Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 32 › Conversation 032-166

Nixon phone call with Bull on Anatoliy Dobrynin and Diplomatic Protocol

Friday, November 3, 1972 · 9:44 AM–9:45 AM ET · White House Telephone · 43 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.Conversation032-166 on Tape 32StartFriday, November 3, 1972 at 9:44 AMEndFriday, November 3, 1972 at 9:45 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 032-166 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon instructed his aide, Stephen B. Bull, to delay an upcoming meeting with Soviet Ambassador Anatoliy Dobrynin by 15 minutes. Nixon emphasized that the appointment needed to be extended to a half-hour duration to account for translation time. Additionally, the President confirmed the schedule for a subsequent brief meeting with Beatrice Willard at 10:45 am.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

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Yeah.

Yes, sir, Steve Ball.

Get a hold of the office over there and tell them, because of these calls, I'll be 15 minutes late for that.

All right, sir.

Now you understand, have them call the Russian ambassador and tell him the president is tied up, will be 15 minutes late.

Very good, sir.

And the appointment will still be a half hour.

They're only expecting 15 minutes anyway, sir.

It never is 15 minutes with a translation.

It's a half hour.

See him at 1015.

All right, sir.

Fine.

And we'll finish.

And then the next appointment's at 1045.

Isn't that correct?

Yes, sir.

So it's that five-minute deal with this woman.

All right.

Fine.

Thank you, sir.

1015.

Fine.

Yes, sir.

NARA Description

On November 3, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 9:44 am to 9:45 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 032-166 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 032-166

Date: November 3, 1972
Time: 9:44 am - 9:45 am
Location: White House Telephone

       Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542

The President talked with Stephen B. Bull.

[See Conversation No. 391-28]

        The President's schedule
            -Meeting with [Anatoliy F. Dobrynin]
                -Delay
                     -Bull's call
                -Length
                -Time
            -Next meeting
                -[Beatrice (“Bettie”) Willard]

Also recorded on November 3, 1972

032-165 9:42 AM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:42 am and 9:44 am.
391-027 9:42 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 9:42 am and 9:44 am.
391-028 9:44 AM · 45 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 9:44 am to 9:45 am.
032-167 9:45 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 9:45 am.
391-029 9:45 AM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 9:45 am.
391-031 9:45 AM · 25 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Jack R. Miller, and William L. Scott met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 9:45 am and 10:13 am.
032-168 9:46 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 9:46 am.
391-030 9:46 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 9:46 am.

All 54 conversations from November 3, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 032-166, November 3, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/032-166 (accessed September 28, 2026).