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Conversation 036-134

TapeTape 36StartTuesday, January 30, 1973 at 9:26 PMEndTuesday, January 30, 1973 at 9:28 PMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Bull, Stephen B.Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

President Nixon directed Stephen B. Bull to urgently gather information regarding the shooting of U.S. Senator John C. Stennis, expressing extreme dissatisfaction with current bureaucratic delays. Nixon bypassed the Secret Service and the Situation Room, explicitly ordering Bull to mobilize the FBI and Washington Metropolitan Police immediately. He further demanded that John W. Dean III be activated to coordinate these efforts and insisted on receiving a comprehensive update within ten minutes.

John C. StennisFBILaw EnforcementExecutive OversightCrime
AudioNARA Description

On January 30, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 9:26 pm to 9:28 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 036-134 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 36-134

Date: January 30, 1973
Time: 9:26 pm - 9:28 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Stephen B. Bull.

[See Conversation No. 406-44]
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                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                         (rev. Jul-08)

                                                          Conversation No. 36-134 (cont’d)

       John C. Stennis shooting
            -Report
                  -Secret Service
                  -Situation room
            -John W. Dean, III
            -Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
                  -The President’s instructions
            -Jerry V. Wilson
            -The President’s instructions
                  -Secret Service
                  -FBI
                  -Washington Metropolitan Police
                  -Dean
                  -Report
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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

Yep.
Who are you trying to get that information from?
I'm doing it through Secret Service and through the Situation Room.
There's no confirmation.
I'm trying to get a firm denial on it.
No, no.
Screw the denial.
You've got to hold a John Dean right away.
Have you talked to him?
Not yet.
A United States Senator has been shot.
Do you understand?
Yes, sir.
That's a violation.
I want every FBI agent in this city turned loose to find out this.
I want to get Jerry Wilson the hell out of bed and get him to find out about it.
And I want to report in five minutes.
Is that clear?
Yes, sir.
And get off their ass now.
Screw the Secret Service.
They don't handle this.
This is the FBI's job because the United States Senator's been shot and the Washington police and everybody together.
Now get going on it fast.
I expect I'll give you ten minutes.
That's all.
Do you want to talk to John Dean?
I don't want to talk to John Dean.
He has to get off of his ass and get the FBI in this thing.
It's not a local crime.
A United States senator has been shot, and I have got to know what the score is.
I want to find out right away.
Very good.
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