Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 784 › Conversation 784-008

Nixon & Butterfield on Leon Sullivan and Minority employment

Thursday, September 21, 1972 · 10:50 AM–11:00 AM ET · Oval Office · 4 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Butterfield, Alexander P.Conversation784-008 on Tape 784StartThursday, September 21, 1972 at 10:50 AMEndThursday, September 21, 1972 at 11:00 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 784-008 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with Alexander P. Butterfield to coordinate upcoming scheduling priorities and media appearances. The discussion centered on recording a film clip for Reverend Leon Sullivan’s minority-focused television program and managing the President’s travel and workload, including a firm directive to clear his schedule of substantive meetings to prepare for IMF and other public appearances. Additionally, the pair briefly touched on administrative matters, including potential meetings with economist Milton Friedman and chess champion Bobby Fischer.

Audio

Download MP3 · 5.4 MB

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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

· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
okay
Yeah, I do understand.
But, oh, that's right.
I don't want to get too close to everybody.
I feel terrible but I don't sound terrible.
I've got a couple quick questions for you.
Jesus Christ, look at the number of people here.
I told George Schultz once that if Milt Friedman got down here, he'd like to talk to him.
He's down all day at Treasury.
And you're free to step in there.
I really can't this time, because I've got to prepare my remarks for the...
I'd love to stay, but... Well, he'll be down again.
I've got to prepare for my Texas trip this afternoon.
Reverend Leon Sullivan,
He's putting together a huge television show for October 11th.
It's going to emanate from the Waldorf.
It's going to be played in closed circuit.
Television, 43 major cities.
He's got Bing Crosby and Hope and Sammy Davis.
It's on his thing.
Anybody can be somebody.
It's a minority thing.
He'd like to include you in that telecast.
So virtually your whole staff has suggested a three-minute film clip of you addressing what this administration has done toward minority employment.
Self-help and that sort of thing.
All right.
We can do that over in the theater for three nights someday.
Well, someday soon, so we can get him this film.
We'll work that out.
Yeah, all right.
Well, good to do that.
Fine.
The one thing I was going to tell you, Governor, on the schedule, we want you to be absolutely clear.
Next week is, don't schedule anything.
I mean, I could do the three minutes, but...
But don't schedule any other thing, because the IMF is the news for one thing.
Salute is the news for the next.
The OA editor is the news for the next.
And I'll be coming back in the 28th.
I've got to do a thing there.
So next week is dead.
And you see, I'll need Sunday and Monday for preparing that, except for that three-minute or, you know, a five-minute handshake thing.
But no substance of any kind.
Should be, should be, should be during next week.
Okay?
Okay, sir.
Right.
The alternatives were going up to the Waldorf on the 11th and addressing the dinner, but that won't put you on TV.
I don't want to go to the Waldorf.
I will not go to the Waldorf.
Last item on the schedule, do you want to see Bobby Fischer eventually?
Oh, sure.
Okay.
And I think Henry's sending a wire in your name and said, I'll see you for lunch.
Sure.
Sure.
Okay.
These are the guest lists for the 29th.

NARA Description

On September 21, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:50 am and 11:00 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 784-008 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 784-8

Date: September 21, 1972
Time: 10:50 am – unknown before 11:00 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield.

             The President's schedule
                 -Signing ceremony for House Resolution [HR] 2
                      -F. Edward Hébert
                      -William E. Timmons
                 -Butterfield's health
                 -Guest list
                 -George P. Shultz request for meeting with Milton Friedman
                      -Treasury Department
                      -The President's preparation for trip to Texas
                 -Rev. Leon H. Sullivan’s television show
                      -October 11, 1972
                      -Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
                      -Distribution
                      -Harry L. (“Bing”) Crosby
                      -Leslie T. (“Bob”) Hope
                      -Sammy Davis, Jr.
                      -Film clip of the President's statement on administration support of
                       minority employment and self-help programs
                           -Theatre
                           -Timing
                 -International Monetary Fund [IMF] speech
                 -Salute in New York City
                 -Los Angeles dinner
                 -Address of Waldorf-Astoria Hotel dinner
                 -Bobby Fischer
                      -Henry A. Kissinger
                 -Guest lists

The conversation was cut off at an unknown time before 11:00 am.

Also recorded on September 21, 1972

  • 784-005 9:55 AM · 35 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:55 am to 9:56 am.
  • 784-006 10:02 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Rose Mary Woods, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:02 am to 10:15 am.
  • 784-007 10:15 AM · 34 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:15 am to 10:50 am.
  • 784-009 11:00 AM · 1 min — 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 11:06 am.
  • 784-010 11:00 AM · 9 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 11:06 am.
  • 784-011 11:06 AM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Frank van der Linden, and Kenneth W. Clawson met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:06 am and 11:28 am.
  • 784-012 11:28 AM · 46 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:28 am and 11:30 am.
  • 784-013 11:30 AM · 17 min — President Richard M. Nixon, F. Edward Hébert, Leslie C. Arends, Charles E. Bennett, Durward G. Hall, Melvin R. Laird, Richard S. Wilbur, Louis M. Rousselot, Frank M. Slatinshek, William E. Timmons, John E. Nidecker, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:30 am to 11:48 am.

All 43 conversations from September 21, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 784-008, September 21, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/784-008 (accessed October 1, 2026).