Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 535 › Conversation 535-001

Nixon & Butterfield on Volunteer organizations and Event planning

Friday, July 2, 1971 · 9:00 AM–9:04 AM ET · Oval Office ·55 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Butterfield, Alexander P.Conversation535-001 onTape 535 (tape position 00:05:38–00:10:57)StartFriday, July 2, 1971 at 9:00 AMEndFriday, July 2, 1971 at 9:04 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 535-001 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met to review the selection process for the President's upcoming official schedule, specifically regarding the inclusion of volunteer organizations. Nixon expressed concern over the omission of a volunteer group leader from the current list and sought clarification on the origins of the scheduling recommendations. The two discussed the vetting process for event participants, with Butterfield confirming the involvement of various groups in developing the activity roster.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I was wondering how this Peru was picked up today.
The reason I wonder is that I don't see the head of the volunteer on here.
You know what I mean?
Did they think who picked it out?
Did we pick it out or did the monster fighters or the students, the original skeleton of the list?
All we had was losing events, but we were primarily interested in any groups or centers.
What I must have really regretted is I showed you the list of eight that we might have held and held all of the similar activities.
There must be one more hundred working on it.
Yeah.
I see.
I see.
That's why they're here.

NARA Description

On July 2, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:00 am to 9:04 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 535-001 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 535-1

Date: July 2, 1971
Time: 9:00 am - 9:04 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield.

     The President's schedule
          -Source of schedule recommendation
               -Volunteer organization's official
               -Emil (“Bus”) Mosbacher, Jr.
               -Congressmen, Senators

Butterfield left at 9:04 am

Also recorded on July 2, 1971

  • 535-002 9:04 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at 9:04 am.
  • 535-003 9:04 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:04 am to 9:15 am.
  • 535-004 9:15 AM · 1 hr 25 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Charles W. Colson, and Peter M. Flanigan met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:15 am to 10:39 am.
  • 535-005 10:41 AM · 44 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, Peter J. Brennan, White House photographer, unknown person(s), and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:41 am to 11:26 am.
  • 535-006 11:27 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Oliver F. ("Ollie") Atkins, Marjorie P. Acker, Herbert A. Peterson, Mrs. Herbert A. Peterson, Debra Peterson, Eric Peterson, and Jeffrey Peterson met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:27 am to 11:29 am.
  • 535-007 11:29 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Robert G. Houdek, Robert G. Houdek, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Ronald L. Ziegler, and Oliver F. ("Ollie") Atkins met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:29 am to 11:32 am.
  • 535-008 11:32 AM · 26 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at 11:32 am.
  • 535-009 11:32 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Lane Dwinell, Elizabeth (Cushman) Dwinell, Alexander P. Butterfield, and Oliver F. ("Ollie") Atkins met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:32 am to 11:36 am.

All 78 conversations from July 2, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 535-001, July 2, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/535-001 (accessed September 18, 2026).