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From Alexander P. Butterfield to unknown recipient RE: Telephone Call From Reverend Billy Graham. 2 pgs. [Subject: Personal] [Memo], 8/7/1972
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WHSF: Contested, 52-66
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From Alexander P. Butterfield to unknown recipient RE: Telephone Call From Reverend Billy Graham. 2 pgs. [Subject: Personal] [Memo], 8/7/1972
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Richard M. Nixon's Returned Materials Collection
Contested Materials Files
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Richard Nixon Presidential Library
Contested Materials Collection
Folder List
Box Number
Folder Number
Document Date
No Date
Subject
Document Type
Document Description
52
66
8/7/1972
Personal
Memo
From Alexander P. Butterfield to unknown
recipient RE: Telephone Call From
Reverend Billy Graham. 2pgs.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Page 1 of 1
DOCUMENT WITHDRAWAL RECORD [NIXON PROJECT]
DOCUMENT
DOCUMENT
NUMBER
TYPE
SUBJECT/TITLE OR CORRESPONDENTS
DATE
RESTRICTION
N-1
Memo
Butterfield to Haldeman re: "Am bassador
8/17/22
(Nixon)
[38]
Kennedy"
N-2
Memo
Butterfield to Colson re! "Response
8/11/72
C(NIXOn)
(39]
to Ret. Colonel Glenn J. Mc Gowan"
N-3
Bu Herfield forthe Record
C(Nixon)
Memo
re: "Telephone Call from Reverend
8/7/72
[40]
Billy Graham"
N-4
Butterfield for the President's
6/30/72
c(Nixon)
Memo
[41]
File re!" Brief Farewell Meeting
with Ambassador Emil "Bus"
Mos bacher, Jr., Departing U.S.
Chief of Protocol 11:28-11:34a.m."
FILE GROUP TITLE
BOX NUMBER
STAFF SECRETARY
82
FOLDER TITLE
BUTTERFIELD CORRESPONDENCE, July 1972- December 1972 [c]
RESTRICTION CODES
A. Release would violate a Federal statute or Agency Policy.
E. Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential commercial or
B. National security classified information.
financial information.
C. Pending or approved claim that release would violate an individual's
F. Release would disclose investigatory information compiled for law
rights.
enforcement purposes.
D. Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy
G. Withdrawn and return private and personal material.
or a libel of a living person.
H. Withdrawn and returned non-historical material.
NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION
NA FORM 1421 (4-85)
Presidential Materials Review Board
Review on Contested Documents
Collection:
Staff Secretary
Box Number:
82
Folder:
Butterfield Correspondence, July 1972 - December 1972 [IV]
Document
Disposition
38
Retain
Open
39
Retain
Open
40
Return
Private/Political
41
Retain Open
[Item N-3]
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
August 7, 1972
ADMINISTRATIVELY CONFIDENTIAL/PERSONAL
MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD
SUBJECT:
Telephone Call from Reverend Billy Graham
Billy Graham placed a call to the President late this afternoon from
Montreat. I took the call, because the President was meeting with
staff members, and learned that Billy sought the President's advice
about a matter which he described as "strictly personal". He said
that he would tell me about it if I would keep it confidential and relay
it to the President within the next hour or two. I assured him that
the matter would be kept private and that I would do what I could to
get back to him by 8:00 p.m. Then, he told me of his dilemma.
He had been called last night by Sargent Shriver, who asked him
based on their long and close friendship -- to lead the prayer at his
acceptance speech ceremony in Washingtom tomorrow evening
(August 8). Billy told me that Shriver said, "I know that you're behind
the President, and that you will vote for him. But I'm asking you
this favor because you and I are such good friends and because you are
the finest person I know in the Protestant ministry. 11 Billy seemed to
feel that since Shriver put it the way he did i.e. strictly on a friendship
basis he should probably accept. Yet he admitted that if he accepted,
he would have to reverse his earlier decision and attend the Republican
Convention. He expressed the hope that he could retain a completely
"bipartisan posture" throughout the carly stages of the Campaign
"at least until about October". He said that if the polls should indicate
a close Presidential race during that last month before the Election,
he could (in that way) throw his support to the side of the President
more effectively. He went on to say that he was truly in a quandry about
what to do and that he very much wanted the President's personal advice.
He closed the conversation by assuring me that he would abide by any
decision made at this end of the line that he would do nothing to hurt
the President OF to help McGovern.
ADMINISTRATI LY CONFIDENTIAL/PERSON.
- 2 -
In accordance with standard procedure, I tried to contact
Bob Haldeman in California, but learned that he would not be in touch
with the Western White House switchboard for "another hour and a
half". That being the case, I mentioned the Graham matter to the
President while chatting with him about some other things --
schedule proposals, etc. The President listened carefully, then
answered firmly, "He should not do it. You call him back and tell
him that it would be tantamount to his having attended the Democratic
National Convention."
About a half hour later I called Billy and told him what had transpired.
I could sense some disappointment. He asked me if I told the
President about Shriver's having acknowledged that he (Billy) was a
Nixon supporter and that he would be voting, of course, for the
President. I told him that that part of the story had been made clear
to the President. Then he referred to his father-in-law, "a staunch
Nixon supporter and an ultra-conservative if there ever was one", saying,
"He seems to think it would be perfectly alright for me to accept
Shriver's invitation. After all, I'm a clergyman and I would be there
only for the purpose of leading those people in prayer."
Because the President had tried unsuccessfully to telephone me only
a few moments before, I told Billy that I would have an occasion to talk
to the President once again, and that I would seek a confirmation of the
earlier decision.
Needless to say, I did not mention the subject to the President when
I spoke to him later that evening. He had made his point earlier in the
day.
At 8:15 p.m. I called Bob Haldeman, ran the story by him quickly,
got his agreement to the President's decision, and in the process learned
more about Billy's early summer declinations to invitations to both
major Party conventions on the basis of his wanting to hold to a
bipartisan stance throughout most of the Campaign period. Like the
President, Haldeman saw Graham's acceptance of the Shriver invitation
as a radical change of position. There would be no hiding of his presence
at the nationally-televised ceremony and so it would be taken by a great
many Americans as a gesture of support.
At 8:35 I called Billy and reiterated the President's feeling (and advice),
He said, "Fine. Then, that's exactly what I will do."
Alexander P. Butterfield