Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 569 › Conversation 569-007
Nixon, Bell & Mullen on Rotary International and Houston Convention
Friday, September 10, 1971 · 12:26 PM–12:36 PM ET · Oval Office
AI Summary
President Nixon met with Rotary International leaders Ernst G. Breitholtz, George T. Bell, and Robert R. Mullen to accept a gift of Orrefors crystal and discuss a formal invitation to address the 1972 Rotary Convention in Houston. The participants engaged in a discussion regarding global goodwill, the influence of American economic policy on the world stage, and the potential for the President to use the convention as a platform to reach international audiences. Nixon expressed appreciation for the organization's work and agreed to take the invitation under consideration.
- Rotary International
- Houston Convention
- Foreign Policy
- Economic Policy
- Presidential Invitations
- Orrefors Crystal
Audio
Download MP3 (part 1) · 170.7 MB ·Download MP3 (part 2) · 32.1 MB
This conversation has not yet been cut into its own clip, so the player above contains the full tape segment shared with neighbouring conversations. It begins about 01:04:06 into the tape and ends around 01:14:39.
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
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· Timestamps are positions within the full tape recording.
1:04:19Mr. President, Mr. Greifel, President Rodriguez, how are you?
1:04:44and the artist recently put his omniscient piece in it.
1:04:45It's an outstanding piece of museum piece that we go on.
1:05:00great artist of Sweden.
1:05:01It's made in the same factory as the chandeliers you saw last night.
1:05:03Is that right?
1:05:03Yes.
1:05:03And if you were supposed to bury and receive these books in the library, it's all over here.
1:05:06This is one of them.
1:05:06This is a practice.
1:05:07Yes.
1:05:07Yes.
1:05:35I think this is one of the Rotarian magazines.
1:05:36All right.
1:05:37Go on.
1:05:37The white one.
1:05:37You want to do this with your... Yeah, go right.
1:05:38Yes, it's black.
1:05:38Yes, it's black.
1:05:39I'm going to do the first one.
1:05:39Sorry.
1:05:39I'm going to do the first one.
1:05:40I'm going to do the first one.
1:05:41I'm going to do the first one.
1:06:29Thank you.
1:06:29Last time, I'll be here for our .
1:06:30Now, I'll just start .
1:06:30Thank you.
1:06:30All right.
1:06:31Now, Mr. President, we come to your presidency, and I say why don't you take it with a bit to .
1:07:08Now, he has two purposes for you.
1:07:09One is to take him to the rest of the roadway.
1:07:10Oh, that's what the letter says.
1:07:11The letter in the last paragraph.
1:07:1250,000 people or 50 marching bands, camels, and... Joe, well, that would say that I will certainly take it under consideration.
1:07:15I don't know.
1:07:52Yes.
1:07:52Yes.
1:07:53So, uh, Sunday is, we'd like, Sunday we ought to go back.
1:08:03This is likely to happen.
1:08:06This is a tax system.
1:08:06As you know, I've done the convention in Sydney in June, and we are back in
1:08:15And it is going to be one of the big conventions.
1:08:18And I hope that will run my theme
1:08:26Yes, I try to analyze the situation in the world and feel very adequate within my own organization.
1:08:30But I have to go back to the individual man.
1:08:31And this is leading up to this.
1:08:32And it would have been a wonderful asset for you, Mr. President.
1:08:49voice your thinking to the world, and I believe that we are not only in the United States, but also all over the world.
1:08:52It will bring something, because we are 700,000 attorneys in 149 countries, and we are all supporting, let's say, all the general principles that are written in the newspapers that you mentioned in your address yesterday.
1:08:56And we are just waiting for something to do.
1:09:25149 countries, well, 149 countries and geographical regions that are more or less now considered as countries.
1:09:38We have not won independence yet, but we are .
1:09:52to exclude the countries behind the bank wall or behind the curtains.
1:09:58Our number is .
1:10:00It would have been a wonderful thing for the world if you would help us to bring your thinking to us.
1:10:14Well, I certainly will.
1:10:16I'll have a .
1:10:22Mr. President, he heard you speak yesterday, and I asked him if he wouldn't bring you up on television.
1:10:33Are you happy?
1:10:38I was going to suggest to your old friend Bill Watt, who was the president last year, if you wanted to give him a ring.
1:11:02I think he's an American citizen.
1:11:04He can be more active.
1:11:12I've been associated with a multinational company for over 95 years, with affiliated customers from all over the world.
1:11:52and then we're trying to shape the American people.
1:11:53And they'll do it, but they'll come along.
1:11:54And we are, because the world is smaller every day, yes, every place is drawn to form nowadays.
1:11:56That's right, right around the corner.
1:11:57Or at least every place is a day away from years.
1:11:58And are you going to be there the same day?
1:11:59I'll be there the same day.
1:11:59United countries still do lots more than South America and California.
1:12:23to Europe, so I've been traveling and visiting different countries and European point and so forth.
1:12:25We've also interacted in Canada.
1:13:09Thank you.
1:13:42That's how we go to Auburn?
1:13:43Yes.
1:14:16My wife and I are hoping just so I can see that beautiful piece, and I hope for the
NARA Description
On September 10, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Ernst G. Breitholz, George T. Bell, Robert R. Mullen, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:26 pm to 12:36 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 569-007 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 569-7
Date: September 10, 1971
Time: 12:26 pm - 12:36 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Ernst G. Breitholtz, George T. Bell, and Robert R. Mullen; the White
House photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting.
Greetings and introductions
Gift for the President
-Orrefors crystal vase
-Date
-Artisans
-Factory
-Chandeliers
-Seal
-Public relations man
-Rotarian
-Membership
Photographs
Purpose of visit
-Invitation to the President
-Rotary Convention in June 1972
-Possible speech
-Number attending
-Marching bands
-The President’s possible attendance
Rotary conventions
-The President's previous attendance
-Chicago
-1955
-Return appearance by the President
-Location of 1972 convention
-Houston, Texas
-1971 convention
-Sydney, Australia
-1972 convention
Rotarian organization
-Worldwide
-Nature of convention
-World situation
-Rotaries
-Individuals
-The President's speech at convention
-Opportunity to address the world
-Foreign participation in convention
-The President's speech, September 9, 1971
-Membership
-Foreign countries
-United Nations [UN]
-The President's possible attendance
-World reaction
The President's speech, September 9, 1971
-Breitholtz's viewing
-Press statements
-William E. Walk, Jr.
Breitholtz
-Association with Rotary
-Length of time
-Rotary
US Economic policy
-Strengthen economy
-Influence on the world
-American public
-World situation
Breitholtz's schedule
-South America
-Europe
Rotary Club
-The President's appreciation for organization
-The President's professor in college
-Service club
-International goodwill
-Greatest contribution
-Telegrams
Presidential gifts
-Cufflinks
-Presidential seal
-Golf balls
-Presidential seal
-Non-partisan
Thelma C. (“Pat’) Nixon
-Reaction to gift
Breitholtz et al. left at 12:36 pmAlso recorded on September 10, 1971
- 072-002 12:12 PM — unknown person(s) met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 12:12 pm and 12:39 pm.
- 569-003 12:12 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:12 pm and 12:14 pm.
- 569-004 12:14 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John B. Connally met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:14 pm to 12:19 pm.
- 569-005 12:19 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, James D. ("Don") Hughes, Jo Ann Redman, Bruce Bennett, Mrs. Bruce Bennett, Anthony Radd, Naomi Redman, Lt. Col. Harland E. Pridelle, Lt. Col. James H. Gibbons, Lt. Col. John Finlay, Maj. Maj. Frederick W. Swift, Maj. Charles Freed, SGM Richard J. McCoy, Polly Thompson, Mary Burson, Walter R. Tkach, J. Paul Benson, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:19 pm to 12:25 pm.
- 569-006 12:25 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:25 pm to 12:26 pm.
- 569-008 12:36 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:36 pm and 12:39 pm.
- 569-009 12:36 PM · 22 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:36 pm and 12:39 pm.
- 569-010 12:39 PM · 52 sec — United States Secret Service agents met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:39 pm and 12:58 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 569-007, September 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/569-007 (accessed October 9, 2026).