Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 36 › Conversation 036-009

Nixon phone call with Bull on 1973 Inauguration and Seating arrangements

Friday, January 19, 1973 · 6:15 PM–6:40 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.Conversation036-009 on Tape 36StartFriday, January 19, 1973 at 6:15 PMEndFriday, January 19, 1973 at 6:40 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 036-009 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and aide Stephen B. Bull coordinate seating arrangements for the 1973 inaugural concerts to ensure specific high-profile guests are positioned for optimal public appearances. The discussion focuses on accommodating Billy Graham, Mamie Eisenhower, and the J. Willard Marriott family within the designated boxes. Nixon specifically instructs Bull to ensure that he and his guests appear together in a front-row grouping at the symphonic concert for favorable photography.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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yeah yes sir steve on this uh seating thing i was looking at these things here of course it varies apparently at one theater they do have us and uh they have three of us and three of us in the back which is all right but uh the thing is at the symphonic concert i just if if the grahams have been told they're to seek with us steve don't change it but if you see what i mean yes sir i just spoke with our man there yeah excuse me and uh they've been told only that they're sitting
the family, but they don't know where.
We can easily accommodate the six people, including Mrs. Joy Eisenhower.
That's what we should do.
The six of us should be in the front.
See, that's the picture, Steve, we want of the six together in that place.
It works out just fine.
All right, thank you.
Do I understand that Billy Graham meets us at each place here?
No, sir.
Graham will meet us only at the Symphonic.
I see.
The Marriotts will be moving around.
They go with us each place.
They go with you, yes.
But then they go off to an adjacent box on the side.
In your box.
Except at the Symphonic.
At the Symphonic, that's correct.
And the Grahams are there.
10-05.
Okay.
Yes, sir.
Good.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Good deal.

NARA Description

On January 19, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:15 pm and 6:40 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 036-009 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 36-9

Date: January 19, 1973
Time: Unknown time between 6:15 pm and 6:40 pm
                                               -5-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                               Conversation No. 36-9 (cont’d)

Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Stephen B. Bull.

[See also Conversation No. 398-13]

       The President’s schedule
            -1973 Inaugural concerts
                  -Seating arrangements
                  -William F. (“Billy”) Graham
                  -Mamie G.D. Eisenhower
                  -J. Willard (“Bill”) Marriott, Jr. family

Also recorded on January 19, 1973

  • 398-009 5:24 PM · 32 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Raymond K. Price, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:24 pm to 5:55 pm.
  • 398-010 5:56 PM · 20 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Charles G. ("Bebe") Rebozo, Stephen B. Bull, and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:56 pm and 6:40 pm.
  • 036-008 6:15 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:15 pm and 6:40 pm.
  • 398-011 6:15 PM · 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 6:15 pm and 6:40 pm.
  • 398-012 6:15 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:15 pm and 6:40 pm.
  • 398-013 6:15 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:15 pm and 6:40 pm.
  • 398-014 6:15 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Charles G. ("Bebe") Rebozo, and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:15 pm and 6:40 pm.
  • 398-015 6:15 PM · 12 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles G. ("Bebe") Rebozo met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:15 pm and 6:40 pm.

All 53 conversations from January 19, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 036-009, January 19, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/036-009 (accessed October 11, 2026).