Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 237 › Conversation 237-050

Nixon phone call with Bull on Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower

Saturday, December 30, 1972 · 10:54 AM–10:56 AM ET · Camp David Hard Wire · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.Conversation237-050 on Tape 237StartSaturday, December 30, 1972 at 10:54 AMEndSaturday, December 30, 1972 at 10:56 AMRecording deviceCamp David Hard WireSourceNixon Library record for 237-050 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with his aide, Stephen B. Bull, regarding the protocol for hosting a reception for foreign dignitaries attending the funeral services of former President Harry S. Truman. Nixon emphasized the importance of treating the event with at least the same level of honor as that provided for Dwight D. Eisenhower to avoid unfavorable public comparisons. The President ultimately authorized a brief White House reception to accommodate visiting heads of state and other high-ranking officials attending the memorial.

Audio

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NARA Description

On December 30, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 10:54 am to 10:56 am. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 237-050 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 237-50

Date: December 30, 1972
Time: 10:54 am - 10:56 am
Location: Camp David Hard Wire

The President talked with Stephen B. Bull.

[See Conversation No. 158-39]

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).

Yeah.

Hello.

Hi, Steve.

What report do you have on that general thing?

He was coming.

No, they're low level.

I would never see any of them, but what about the custom of having a reception for them?

I have no objection to doing it at all.

Let me put it this way.

I want to bend over backwards to do as much for Truman as we did for Eisenhower because the invidious comparison will inevitably be drawn otherwise.

That's the point I'm trying to make.

And I know that you and I, I can make the distinction of general versus service, which I've made to you.

So be sure the state understands it.

If they want to tilt that way after the dam, after they've had the memorial service, I'll just have them over for a brief reception at the White House, coffee or whatever, on that hour of the day.

You can tell them it's perfect, they're right as far as I'm concerned, and I'll be glad to receive them.

Because if they have any heads of state,

that type of thing, who are very close to him, like a former prime minister of a major country.

That's the kind of people you have.

Okay.

Yeah.

Bye.

Good.

Bye, Steve.

Thank you.

Also recorded on December 30, 1972

158-038 10:12 AM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:12 am and 10:54 am.
237-047 10:12 AM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and William Hirsch met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:12 am and 10:54 am.
237-048 10:12 AM · 11 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:12 am and 10:54 am.
237-049 10:15 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:15 am and 10:54 am.
158-039 10:54 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone at Camp David from 10:54 am to 10:56 am.
158-040 11:06 AM · 37 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, and John A. Scali talked on the telephone at Camp David from 11:06 am to 11:42 am.
237-051 11:06 AM · 21 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, and John A. Scali met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 11:06 am to 11:42 am.
238-001 11:06 AM · 12 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 11:06 am and 11:42 am.

All 62 conversations from December 30, 1972 →

Nixon alone in his EOB office on Harry S. Truman and Presidential legacy December 28, 1972 · 3 min
Nixon & Bull on Harry S. Truman and Memorial service January 2, 1973 · 5 min
White House tour group on White House and Cabinet Room May 29, 1973 · 2 min
Nixon phone call with Colson on 1972 Presidential Election and George McGovern June 25, 1972 · 6 min
Nixon, Kendall & Haldeman on Dwight D. Eisenhower and Eulogies August 11, 1972 · 5 min
Nixon & Arends on Watergate and Special Prosecutor May 1, 1973 · 2 min

Cite this conversation

Conversation 237-050, December 30, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/237-050 (accessed October 31, 2026).