Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 496 › Conversation 496-011
Nixon & Woods on White House administration and Oval Office renovation
Monday, May 10, 1971 · 2:35 PM–2:39 PM ET · Oval Office ·14 min
AI Summary
President Nixon and his personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, met to discuss a wide-ranging agenda involving administrative tasks, White House logistics, and political outreach. They addressed matters such as gift management, the potential creation of a presidential business award, the handling of archival research, and upcoming renovations to the Oval Office. Additionally, the pair touched on staffing for the 1972 campaign and personal remarks regarding recent social functions.
- White House administration
- Oval Office renovation
- Presidential awards
- 1972 presidential campaign
- Nixon Library
- White House social events
Audio
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
Download transcript (.txt) ·JSON data · Click a timestamp to play from that point.
Each line starts with a timestamp button; press it to play the audio from that point.
NARA Description
On May 10, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:35 pm to 2:39 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 496-011 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 496-011
Date: May 10, 1971
Time: 2:35 pm - 2:39 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Rose Mary Woods
President's schedule
-Previous trip to Gateway National Park
[Forename unknown] Griffin
-Capitol Hill work
-Health
-A previous visit to Oval Office
-Frank M. Blair
-Future visit to Oval Office
Candy
-Gifts
-A letter
-Delivery
Glen Campbell
Gifts
-White House press event entertainers
-Arte Johnson, Jane Taylor, Nashville Brass
-A trip by President
-Gift case
**********************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 05/17/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[496-011-w002]
[Duration: 1m 32s]
Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon
-Possible European trip
-Germany
-Relatives
-William P. Rogers
-Picture of parents
-Henry A. Kissinger
The President's schedule
-Weather
-Sequoia
**********************************************************************
Possible business award
-Number
-Business community
-Possible categories
-Hiring Vietnam veterans
-Ecology
-Hiring the handicapped
-Peter M. Flanigan, John C. Whitaker
-Business community
Correspondence
Oval Office renovation
-Redesign
-Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon’s view
-Windows, curtains
Correspondence
-Former members of Congress organization
-A pin
-Cost
**********************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 05/17/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[496-011-w003]
[Duration: 38s]
Correspondence
-John S. D. Eisenhower
-Future plans
-Rogers C. B. Morton
-Leonard Garment conversation with Rose Mary Woods
-A letter to Emmett Hughes while Republican National Committee Chairman
-History of Republican Party
-Rose Mary Woods’ opinion
**********************************************************************
[Pause]
Correspondence
-An item for the President's attention
-Harold Lee
-Disposition of research on Nixon
-Nixon Library
**********************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 05/17/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[496-011-w004]
[Duration: 12s]
Correspondence
-Ann Brunow [?]
-Travel with Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon
**********************************************************************
President's schedule
-Items to sign
-Books
-An event in the residence
-Rex W. Scouten
-A dinner
-Family compared with public areas
**********************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 05/17/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[496-011-w005]
[Duration: 49s]
1972 campaign
-Ann Scott [?] Morningstar
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman, John N. Mitchell
-Rose Mary Woods’ opinion
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Work with Republican women
**********************************************************************
Oval Office renovation
-Objective
-Windows, view
-Lyndon B. Johnson's office
Nixon White House interior
-Compared with Johnson White House
-West wing lobby
-Staff offices
-Residence
Patrick J. Buchanan and Shelley A. Scarney wedding
-Nixon family appearance
-Buchanan family
Woods left at 2:39 pmAlso recorded on May 10, 1971
- 496-005 12:46 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:46 pm to 12:48 pm.
- 496-006 12:48 PM · 32 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:48 pm and 12:57 pm.
- 496-007 12:48 PM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:48 pm and 12:57 pm.
- 496-008 12:48 PM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:48 pm and 12:57 pm.
- 496-009 12:57 PM · 30 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:57 pm to 1:30 pm.
- 496-010 1:30 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:30 pm and 2:35 pm.
- 496-012 2:40 PM · 30 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:40 pm to 3:08 pm.
- 496-013 3:08 PM · 1 hr 45 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John D. Ehrlichman, Kathleen O'Melia, Ann Broomell, Tara O'Donahue, White House photographer, George P. Shultz, unknown person(s), Clark MacGregor, Stephen B. Bull, Ronald L. Ziegler, William P. Rogers, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:08 pm to 4:53 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 496-011, May 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/496-011 (accessed September 18, 2026).