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Conversation 781-002

TapeTape 781StartMonday, September 18, 1972 at 8:25 AMEndMonday, September 18, 1972 at 9:35 AMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Butterfield, Alexander P.Recording deviceOval Office
AI Summary

President Nixon and Alexander Butterfield met to finalize the logistics and agenda for an upcoming breakfast meeting with Congressional leaders, including Gerald Ford and Hugh Scott. The President emphasized that the meeting should focus on potential vetoes for legislation exceeding the budget, while cautioning that administration officials must not prematurely disclose final executive decisions to the legislators. Additionally, Nixon approved a ceremonial book presentation involving author Frank van der Linden to be scheduled during the week.

Presidential VetoesCongressional RelationsLegislative StrategyWhite House SchedulingBudget Policy
AudioNARA Description

On September 18, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:25 am and 9:35 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 781-002 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 781-2

Date: September 18, 1972
Time: Unknown between 8:25 am and 9:35 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield.

             The President's schedule
                 -The President's September 19, 1972 meeting with Congressional leaders
                     -Legislation
                          -Vetoes
                     -John D. Ehrlichman
                     -Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger
                     -Hugh Scott, Robert P. Griffin, Gerald R. Ford, Leslie C. Arends
                     -William E. Timmons
                     -Kenneth R. Cole, Jr.
                     -Timmons
                     -Ehrlichman and Weinberger
                          -Memorandum on vetoes
                     -Length of meeting
                     -Agenda
                          -Possible vetoes

                                         (rev. Oct-06)

                           -Strategy
                      -Ehrlichman
                           -Possible vetoes
                           -Scott
                  -Nixon's Quest of Peace
                      -Frank van der Linden
                           -Soviet Union trip
                           -Book presentation to the President
                  -Congressional leaders
                      -Breakfast
                      -Ehrlichman
                      -Timmons
                      -Weinberger
                      -Cole

Butterfield left at an unknown time before 9:35 am.
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

The bills that you may want to veto, potential veto bills for the big four.
What's that?
Scott.
Austin Cole because he's.
The bill says here there are a number of bills that will be coming up which are substantially above budget or have program deficiencies.
I suggest this meeting be devoted to review of those bills, which may face presidential veto.
Who's suggesting that?
Berlickman and Weinberger together.
Well, just don't give me a memorandum on it.
You have a memorandum.
On the bills?
No, no, no.
You can do that in the discussion.
I have to know what the discussion is.
Well, y'all are right.
He's got to be extremely careful not to inform us what we're going to do.
Yeah.
He doesn't.
Yeah.
We never can tell Scott and those people what we're going to do.
So I need to know.
I need a very careful memorandum.
As a filling item, one of these days this week, Frank Vanderland, who just wrote the book Next Quest for Peace.
Yeah.
They kept that open.
And let's give them, I think we may as well just give them breakfast tomorrow.
Let's make breakfast.
Okay.
Eight o'clock, I guess.
The four leaders.
That's right, man.
The four leaders.
Weingert and Timmons, and they'd like Coles in.
Fine, Coles, too.
I have a recommendation.
Fine.
Wait a minute.
Weingert, Coles.
Yeah, all right.
That's fine.
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