Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 631 › Conversation 631-009

Nixon & Butterfield on White House social events and Guest list management

Tuesday, December 7, 1971 · 6:10 PM–6:28 PM ET · Oval Office · 5 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Butterfield, Alexander P.Conversation631-009 on Tape 631 (tape position 03:39:00–03:51:19)StartTuesday, December 7, 1971 at 6:10 PMEndTuesday, December 7, 1971 at 6:28 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 631-009 ↗

President Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met to coordinate logistics for an upcoming White House dinner and manage the President's schedule. The discussion focused on reviewing the guest list, which included prominent figures such as W. Averell Harriman and Nelson A. Rockefeller, and ensuring specific individuals like Ron Paul were accommodated. Nixon also requested an additional photograph session with Sergeant Davis to conclude his daily activities.

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Sir, did I tell you earlier that, uh, I want to take another picture with Sergeant Davis this afternoon?
What's the matter?
Do you want to look at that guest list and tell me anything, or shall we just... What guest list?
Well, the guest list for tonight.
Do you want to see any people in particular?
That's it.
Well, for example, you've got to be sure you get Ron Paul over to see you.
Yes, sir.
No, this is what he asked me to see, sir.
I've got people with it.
Yes.
Oh, yeah.
It's a great thing to keep.
It's sunny on New York.
Thank you very much.

On December 7, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 6:10 pm and 6:28 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 631-009 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 631-009
Date: December 7, 1971
Time: Unknown between 6:10 pm and 6:28 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield.
The President's schedule
-Photographs
-White House social aides
-Upcoming White House dinner
-Guest list
-W. Averell Harriman
-Nelson A. Rockefeller
-Joseph M. Margiotta
-Meredith Willson
-William W. Keeler
-W. Clement Stone
-A. Pollard Simons
Butterfield left at an unknown time before 6:28 pm.
  • 631-004 3:12 PM · 1 hr 18 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Maurice H. Stans, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Peter G. Peterson, White House photographer, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Ronald L. Ziegler, unknown person(s), and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:12 pm to 4:29 pm.
  • 631-005 4:29 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Harold H. Saunders met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:29 pm and 4:33 pm.
  • 631-006 4:29 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:29 pm and 4:33 pm.
  • 631-007 4:33 PM · 32 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:33 pm to 5:05 pm.
  • 631-008 5:05 PM · 1 hr 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Daniel P. Moynihan, and John D. Ehrlichman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:05 pm to 6:16 pm.
  • 631-010 6:10 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 6:10 pm and 6:28 pm.
  • 631-011 6:28 PM · 33 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Ronald L. Ziegler, unknown person(s), White House operator, and William P. Rogers met in the Oval Office of the White House from 6:28 pm to 7:04 pm.
  • 016-036 6:51 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William P. Rogers talked on the telephone from 6:51 pm to 6:55 pm.

Conversation 631-009, December 7, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/631-009 (accessed October 12, 2026).