Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 557 › Conversation 557-003

Nixon, Butterfield & Bull on Cyclemates II and Public relations

Monday, August 9, 1971 · 11:59 AM–12:02 PM ET · Oval Office ·50 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Butterfield, Alexander P.;  Bull, Stephen B.Conversation557-003 onTape 557 (tape position 03:05:56–03:08:52)StartMonday, August 9, 1971 at 11:59 AMEndMonday, August 9, 1971 at 12:02 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 557-003 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with Alexander P. Butterfield and Stephen B. Bull to coordinate logistical details for an upcoming public relations event involving the "Cyclemates II" bicycling group. The discussion focused on choreographing the group's route around the South Portico to ensure optimal media coverage and scheduling the President’s subsequent greeting. The meeting concluded with a plan to bring the participants into the Oval Office for a final photo opportunity with official photographer Oliver Atkins.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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And they're going to go around the wall the way this is present, so the press can get a vision of them passing the South Port of Newark.
And then just about in time, they're up by the big ordinance.
He just walks down the steps there and grieves them.
They're going to turn around.
They're going to come a long way around here.
Yeah, well, as soon as they actually break off the summit, then they'll press us to pick them up.
We'll bring the kids in here for our alley-opening.
Fine.
They'll have a story afterwards.

NARA Description

On August 9, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:59 am to 12:02 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 557-003 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 557-3

Date: August 9, 1971
Time: 11:59 am - 12:02 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield and Stephen B. Bull.

     President's schedule
          -Cyclemates II
                 -Plan
                       -Bicycling
                             -South Portico
                                   -Press photograph
                       -President’s greeting
                       -Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins
                             -Photograph
                       -Tour
          -Mike [Michael J. Farrell?]

Butterfield left at 12:02 pm.
                                                  29

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 10/06)
                                                                 Conv. No. 557-3 (cont.)

Also recorded on August 9, 1971

  • 557-002 11:47 AM · 58 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:47 am and 11:59 am.
  • 007-078 12:02 PM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and George P. Shultz talked on the telephone from 12:02 pm to 12:03 pm.
  • 557-004 12:02 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at 12:02 pm.
  • 557-005 12:02 PM · 37 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, George P. Shultz, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:02 pm to 12:04 pm.
  • 557-006 12:04 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:04 pm and 12:55 pm.
  • 272-001 12:55 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:55 pm and 1:48 pm.
  • 272-002 12:55 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:55 pm and 1:48 pm.
  • 272-003 12:55 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:55 pm and 1:48 pm.

All 38 conversations from August 9, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 557-003, August 9, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/557-003 (accessed September 18, 2026).