Conversation 524-011

TapeTape 524StartThursday, June 17, 1971 at 10:39 AMEndThursday, June 17, 1971 at 10:47 AMTape start time01:05:56Tape end time01:15:52ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Winchester, Lucy A.;  Bull, Stephen B.Recording deviceOval Office

On June 17, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Lucy A. Winchester, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:39 am to 10:47 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 524-011 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 524-11

Date: June 17, 1971
Time: 10:39 am - 10:47 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Lucy A. Winchester and Stephen B. Bull.

     Greetings

Bull left at an unknown time before 10:47 am.

     Recovery from the wedding

     Gifts for staff
           -Florists
           -Photographs
           -Gardeners
           -Waiters
           -Decorator
           -Orchestra
           -Choice
                 -Cuff links
                       -Cost
                 -Tie bar
                       -Cost
                 -Compact
                       -Expense
                 -Army Band
                       -Front page of paper as gift
                 -Marine Corps Band
                 -Priscilla Kidder
                 -Women in press office
                 -Usher’s office
                 -Gardeners
                       -Tie bar
           -Gift to Winchester
                 -Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon
                 -Upcoming functions
                       -Stag dinner, June 22
                       -”Gideon’s Army” [?]
                       -Chowder and Marching Club dinner, June 28
                       -Winton M. (“Red”) Blount dinner, June 29

           -Choice
                -Compacts
                      -Silver compacts
                -Winchester's role
                -Rex W. Scouten
                -Problems
                -Ronald L. Ziegler's personnel
                -Carpenters
                -Gardeners
                -Florists
                -Caterers
                -Carpenters
                -Decorators
                -Carpet people

     Winchester's history on staff
         -Miami role
         -Arrival at the White House
         -Presidential staff's role
         -Charles S. Rhyne

Winchester left at 10:47 am.

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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

Hi.
Are you recovered?
Yes, sir.
I'm recovered.
You must be over the top.
One more.
Right around here.
Put it over here.
Back.
Oh, you're the only one.
Yes.
It was one of the men working on the wedding.
All right.
That's your family.
All right.
Sit down.
Well, I was thinking of something that we could do that would be appropriate.
You're probably aware of that.
Let me say this.
First, I was thinking of the, well, people on the staff, there are gardeners, there are florists.
I know you get into pictures, right?
That's fine.
But I was thinking of someone who was a little bit mental.
They're gardeners.
They're waiters.
Particularly those, basically, well, for example, he'd even take the decorator that came down in his crew, and those that did something that was really extra.
I don't mean that he just pays them.
For example, that orchestra that...
They volunteered to do something.
They volunteered.
They did have something.
So, uh, I was thinking that each of them might get something special as a memento for the wedding that we've got.
I think they should.
So, here's what we have.
I think that one of those parts, we could get a poplar skewer, put your knife to any you want.
And these are nice for maybe a little lower level.
I mean, if it's a little lower level, the Tybar, many of the lines back in the Covenants, the Covenants are a little more expensive than many of the Doves, the Covenants, the Tybar.
If you get women at lower levels, they all like them.
They're very nice.
At the little higher level, we have this compact.
Have you seen these?
Those are only $4.00, $4.50.
But they can be given to the women at the higher level.
And so that was that.
Now, does that add to the .
As far as orchestras are concerned, you're going to get the Army bands on it.
You get through the front page of all the newspapers across the country.
They probably should not have anything to use in their pursuits.
I think it would be very nice.
Well, what about the marine orchestra that they play at night after night after night and get nothing?
What about that?
On another occasion, I think that would be very nice to do.
Well, just give the marine orchestra something they can have, since they are here all the time.
after the Marines, you know, after they had fled.
But I do the Marines right away.
The Marines fight so often, you know, and they should get the recognition.
Does that sound to you like an appropriate judgment, or does that connect with all right?
Do you see your judgment on which, you know, this and these were the people that did a little bit more?
I think I gave one of these to Priscilla already.
She had a worker's list.
There are all sorts of people, just go right down the line, and all the people with girls working in the press office and so forth and so on, get some carpet, cover the usher's office.
Everybody that did something extra, don't forget the guy who was going to have to chop up the thing, the people who went in the chairs and so forth and so on, and use them.
It doesn't matter if you get this or the tie bar, both are nice.
They will be brushed, just brushed.
So they're a little bit of blue.
And, uh, if we had something for you, this is something special.
You've got a costume.
I think that's yours.
How very kind of you.
Thank you, Mr. Franklin.
This is what you can wear to go with your girls.
Thank you.
Your day.
Because it's such a job, I know.
You have a very large fan base.
They care very much.
They haven't come off so well.
And, you know, you're just a slave to Martin Peter.
Everyone did.
They care very much.
Mrs. Mixon is so delighted.
She's always praising him, says he made a lot of good jobs.
I love the difference, but I want things to go well for him.
What are you going to do for the lab soon?
I don't think we can afford that luxury, can we?
Well, come to think about it, we don't have too much now for a while.
Oh, now, now, now, actually.
We have three more dinners in this lab.
Yeah.
Yeah, that's one of the big places to... Yeah, we've got a, a, the sag there, and we've got the, uh, the, uh... Yeah, Gideon's Army, Chowder and Marching, and the Red Blunt Center.
Yeah, the Catamount Center.
That's a long way.
Well, these are fine.
everyone will be thrilled with their presence well they've got plenty of these of all these available but there are not quite as many of the compacts they run a little bit people like these as well
If there is somebody particularly special on the combat hunt on that site, there's a silver compact pack that you give too, which is a little more expensive.
And there's, I think he has a few of those.
In other words, if somebody had a little higher level, but you can check them out.
Okay.
So I'll leave it to you to work on it.
Thank you.
Talk to Rex and see what he's, you know, get his list.
Oh, Rex is such an honor.
Get the list upstairs, you know, the way to grab it.
Get the... Well, you know the time, but just don't overlook any of it, because that's the real problem with starting down this road.
Why don't you start now?
Start.
Start.
You don't need to worry about Ron's office.
You can ask him if anybody wants to, but generally speaking, they're here and they're covered in other ways and they're in and out and so forth, but they will expect it in Ron's office.
Everybody will be here.
Just let us worry about that.
The gardeners and the florists.
The florists, the caterers, the people who carry the chairs, the carpenters actually, the carpenters shop, the people who go down and say, the decorator and his crowd.
The carpet people.
The people that did the what?
The carpet people.
Yeah.
They should all have something.
They'd all love to get a very complex.
That would be brilliant.
That would have an insult to your time.
Yes.
I'll get going on my way.
Well, you've had quite a time since I first went to Matthew.
You came in up there and brought all those checks in 1968, was it, not 67?
It was before Miami.
Yeah, it was early 68.
It had to be very early 68.
That's right.
When did you come to the White House right after the election?
I worked in Miami before you.
No, but you did some of the staff.
Yes, the day we moved in here.
Yeah, but you worked at the campaign.
You worked at the staff.
You worked in Miami at the convention.
Here.
Oh, you worked in Washington?
Yes.
Oh, yeah.
And then you came on.
Charlie Ryan, Rob Casey.
Oh, with Rob Casey.
But here, it's been such an honor being here.
Poor Charlie should have gotten into the wedding, I guess.
Right.
No, everyone understands.
Well, they don't.
Many, I suppose, but they just couldn't start down that line.
There you go.
So, we're out of time.
Oh, yes.
Okay.
Thank you.
Bye.
Thank you.
You've got television too, Marisha.
I saw what you were doing.
Thank you.
Thank you.
And we're glad to have you with us.
Thank you.
You've done a very good job.
And most of all, it's hard.
We appreciate your work.
Thank you.