Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 676 › Conversation 676-006

Nixon & Butterfield on West Virginia and flooding

Wednesday, March 1, 1972 · 8:40 AM–8:43 AM ET · Oval Office ·1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Butterfield, Alexander P.Conversation676-006 onTape 676 (tape position 00:21:43–00:23:18)StartWednesday, March 1, 1972 at 8:40 AMEndWednesday, March 1, 1972 at 8:43 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 676-006 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with Alexander P. Butterfield to coordinate a potential last-minute visit to a flood-stricken area in West Virginia while en route to Florida. The President emphasized the need to gather logistical details from staff—including Darrell M. Trent, General George A. Lincoln, and Senator Robert C. Byrd—without prematurely raising public expectations. Butterfield was tasked with confirming the feasibility and specific location of the stop to ensure a smooth, low-profile excursion.

Audio

Download MP3 · 2.9 MB

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) ·JSON data · Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).

Yeah, without raising any expectations on that part, I am thinking of stopping at West Virginia and the flood area on the way to Florida today.
I want you to, who know around here, know anything about that.
Yes, sir.
Who will be sent down? .
Well, to find out who does know, what town, and where.
What it would be to see a bird is asking to go about the situation.
But I don't want them to think.
We're in an airplane that's dropping, and he's dropping the air force in a few words.
Go on.
I'll do it.

NARA Description

On March 1, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:40 am to 8:43 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 676-006 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 676-6

Date: March 1, 1972
Time: 8:40 am - 8:43 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield.

     The President’s schedule
          -Possible trip to West Virginia
                -Flooding
          -Forthcoming trip to Florida
          -Possible trip to West Virginia
                -Darrell M. Trent
                -Gen. George A. Lincoln
                -Robert C. Byrd
                -Possible brief remarks by the President

Butterfield left at 8:43 am.

Also recorded on March 1, 1972

  • 020-134 8:12 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:12 am and 8:50 am.
  • 676-003 8:32 AM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:32 am to 8:33 am.
  • 676-004 8:33 AM · 27 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:33 am and 8:40 am.
  • 676-005 8:33 AM · 22 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:33 am and 8:40 am.
  • 676-007 8:43 AM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:43 am and 8:50 am.
  • 676-008 8:43 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:43 am and 8:50 am.
  • 020-135 8:50 AM · 18 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 8:50 am to 9:08 am.
  • 676-009 8:50 AM · 17 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:50 am to 9:08 am.

All 40 conversations from March 1, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 676-006, March 1, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/676-006 (accessed September 18, 2026).