Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 529 › Conversation 529-009

Nixon & Butterfield on Billy Graham and Communications management

Sunday, June 27, 1971 · 8:02 PM–8:05 PM ET · Oval Office ·1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Butterfield, Alexander P.Conversation529-009 onTape 529 (tape position 00:31:32–00:33:28)StartSunday, June 27, 1971 at 8:02 PMEndSunday, June 27, 1971 at 8:05 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 529-009 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield discussed the logistical arrangements for handling a phone call from Billy Graham, who was traveling in San Francisco. Butterfield briefed the President on his earlier conversation with Graham and coordinated a plan to manage the callback through the White House operator. Ultimately, Nixon decided to postpone the conversation until the following day due to a pressing meeting.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Just while you were reading the campaign, Billy Graham called, and I took the call.
He said he'd call back a little later.
Now he's doing that now.
And he has nothing, and I can hold him up if you'd like.
He just said he wanted to talk to you in general, especially about this.
Why don't we let it go tomorrow?
Because I've got to get you to your meeting in a couple of minutes.
He said, I don't know.
He said, he's calling now.
Yes, sir.
He's really just trying to give me the number in case you have the time to call back.
He said if nothing hurts you at all.
I talked to him for a good five minutes.
He's in San Francisco.
He just didn't want to pass on here.
What's he doing there?
I don't know what he's doing.
He's moving around.
He said he could be a certain number after the administration's gone just to pass on.
They have the number of the very operator?
Yes, that's what he's doing now.
I'll just make sure they lock him.
We'll get straight to locking him down.
I don't know if I get through this.
He's giving me a lot of color back.

NARA Description

On June 27, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:02 pm to 8:05 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 529-009 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 529-009

Date: June 27, 1971
Time: 8:02 pm - 8:05 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield.

     Call from William F. (“Billy”) Graham
           -Butterfield's taking the call
           -Call back
           -Henry A. Kissinger
           -Return of call

                 -Butterfield’s conversation with Graham
                 -Graham's schedule
                       -San Francisco trip
                 -Operator
                 -Kissinger's items

     Lights

Butterfield left at 8:05 pm.

Also recorded on June 28, 1971

  • 529-010 8:06 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:06 pm to 8:11 pm.
  • 529-011 8:11 PM · 54 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and George P. Shultz met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:11 pm and 8:13 pm.
  • 529-012 8:11 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:11 pm and 8:13 pm.
  • 529-013 8:11 PM · 31 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:11 pm and 8:14 pm.
  • 529-014 8:18 PM · 54 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, Alexander P. Butterfield, and Mark Andrews met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:18 pm to 9:14 pm.
  • 063-002 9:12 AM — President Richard M. Nixon and members of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Policy, including Hendrick S. Houthakker, Herbert Stein, James D. Hodgson, John B. Connally, Peter M. Flanigan, Peter G. Peterson, George P. Shultz, John D. Ehrlichman, Ronald L. Ziegler, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 9:12 am and 10:54 am.
  • 529-015 9:12 AM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:12 am and 9:21 am.
  • 529-016 9:21 AM · 42 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Ronald L. Ziegler, unknown person(s), Henry A. Kissinger, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:21 am to 10:04 am.

All 69 conversations from June 28, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 529-009, June 28, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/529-009 (accessed September 18, 2026).