Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 637 › Conversation 637-016

Nixon & Butterfield on Time management

Friday, December 10, 1971 · 12:06 PM–12:22 PM ET · Oval Office · 8 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Butterfield, Alexander P.Conversation637-016 on Tape 637 (tape position 02:11:22–02:25:35)StartFriday, December 10, 1971 at 12:06 PMEndFriday, December 10, 1971 at 12:22 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 637-016 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with Alexander P. Butterfield to coordinate the management of an unspecified individual's schedule. During the brief discussion, Nixon instructed Butterfield to ensure that the individual does not rush their assigned tasks. The exchange confirms the President's personal oversight of logistical arrangements and meeting pacing.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Tell him not to hurry it.
It's good, uh, we got him.
I've got plenty of time.

NARA Description

On December 10, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:06 pm and 12:22 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 637-016 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 637-016

Date: December 12, 1971
Time: Unknown between 12:06 pm and 12:22 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield.

       The President's schedule
              -Unknown person

Butterfield left at an unknown time before 12:22 pm.

Also recorded on December 10, 1971

  • 635-010 12:00 PM · 47 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:00 pm to 12:01 pm.
  • 635-011 12:01 PM · 58 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and James D. ("Don") Hughes met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:01 pm to 12:03 pm.
  • 635-012 12:03 PM · 13 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, John H. Chafee, Adm. Thomas H. Moorer, Adm. Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr., Gen. John D. Ryan, Gen. William Westmoreland, Gen. Leonard F. Chapman, Mrs. Leonard F. Chapman, R. D. Crutcher, SGM Joseph Dailey, John W. Warner, Lt. Gen. Lewis J. Fields, Mrs. Lewis J. Fields, Gen. Raymond G. Davis, Mrs. Raymond G. Davis, Gen. William J. VanRyzin, Gen. John Chaisson, Mrs. John Chaisson, Debbie Terry, Richard Schultz, Col. Gerald Thomas, C. J. Wages, Joseph Felter, GySgt. William Weigh, George P. Shultz, Vernon C. Coffey, Jr., and James D. ("Don") Hughes met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:03 pm to 12:15 pm.
  • 637-014 12:04 PM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:04 pm to 12:06 pm.
  • 637-015 12:06 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:06 pm and 12:22 pm.
  • 016-078 12:14 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 12:14 pm to 12:15 pm.
  • 635-013 12:15 PM · 47 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:15 pm and 12:19 pm.
  • 635-014 12:15 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:15 pm and 12:19 pm.

All 75 conversations from December 10, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 637-016, December 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/637-016 (accessed October 5, 2026).