Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 46 › Conversation 046-115

Nixon phone call with Bull on Presidential travel and Speech release

Friday, May 18, 1973 · 5:00 PM–5:01 PM ET · White House Telephone · 57 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.Conversation046-115 on Tape 46StartFriday, May 18, 1973 at 5:00 PMEndFriday, May 18, 1973 at 5:01 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 046-115 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and aide Stephen B. Bull coordinate the President's upcoming travel logistics and the dissemination of an approved speech. They finalize plans to depart from the Ellipse the following day and defer a final decision on whether to proceed to Camp David until their return to Andrews Air Force Base. Additionally, Nixon instructs Bull to release the approved speech copy to the press.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yes, sir.

What time do we leave tomorrow?

Leave at 1240, sir.

And we'll be going from the Ellipse.

From the Ellipse.

Fine.

Yes, sir.

And what time do we get back?

We'll be back at Andrews at...

Let's see, we'd be back at around 335.

If you want to go from there to Camp David, you'd be up there at 410.

But we could go to Andrews and then decide where we do then.

Well, we'll hold our decision with regard to Camp David until then, okay?

All right, sir, fine.

All right, fine.

Thank you.

And tell, uh...

I reckon that they can go forward with the speech copy that I have approved and put it on the speech typewriter and, uh...

It can be put out for the press.

All right.

NARA Description

On May 18, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 5:00 pm to 5:01 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 046-115 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 46-115

Date: May 18, 1973
Time: 5:00 pm - 5:01 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Stephen B. Bull.

[See also Conversation No. 437-25]

     President’s schedule
           -Ellipse
           -Andrews Air Force Base
           -Camp David

     Instructions for David R. Gergen
           -Speech
           -Delivery to press

Also recorded on May 18, 1973

046-114 4:34 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:34 pm and 5:00 pm.
437-020 4:34 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:34 pm and 5:00 pm.
437-021 4:34 PM · 23 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 4:34 pm and 5:00 pm.
437-022 4:34 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:34 pm and 5:00 pm.
437-023 4:34 PM · 10 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 4:34 pm and 5:00 pm.
437-024 4:34 PM · 19 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 4:34 pm and 5:00 pm.
437-025 5:00 PM · 42 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:00 pm to 5:01 pm.
437-026 5:15 PM · 18 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:15 pm to 5:33 pm.

All 43 conversations from May 18, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 046-115, May 18, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/046-115 (accessed October 12, 2026).