Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 579 › Conversation 579-004

Nixon & Butterfield on President's schedule and John Ehrlichman

Tuesday, September 28, 1971 · 1:40 PM–1:41 PM ET · Oval Office · 37 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Butterfield, Alexander P.Conversation579-004 on Tape 579 (tape position 02:09:21–02:11:49)StartTuesday, September 28, 1971 at 1:40 PMEndTuesday, September 28, 1971 at 1:41 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 579-004 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield meet briefly to discuss a scheduling matter involving John Ehrlichman. The discussion centers on a specific communication or piece of correspondence, referred to as a "letter," and potential upcoming appointments. The participants conclude by exchanging brief thoughts on how to proceed with these administrative arrangements.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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This is going to be what John called me on the street.
Tell us what you think.
Tell me.
Yeah, I'll tell you what I think.

NARA Description

On September 28, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:40 pm and 1:41 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 579-004 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 579-4

Date: September 28, 1971
Time: Unknown between 1:40 pm and 1:41 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield.

     Letter

     [Handwriting]

     The President's schedule
          -John [D. Ehrlichman?]
               -Bill

Butterfield left at an unknown time before 1:41 pm

Also recorded on September 28, 1971

  • 579-001 11:30 AM · 22 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:30 am to 11:57 am.
  • 579-002 11:57 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:57 am and 12:04 pm.
  • 579-003 12:04 PM · 1 hr 32 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Stephen B. Bull, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:04 pm to 1:40 pm.
  • 579-005 1:40 PM · 29 sec — United States Secret Service agents met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:40 pm and 1:41 pm.
  • 579-006 3:05 PM · 47 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at 3:05 pm.
  • 579-007 3:06 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:06 pm to 3:15 pm.
  • 077-007 3:15 PM · 38 min — President Richard M. Nixon and members of the Organization of African Unity, including Moktar Ould Daddah, Hamdi Ould Mouknass, Dr. Njoroge Mungai, Capt. Charles Sissoko, Elijah Mudenda, Jean Keutcha, Diallo Telli, Mohamed Sahnoun, William P. Rogers, Henry A. Kissinger, Emil ("Bus") Mosbacher, Jr., David D. Newsome, W. Marshall Wright, Robert Bruce, Alec G. Toumayan, and members of the press, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House from 3:15 pm to 3:52 pm.
  • 579-008 3:59 PM · 13 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John C. Stennis, Gordon L. Allott, Leslie C. Arends, F. Edward Hébert, Melvin R. Laird, Clark MacGregor, William E. Timmons, Peter M. Flanigan, Ronald L. Ziegler, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:59 pm to 4:13 pm.

All 30 conversations from September 28, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 579-004, September 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/579-004 (accessed October 2, 2026).