal conversation with attendees. Consequently, the President decided on a truncated greeting strategy where he and the First Lady would greet guests briefly upon entry before promptly departing.

Presidential schedulingWhite House social eventsProtocolAgricultural interestsPublic relations
AudioNARA Description

On May 7, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:55 am to 11:00 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 495-008 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 495-8

Date: May 7, 1971
Time: 10:55 am - 11:00 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield.

     President's schedule
           -Dinner, May 7, 1971
                 -Receiving line in East Room
                       -Considerations
                            -Agricultural interests
                 -President and Mrs. Nixon's greeting

Butterfield left at 11:00 am.
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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

Mr. President, I have a thought for you tonight.
The Santa Claus bridge is considerably different from all the Santa Claus bridges around the center.
Yeah, let's get out of here.
Now, if you really want to get out of here, either have me sign up a little earlier, or even not shake hands, or we want to go ahead and have a separate receiving line.
Do not leave until we arrive here tonight.
Oh, no.
I don't want to shake hands.
I don't like it when you shake hands with me.
There we go.
Next one.
I don't want to have the conversations with these agriculture people in the legacy.
There's a lot of people around here, but I'm going to do what I need to do.
I guess that's as good as I can have them come.
While the agriculture people, we go in there, have a coffee, we'll stay for five minutes and go out, just the two of us on that boat, and greet them as they come in.
And then they go ahead and sit down.
But we greet them as they come in.
Turn it off.
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