Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 35 › Conversation 035-060

Nixon phone call with Bull on Harry S. Truman and Spiro T. Agnew

Tuesday, January 2, 1973 · 3:03 PM–3:05 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.Conversation035-060 on Tape 35StartTuesday, January 2, 1973 at 3:03 PMEndTuesday, January 2, 1973 at 3:05 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 035-060 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon instructed Stephen B. Bull to ensure press secretary Gerald Warren did not confirm his attendance at the upcoming Harry S. Truman memorial service, as the President preferred to keep his schedule flexible. Nixon expressed doubt about the necessity of his personal attendance, noting that he had already paid his respects in Independence and preferred to have Vice President Spiro Agnew represent the administration. Additionally, the President confirmed that Agnew should attend the bipartisan leadership breakfast and directed that his meeting with Michael Mansfield be relocated to the Oval Office.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Mr. Ball.
Yes, sir.
I just wanted to be sure that Warren hasn't gone out on a limb and indicated that I definitely am going to attend this service.
He's holding off on that, Mr. President.
Remember, as I told you, I'm keeping that open.
Yes, sir.
Because something might come up.
I might get a cold or some darn thing.
Just be sure he knows that he's not to announce that I'm going to the service.
And we had talked about that, and he was going to check with you, or one of us was going to check before any announcement was made.
Yeah, yeah.
And we'll see that thing on that direction.
All right, sir.
Because I think there's something, there's a possibility that having gone out there myself, you know, gone out and paid my respects, you know, at the memorial, the memorial in the nation's capital for congressmen, senators, and others.
I'm not very sure that it's necessary.
I would hope that we could come up with a good reason.
Well, I don't think we need a reason.
We just say that the vice president's going to 10.
That's right.
Mr. President, with regard to the vice president, did you want him at the bipartisan breakfast on Friday?
I know that question is sent in.
Yes, yes, yes, he should be there.
All right, sir.
Mansfield at 3.30, do you want him in the EOB or the Oval Office?
The Oval Office, sir.
Fine.
Thank you.

NARA Description

On January 2, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 3:03 pm to 3:05 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 035-060 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 35-60

Date: January 2, 1973
Time: 3:03 pm - 3:05 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Stephen B. Bull.

[See Conversation No. 393-1B]

       The President's schedule
            -Gerald L. Warren
                  -Statement on the President's schedule
                         -Harry S. Truman's memorial service
                               -The President’s recent trip to [Independence, Missouri] to pay
                                respects
                               -Washington, DC
                                     -Congressmen, Senators
                               -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
                  -Agnew’s schedule
                         -Bipartisan leadership meeting, January 5, 1973
            -Meeting with Michael J. Mansfield
                  -Location
                         -Executive Office Building [EOB]
                         -Oval Office

Also recorded on January 2, 1973

  • 035-059 2:51 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:51 pm and 3:03 pm.
  • 035-061 3:05 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:05 pm and 3:10 pm.
  • 035-062 3:10 PM · 30 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 3:10 pm to 3:11 pm.
  • 035-063 3:11 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:11 pm and 3:12 pm.
  • 035-064 3:12 PM · 43 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 3:12 pm to 3:13 pm.
  • 035-065 3:13 PM · 2 min — Charles W. Colson, White House operator, President Richard M. Nixon, and Gerald L. Warren talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:13 pm and 3:30 pm.
  • 393-002 3:13 PM · 57 sec — Charles W. Colson and Gerald L. Warren met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:13 pm and 3:33 pm.
  • 393-003 3:13 PM · 11 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:13 pm and 3:33 pm.

All 52 conversations from January 2, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 035-060, January 2, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/035-060 (accessed October 2, 2026).