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Conversation 035-013

TapeTape 35StartWednesday, December 27, 1972 at 7:41 PMEndWednesday, December 27, 1972 at 7:43 PMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Bull, Stephen B.Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

President Nixon directs Stephen B. Bull to urgently coordinate a visit to Nicaragua to provide earthquake relief and demonstrate personal support for the victims. Nixon intends to arrive with a substantial financial donation and plans to visit devastated areas via helicopter while minimizing press fanfare. He instructs Bull to bypass the State Department and senior staff, tasking only Col. Richard T. Kennedy of the NSC with facilitating the logistics for a departure the following morning.

Nicaragua earthquakeHumanitarian aidPresidential travelNational Security CouncilDisaster relief
AudioNARA Description

On December 27, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 7:41 pm to 7:43 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 035-013 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 35-13

Date: December 27, 1972
Time: 7:41 pm and 7:43 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Stephen B. Bull.
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                 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      (rev. Oct.-07)

                                                             Conversation No. 35-13 (cont’d)

      The President's schedule
           -Possible trip to Nicaragua
                 -Relief aid to earthquake victims
                 -Visits to affected areas
                        -Helicopter
                        -Departure time
                        -Anastasio Somoza Debayle
                        -State Department
                        -Col. Richard T. Kennedy
                              -National Security Council [NSC]
                              -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
                              -Henry A. Kissinger
                              -Turner B. Shelton
                        -Duration
                        -Nature of trip
                              -Relief aid
                                    -Amount
                              -Press pool
                                    -The President’s view
                        -The President’s instructions to Bull
                              -Kennedy
                              -Return call to President
                              -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
                                    -California
                              -John D. Ehrlichman
                              -State Department
                              -Kennedy
                        -Departure time
                              -Press notification
                        -Return call to the President
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.

I've got a rather tough assignment for you, but it's quite important and see if you can work it out in the next half hour.
I'd like to fly to Nicaragua in the morning, check with the people in terms of what kind of a check I could take down.
You know what I mean?
We're giving a huge amount of relief there, but I want to
do something, also check with our helicopter crews so that I could fly into the areas that are, you know, the most difficult, you know, to show some concern about the people.
Okay?
Now, what time would you want to go, Mr. President?
Oh, about 8 o'clock, 9 or 7.
The earlier, the better.
I'd like to fly right down early in the morning.
I haven't said a word to anybody.
I'm just telling you that this is something I want to lay on, and I don't want you to check with 18 people.
I don't know who the hell you do check with, but I guess you have to check with the, don't check with the State Department, but check with maybe Kennedy at the NSC.
He's the only one around.
Hagan is sure gone.
in the NSC.
He can check with the ambassador down there who was a friend of ours, Turner Shelton.
Tell him he'd like to come down.
I just want to go down and spend two days.
I want to fly into the areas, you know.
I've got to know what kind of a check we can take down.
You know what I mean?
You well understand we're giving enormous amounts of money.
I'll take down
maybe $10 million check and hand it to them when I'm there.
Also, whatever we can do in terms of bringing things along.
I don't want any press.
You know, the press can go, but they've got to go to another plane.
We'd take a pool, of course, on ours.
Of course, of course, of course.
But what I meant is that we're not doing this for press purposes.
I just want to go down to show...
to demonstrate personally the interest of the United States in this terrible tragedy.
You do a little checking.
This is a damn good assignment for you now on your own.
All right.
You check it out.
Check it first with Kennedy and the rest, and call me back.
Now, don't raise it up to the... Don't ask Coleman about it.
I want him to have a little rest in California for a change.
All right.
Don't check with Haldeman.
Don't check with Ehrlichman.
Don't check with the State Department.
Tell Kennedy I want to go.
I want to leave at the earliest possible moment.
If we can leave at 7, that's better.
But no, you can't do that because you've got to tell the jackass press here.
So shall we say we'll leave at, say, 10 o'clock in the morning.
That's a good time to leave.
See what I mean?
I'll get on it and get back as soon as I can.
Fine.
Fine.
Okay, boy.
Bye.
Thank you.
Bye.
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