Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 799 › Conversation 799-016

Nixon, Goldwater & Butterfield on 1972 Presidential Election

Monday, October 16, 1972 · 10:47 AM–10:48 AM ET · Oval Office · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Goldwater, Barry M.; Butterfield, Alexander P.Conversation799-016 on Tape 799StartMonday, October 16, 1972 at 10:47 AMEndMonday, October 16, 1972 at 10:48 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 799-016 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Senator Barry Goldwater discuss the political landscape of the 1972 campaign and the ongoing allegations regarding "dirty tricks." Nixon expresses his gratitude for Goldwater's public support and effective criticism of political opponents. Additionally, the President conveys his personal concern for a wounded individual, promising full access to Veterans Affairs services and direct communication.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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).
Hello?
Yeah.
Hello?
Hello?
You're in Alabama?
Well, give them all my best around here, and I hope that you call the government later.
Great.
Well, would you tell him to give me my warmest regards and tell him, as I've often said, that I feel that I consider him as the same as I consider anybody who's been wounded in battle, and that we're going to get exactly the same treatment.
You know, we've got VA facilities, and if he ever has anything he wants, he has only the phone to pick up and call me.
Right.
In the meantime, I want to tell you we appreciate the way you're slamming these people a bit.
What do you think all this hocus-pocus about the dirty tricks and the rest?
God, you know, you did it well.
Look at the interview of the campaign.
Huh?
What time?
Excuse me.
Right now?
Yeah.
Okay.
Well, you've given me all.
Thanks.
I'll be back.
Bye.

NARA Description

On October 16, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Barry M. Goldwater, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:47 am to 10:48 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 799-016 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 799-16

Date: October 16, 1972
Time: 10:47 am - 10:48 am
Location: Oval Office

Barry M. Goldwater talked with the President.

[See Conversation No. 31-52]

Alexander P. Butterfield entered at 10:48 am.

         The President's schedule

Butterfield left at 10:48 am.

Also recorded on October 16, 1972

  • 799-010 10:13 AM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, unknown person(s), and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:13 am to 10:19 am.
  • 799-011 10:22 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:22 am to 10:23 am.
  • 799-012 10:24 AM · 48 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:24 am to 10:25 am.
  • 799-013 10:25 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 10:25 am and 10:27 am.
  • 799-014 10:27 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:27 am to 10:28 am.
  • 799-015 10:28 AM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:28 am and 10:47 am.
  • 031-052 10:47 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Barry M. Goldwater talked on the telephone from 10:47 am to 10:48 am.
  • 799-017 11:24 AM · 15 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:24 am to 11:40 am.

All 97 conversations from October 16, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 799-016, October 16, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/799-016 (accessed October 1, 2026).