Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 516 › Conversation 516-004

Nixon, Flanigan & Butterfield on Press relations and Labor unions

Thursday, June 10, 1971 · 12:21 PM–12:23 PM ET · Oval Office · 51 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Butterfield, Alexander P.; Flanigan, Peter M.Conversation516-004 on Tape 516 (tape position 01:41:31–01:42:41)StartThursday, June 10, 1971 at 12:21 PMEndThursday, June 10, 1971 at 12:23 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 516-004 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with Alexander P. Butterfield and Peter M. Flanigan to coordinate upcoming press engagements and labor union strategy. The President expressed frustration regarding the scheduling of an interview with newspaper leadership and sought clarification on promises made to them by staff. Additionally, Nixon directed that Charles W. Colson facilitate communications with Charlie Luna to ensure the United Transportation Union's cooperation with the administration.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Well, you know what I get mad at is, what's the client promised I need to know before I get him in this office?
Because he's the publisher of the paper, and he's got his editor with him now, and he's no client.
He never does anything failed now.
I wonder what the hell he's promising.
He's promising an interview I've got to know.
Or what time is he, huh?
My client promised him an interview this afternoon.
He's supposed to be here.
And he's promising to be on screen, right?
He's a client called, but I just...
All right, here's one of our groups.
The last one is called Slate.
The U.N.U.
is run by Charlie Luman.
Charlie Luman is Chuck's, Colson's, good grandson, only son Chuck can tell us.
All right, tell us.
Luman has stopped holding on to that.
All right, get on the private way and bring Luman in if necessary.
But with us, Luman.
Make it to December 5th before then, Luman.
With us, Luman.

NARA Description

On June 10, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, and Peter M. Flanigan met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:21 pm to 12:23 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 516-004 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 516-4

Date: June 10, 1971
Time: 12:21 pm - 12:23 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield and Peter M. Flanigan

     Press relations
           -Forthcoming meeting with Everett D. Collier and Philip G. Warner
           -Background
           -Herbert G. Klein role

Butterfield left at 12:22 pm

     Labor relations
          -Charlie Luna role
                -Charles W. Colson role

Flanigan left at 12:23 pm

Also recorded on June 10, 1971

  • 060-003 11:01 AM · 1 hr 20 min — President Richard M. Nixon and railroad executives, including Benjamin F. Biaggini, Tom Rice, Jack Fishwick, Graham Claytor, William H. Moore, Hays Watkins, William Johnson, Frank Barnette, Louis Menk, John Reed, Stephen Ailes, John A. Volpe, Egil ("Bud") Krogh, Jr., Charles Clapp, George Crawford, and Peter M. Flanigan, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 11:01 am and 11:59 pm.
  • 060-004 12:21 PM · 7 min — a White House tour group met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 12:21 pm and 11:59 pm.
  • 516-005 12:26 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Horace Hampton, Egil ("Bud") Krogh, Jr., and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:26 pm to 12:29 pm.
  • 516-006 12:29 PM · 27 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, Stephen B. Bull, Everett D. Collier, Philip G. Warner, Herbert G. Klein, White House photographer, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:29 pm to 12:56 pm.
  • 516-007 12:56 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at 12:56 pm.
  • 516-008 1:00 PM · 24 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:00 pm to 1:34 pm.
  • 516-014 1:34 PM · 54 sec — United States Secret Service agents met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:34 pm to 1:35 pm.
  • 516-009 1:35 PM · 34 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Alexander P. Butterfield, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Rose Mary Woods, Charles W. Colson, White House operator, and Hubert H. Humphrey met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:35 pm and 3:06 pm.

All 24 conversations from June 10, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 516-004, June 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/516-004 (accessed October 12, 2026).