Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 214 › Conversation 214-023

Kissinger & Bull on Elmo R. Zumwalt Jr. and Military leadership

Monday, October 2, 1972 · 4:06 PM–8:30 PM ET · Camp David Hard Wire · 8 sec

ParticipantsKissinger, Henry A.; Bull, Stephen B.Conversation214-023 on Tape 214StartMonday, October 2, 1972 at 4:06 PMEndMonday, October 2, 1972 at 8:30 PMRecording deviceCamp David Hard WireSourceNixon Library record for 214-023 ↗

AI Summary

Henry A. Kissinger coordinates with Stephen B. Bull to ensure the President receives a critical incoming telephone call from Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr. The discussion centers on the necessity of the President taking the communication personally. The primary action item involves Bull facilitating the connection between the President and the Admiral.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I'll tell the president that you just have to take the call.

NARA Description

On October 2, 1972, Henry A. Kissinger and Stephen B. Bull met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:06 pm and 8:30 pm. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 214-023 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 214-23

Date: October 2, 1972
Time: Unknown between 4:06 pm and 8:30 pm

Location: Camp David Hard Wire

Henry A. Kissinger met with Stephen B. Bull.

             Call from Adm. Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr.
                  -The President

Bull left at an unknown time before 8:30 pm.

Also recorded on October 2, 1972

  • 145-010 4:03 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:03 pm and 4:06 pm.
  • 145-011 4:06 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:06 pm and 4:59 pm.
  • 214-021 4:06 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:06 pm and 4:59 pm.
  • 214-022 4:06 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:06 pm and 8:30 pm.
  • 145-012 4:59 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:59 pm and 8:22 pm.
  • 145-013 4:59 PM · 16 sec — Henry A. Kissinger and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:59 pm and 8:22 pm.
  • 145-014 4:59 PM · 23 sec — Henry A. Kissinger and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:59 pm and 8:22 pm.
  • 145-015 4:59 PM · 17 sec — Henry A. Kissinger and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:59 pm and 8:22 pm.

All 44 conversations from October 2, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 214-023, October 2, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/214-023 (accessed October 12, 2026).