Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 639 › Conversation 639-001
Nixon & Butterfield on White House staff and Ronald Ziegler
Saturday, December 18, 1971 · 12:37 PM–12:42 PM ET · Oval Office · 42 sec
AI Summary
President Nixon met with Alexander P. Butterfield to coordinate administrative logistics regarding his official schedule. The discussion focused on arrangements for an upcoming press photo opportunity and a follow-up communication Butterfield was tasked to conduct with Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler. This interaction served to finalize brief scheduling adjustments required for the President's public engagements.
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
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NARA Description
On December 18, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:37 pm and 12:42 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 639-001 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 639-001
Date: December 18, 1971
Time: Unknown between 12:37 pm and 12:42 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield.
The President's schedule
-Press picture
-Butterfield's call to Ronald L. Ziegler
Butterfield left at an unknown time before 12:42 pm.Also recorded on December 18, 1971
- 016-106 12:37 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:37 pm and 12:42 pm.
- 639-002 12:37 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:37 pm and 12:42 pm.
- 639-003 12:37 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:37 pm and 12:42 pm.
- 016-107 12:42 PM · 50 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 12:42 pm to 12:43 pm.
- 639-004 12:42 PM · 50 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:42 pm to 12:43 pm.
- 016-108 12:43 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 12:43 pm.
- 639-005 12:43 PM · 11 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, White House operator, Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:43 pm to 12:50 pm.
- 016-109 12:44 PM · 49 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon talked on the telephone from 12:44 pm to 12:45 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 639-001, December 18, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/639-001 (accessed October 11, 2026).