Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 395 › Conversation 395-017

Nixon & Bull on People's Republic of China and Cultural diplomacy

Friday, January 12, 1973 · 8:07 AM–8:19 AM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 8 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.Conversation395-017 on Tape 395StartFriday, January 12, 1973 at 8:07 AMEndFriday, January 12, 1973 at 8:19 AMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 395-017 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull to coordinate administrative details regarding his upcoming schedule and personal logistics. The discussion focused on planning events surrounding a visit by a troupe of acrobats from the People’s Republic of China, including gift arrangements and guest lists for a reception. Additionally, they reviewed travel plans for a pending trip to Florida and managed the scheduling of upcoming meetings involving key staff members such as H.R. Haldeman and Alexander Haig.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 5 minutes of this recording (about 57% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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How many are there?

Thank you.

I would go to other groups, but this is a very special situation.

Thank you.

Yes, I don't want to get locked because of the... Why don't we get it back?

Thank you.

I don't know.

I won't have it today.

So next week I'm going to be here.

I'll be there Thursday night.

I'm not telling you about that.

I can say it in two days.

But I'm trying to stay there.

We're following all the rules of running.

I hope you're going to be here.

I'm going to be here.

Yes, I should see that.

Thank you.

I'll try to finish this breathing thing.

See, I'd like to have a little cigarette coming together.

And then if you'd probably come up to me, and I'll maybe see if you can.

Thank you.

NARA Description

On January 12, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 8:07 am and 8:19 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 395-017 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 395-17

Date: January 12, 1973
Time: Unknown between 8:07 and 8:19 am
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with Stephen B. Bull.

       Papers

       Call from Tricia Nixon Cox
             -The President's schedule

       The President's schedule
            -People's Republic of China [PRC] acrobats
            -Departure for Florida
            -PRC Acrobats
                  -Gifts
                         -Pins
                  -Reception
                         -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
                         -Ronald L. Ziegler
                         -Kissinger
            -Following week
                  -Florida
                  -Leslie T. (“Bob”) Hope
                         -The President's call
                  -Meetings
                         -Timing
                  -Conference call
             -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
             -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

Bull left at an unknown time before 8:19 am.
                                             -20-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Also recorded on January 12, 1973

035-150 8:07 AM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:07 am and 8:19 am.
395-016 8:07 AM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Raymond K. Price, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 8:07 am and 8:17 am.
395-018 8:07 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 8:07 am and 8:19 am.
035-151 8:19 AM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Col. Richard T. Kennedy talked on the telephone from 8:19 am to 8:28 am.
395-019 8:19 AM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Col. Richard T. Kennedy met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 8:19 am to 8:28 pm.
395-020 8:28 AM · 15 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 8:28 am and 8:55 am.
395-021 8:28 AM · 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 8:28 am and 8:55 am.
395-022 8:28 AM · 45 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 8:28 am and 8:55 am.

All 27 conversations from January 12, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 395-017, January 12, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/395-017 (accessed October 11, 2026).