Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 748 › Conversation 748-005

Nixon & Butterfield on H.R. Haldeman and Cabinet meetings

Thursday, July 20, 1972 · 10:38 AM–10:59 AM ET · Oval Office · 16 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Butterfield, Alexander P.Conversation748-005 on Tape 748StartThursday, July 20, 1972 at 10:38 AMEndThursday, July 20, 1972 at 10:59 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 748-005 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with Alexander P. Butterfield to review the logistics of upcoming official engagements, specifically focusing on the President's schedule. The discussion centered on H.R. Haldeman’s recommendation regarding the inclusion of agency heads in planned breakfast and Cabinet meetings. The President expressed concerns about the optics of these appearances, ultimately weighing whether to proceed with or cancel the planned involvement of agency leadership.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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everything on track for tomorrow, but it's one thing.
And I thought the astronomy recommends that we not have those agency ads to brag about.

NARA Description

On July 20, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:38 am and 10:59 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 748-005 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 748-5

Date: July 20, 1972
Time: Unknown between 10:38 am and 10:59 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield.

     The President's schedule
          -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman's recommendation
                -Agency heads
                      -Breakfast meeting
                      -Cabinet meeting

Butterfield left at an unknown time before 10:59 am.

Also recorded on July 20, 1972

  • 027-016 9:45 AM · 26 sec — the White House operator, Charles W. Colson, President Richard M. Nixon, and Marjorie P. Acker talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:45 am and 9:53 am.
  • 027-017 9:54 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 9:54 am.
  • 027-018 9:54 AM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Margaretta ("Happy") Rockefeller talked on the telephone from 9:54 am to 9:56 am.
  • 027-019 9:56 AM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:56 am and 10:38 am.
  • 027-020 9:56 AM · 17 sec — Charles W. Colson and Jay Lovestone talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:56 am and 10:38 am.
  • 748-004 10:38 AM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:38 am and 10:59 am.
  • 748-006 10:38 AM · 38 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:38 am and 10:59 am.
  • 748-007 10:38 AM · 58 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Armand Hammer, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:38 am and 12:02 pm.

All 50 conversations from July 20, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 748-005, July 20, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/748-005 (accessed October 2, 2026).