Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 37 › Conversation 037-053

Nixon phone call with Bull on State Department and William P. Rogers

Monday, March 5, 1973 · 3:26 PM–3:27 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.Conversation037-053 on Tape 37StartMonday, March 5, 1973 at 3:26 PMEndMonday, March 5, 1973 at 3:27 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 037-053 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 417195247 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Stephen Bull discussed the logistics for an upcoming visit to the State Department to meet with Secretary of State William P. Rogers. They reviewed the schedule for a proposed luncheon and an event involving the unveiling of a bronze plaque, while dismissing the idea of a large address to Foreign Service officers. Nixon ultimately deferred to Rogers's preferences regarding the luncheon guest list and the format of the visit.

Audio

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NARA Description

On March 5, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 3:26 pm to 3:27 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 037-053 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 37-53

Date: March 5, 1973
Time: 3:26 pm-3:27 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Stephen B. Bull.

[See Conversation No. 417-5]

       President's schedule
              -William P. Rogers
              -President’s visit to State Department
                      -Unveiling of plaque
                      -Names
                      -Press remarks
                      -Luncheon
                      -Conference room
                      -Rogers’s preference

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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You'll find out from Rogers.
What he wants to do is have that luncheon at 1 o'clock with 20 people present.
I have the list.
And then he's proposing that you go downstairs to unveil a plaque that contains the names of people.
Will these other two names be on it by that time?
No, sir.
They will not be on it.
It's a bronze plaque.
The idea would be to make some remarks downstairs, public remarks with press.
Someone over there looking at it to make sure it can be done.
The other option he offered, I think, would be unacceptable to you, and that would be to address 400 or 500 of the Foreign Service officer people in that large conference room, which I think you do not want to do.
Well, we had discussed that.
I wouldn't mind, but we'll see.
The other option is probably better.
The black, yes, sir.
Do you have a preference?
I'll talk to him about it.
I'll see.
talk to him about it all right sir he said that he favored the plaque well i'll talk to him okay do you want i have you a little i have a you know a complete list of the names no no no that's all right i don't care who he has it's his show all right i'll call him and let you know all right sir thank you

Also recorded on March 5, 1973

  • 417-004 3:25 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 3:25 pm.
  • 417-005 3:25 PM · 56 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:25 pm to 3:26 pm.
  • 037-052 3:26 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 3:26 pm.
  • 037-054 3:27 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 3:27 pm.
  • 417-006 3:27 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 3:27 pm.
  • 037-055 3:28 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William P. Rogers talked on the telephone from 3:28 pm to 3:32 pm.
  • 417-007 3:28 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William P. Rogers met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:28 pm to 3:32 pm.
  • 037-056 3:33 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 3:33 pm.

All 31 conversations from March 5, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 037-053, March 5, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417195247). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/037-053 (accessed November 4, 2026).