Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 711 › Conversation 711-007

Nixon, Haldeman & Butterfield on PRC table tennis team and Earl L. Butz

Tuesday, April 18, 1972 · 11:52 AM–11:55 AM ET · Oval Office · 4 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Butterfield, Alexander P.; White House operatorConversation711-007 on Tape 711 (tape position 02:06:16–02:09:54)StartTuesday, April 18, 1972 at 11:52 AMEndTuesday, April 18, 1972 at 11:55 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 711-007 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman met to review the President’s upcoming schedule, specifically focusing on preparations for a meeting with the People's Republic of China table tennis team. Nixon requested that briefing materials for the event be condensed to a single page due to his limited time, while emphasizing a non-political approach. The discussion also addressed Agriculture Secretary Earl Butz’s upcoming trip to the USSR and the need to manage his press announcements in light of Henry Kissinger’s concurrent diplomatic efforts in Moscow.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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

I'm just waiting until this is a call.

This is a... Ms. Kelly knows exactly what I meant is that the comments that the Bible might be non-political.

There's what we're trying to do here.

And that would be the approach he would take to this.

I wonder if you would tell people to prepare their marks.

Since that is so large, I don't really need more than just a page.

I love the best.

I was too sick with time.

Otherwise, I just don't have the time to read them.

I don't want to interfere.

He's just getting ready for his trips.

He understands what I mean.

Apparently he had a tip for the bus.

The bus wanted to make a big announcement when he was at a press conference.

No, I'm sure Butts is a problem to deal with and things like that.

I realize that.

But for the right motivation, he wants to help.

Volpe wants to do it because Volpe wants to, you know, the Volpe mentality is pure self-destructing stuff where Butts is, and he thinks he can be effective.

And he is.

Bang!

NARA Description

On April 18, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Alexander P. Butterfield, and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:52 am and 11:55 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 711-007 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 711-7

Date: April 18, 1972
Time: Unknown between 11:52 am and 11:55 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.

     John A. Scali
          -The President's meeting with People's Republic of China [PRC] table tennis team

Alexander P. Butterfield entered at an unknown time after 11:52 am.

     Tricia Nixon Cox
           -The President's call

Butterfield left at an unknown time before 11:55 am.

     The President's schedule
          -Meeting with PRC table tennis team
               -Scali
               -The President’s comments and the team’s comments
                      -Length
                      -The President's review
                           -Time devoted to reading
               -Schedule
          -Meeting with Earl L. Butz
               -Butz's trip to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
               -Butz's announcement
                      -Publicity
                           -Henry A. Kissinger's trip to Moscow

     Butz
            -Announcement
                -Reasons
            -Work with administration
                -Problems
                -Compared with John A. Volpe

The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 11:52 and
11:55 am.

[Conversation No. 711-7A]

[See Conversation No. 23-18]

[End of telephone conversation]

Haldeman left at an unknown time before 11:55 am.

Also recorded on April 18, 1972

023-018 11:52 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and unknown person(s) talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:52 am and 11:56 am.
711-008 11:52 AM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:52 am and 11:55 am.
023-019 11:55 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Tricia Nixon Cox talked on the telephone from 11:55 am to 11:58 am.
711-009 11:55 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Tricia Nixon Cox met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:55 am to 11:58 am.
711-010 11:58 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:58 am and 12:04 pm.
711-011 11:58 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:58 am and 12:04 pm.
711-012 11:58 AM · 36 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:58 am and 12:04 pm.
711-013 12:04 PM · 22 sec — unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:04 pm and 12:21 pm.

All 44 conversations from April 18, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 711-007, April 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/711-007 (accessed October 12, 2026).