Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 683 › Conversation 683-010

Nixon & Butterfield on White House church services and Fred B. Rhodes, Jr.

Monday, March 13, 1972 · 2:50 PM–2:54 PM ET · Oval Office

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Butterfield, Alexander P.Conversation683-010 on Tape 683 (tape position 04:37:12–04:42:28)StartMonday, March 13, 1972 at 2:50 PMEndMonday, March 13, 1972 at 2:54 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 683-010 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield discussed the selection of an officiant for an upcoming White House church service. The conversation focused on the potential inclusion of Fred B. Rhodes, Jr., president of the Southern Baptist Convention, with input from staff members including Harry S. Dent and Charles W. Colson. The meeting underscored the administration's strategic use of these religious ceremonies as diplomatic gestures.

Audio

Download MP3 (part 1) · 167.7 MB ·Download MP3 (part 2) · 168.1 MB ·Download MP3 (part 3) · 164.4 MB

This conversation has not yet been cut into its own clip, so the player above contains the full tape segment shared with neighbouring conversations. It begins about 04:37:12 into the tape and ends around 04:42:28.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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4:39:23Very, very good, sir.
4:39:24We thank the Queen of Heaven, Fred Rhodes, officiator of this worship service.
4:39:28You know, Fred Rhodes is the president of the Southern Baptist Convention.
4:39:31We've started to have him several times at Dan's strong request.
4:39:36And now, Dan and Colson both are here at the time of their votes.
4:39:49Well, it's just a gesture.
4:39:51Now I've got to scroll it.
4:39:54That's what it means.
4:40:19So,

NARA Description

On March 13, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:50 pm to 2:54 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 683-010 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 683-10

Date: March 13, 1972
Time: 2:50 pm - 2:54 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield.

     Possible efficient at next White House church service
          -Fred B. Rhodes, Jr.
                -Southern Baptist Convention
          -Harry S. Dent
          -Charles W. Colson
          -Rose Mary Woods
          -Richard G. Kleindienst

[No conversation]

     Letter
           -Unknown man [George H. Mahon?]
           -The President’s reading

Butterfield left at 2:54 pm.

Also recorded on March 13, 1972

  • 683-011 2:54 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:54 pm to 3:02 pm.
  • 683-021 2:54 PM · 53 sec — Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:54 pm and 3:02 pm.
  • 683-012 3:02 PM · 46 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:02 pm and 3:05 pm.
  • 683-013 3:05 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Grover E. Murray, John R. Bradford, Richard K. Cook, John E. Nidecker, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:05 pm to 3:12 pm.
  • 683-014 3:12 PM · 34 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:12 pm and 3:15 pm.
  • 683-015 3:15 PM · 26 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Otto E. Passman, Henry A. Kissinger, Richard K. Cook, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:15 pm to 3:41 pm.
  • 683-016 3:41 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:41 pm and 3:48 pm.
  • 683-017 3:41 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:41 pm and 3:48 pm.

All 72 conversations from March 13, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 683-010, March 13, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/683-010 (accessed October 3, 2026).