Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 688 › Conversation 688-001

Nixon, Butterfield & Bull on White House taping system

Saturday, March 18, 1972 · 10:26 AM–10:56 AM ET · Oval Office · 2 min

ParticipantsButterfield, Alexander P.; Bull, Stephen B.; Nixon, Richard M. (President)Conversation688-001 on Tape 688 (tape position 00:00:25–00:03:41)StartSaturday, March 18, 1972 at 10:26 AMEndSaturday, March 18, 1972 at 10:56 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 688-001 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with aides Alexander P. Butterfield and Stephen B. Bull to address logistical matters regarding the functionality of the White House taping system. The discussion focused on the technical operation and control of the recording equipment installed in the Oval Office. This meeting served as an internal administrative review concerning the maintenance and oversight of the President’s secret recording apparatus.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Do you mind if I have a switch?

NARA Description

On March 18, 1972, Alexander P. Butterfield, Stephen B. Bull, and President Richard M. Nixon met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:26 am and 10:56 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 688-001 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 688-1

Date: March 18, 1972
Time: Unknown between 10:26 am and 10:56 am
Location: Oval Office

Alexander P. Butterfield met with Stephen B. Bull.

     Unknown person

Bull left at an unknown time before 10:56 am.

[No conversation]

The President entered at 10:56 am.

     Signing documents

     The President's schedule
          -Henry A. Kissinger's schedule

Butterfield left at an unknown time before 10:56 am.

Also recorded on March 18, 1972

  • 021-108 10:07 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:07 am and 12:10 pm.
  • 688-002 11:00 AM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:00 am and 11:05 am.
  • 688-003 11:00 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:00 am and 11:05 am.
  • 688-004 11:05 AM · 47 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:05 am to 11:52 am.
  • 688-005 11:52 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:52 am to 11:53 am.
  • 688-006 11:53 AM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:53 am to 11:59 am.
  • 688-007 12:00 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:00 pm to 12:01 pm.
  • 688-008 12:01 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:01 pm and 12:10 pm.

All 24 conversations from March 18, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 688-001, March 18, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/688-001 (accessed October 3, 2026).