Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 45 › Conversation 045-101

Nixon phone call with Bull on Watergate and H.R. Haldeman

Tuesday, May 1, 1973 · 5:53 PM–5:54 PM ET · White House Telephone · 43 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.Conversation045-101 on Tape 45StartTuesday, May 1, 1973 at 5:53 PMEndTuesday, May 1, 1973 at 5:54 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 045-101 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon directs his aide, Stephen B. Bull, to communicate to H.R. Haldeman that he has successfully handled concerns regarding FBI involvement during a recent Cabinet meeting. Nixon specifies that he rejected the proposal for a formal memorandum suggested by Secretary of State William P. Rogers. Furthermore, the President authorizes an invitation for Haldeman, John Ehrlichman, and their families to utilize Camp David over the upcoming weekend.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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

It's Steve Ball.

I'll call and tell him how I beat the cabinet out about those FBI guys.

All right, sir.

You know, being outside the door.

And that I rejected the idea of any kind of a damn memorandum is Roger's suggestion.

There's no memorandum.

And he used to tell John that I want him

He can relay it to John that he and John and their families are invited to use Camp David for the weekend if they want.

All right, sir.

Thank you very much.

NARA Description

On May 1, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 5:53 pm to 5:54 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 045-101 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 45-101

Date: May 1, 1973
Time: 5:53 pm - 5:54 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Stephen B. Bull.

[See also Conversation No. 433-37]

     Watergate
          -Bull call to H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
                -President’s meeting with Cabinet
                       -Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
                       -Memorandum
                             -William P. Rogers
                -Invitation to Haldeman, Ehrlichman and families
                                                 -68-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Also recorded on May 1, 1973

045-099 5:44 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:44 pm and 5:53 pm.
045-100 5:44 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:44 pm and 5:53 pm.
433-034 5:44 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:44 pm and 5:53 pm.
433-035 5:44 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:44 pm and 5:53 pm.
433-036 5:44 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:44 pm and 5:53 pm.
433-037 5:53 PM · 38 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:53 pm to 5:54 pm.
433-038 5:55 PM · 27 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Herbert G. Klein, and Hobart D. Lewis met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:55 pm to 6:24 pm.
045-102 5:57 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Hobart D. Lewis talked on the telephone from 5:57 pm to 5:58 pm.

All 181 conversations from May 1, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 045-101, May 1, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/045-101 (accessed October 5, 2026).