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Conversation 403-008

TapeTape 403StartWednesday, January 24, 1973 at 1:47 PMEndWednesday, January 24, 1973 at 1:50 PMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Bull, Stephen B.;  [Unknown person(s)]Recording deviceOld Executive Office Building
AI Summary

President Nixon met with Stephen Bull to finalize complex logistical arrangements for attending the funeral of Lyndon B. Johnson, including motorcade routes, wreath-laying ceremonies, and interactions with the Johnson family and congressional delegates. The discussion also addressed a request for biographical data regarding the death dates of several former U.S. presidents and involved planning for a separate meeting with a retiring Chicago Tribune journalist. These instructions ensured the President’s itinerary remained synchronized with the state funeral proceedings.

Lyndon B. Johnson funeralPresidential schedulingMotorcade logisticsProtocolHistorical research
AudioNARA Description

On January 24, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:47 pm to 1:50 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 403-008 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 403-8

Date: January 24, 1973
Time: 1:47 pm – 1:50 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with Stephen B. Bull.

        President's schedule
              -Lyndon B. Johnson's funeral
                     -Time of rendezvous with motorcade

The President talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 1:47 pm and 1:50
                                                 -6-

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                        (rev. Feb-09)

                                                               Conversation No. 403-8 (cont’d)

pm.

[Conversation No. 403-8A]

       Request for dates of deaths
            -Theodore Roosevelt
            -[Thomas] Woodrow Wilson
            -[John] Calvin Coolidge
            -Franklin D. Roosevelt
            -Delivery

[End of telephone conversation]

       President's schedule
             -Johnson’s funeral
                    -Motorcade logistics
                    -Capitol
                          -Claudia A. (Taylor) (“Lady Bird”) Johnson
                          -Texas Congressional delegation
                          -Wreath-laying
                          -Dean Rusk
                          -Congress members

       Time of day

       Willard Edmunds of Chicago Tribune
             -Retirement
             -Photograph in President's office

       President's schedule
             -Sheraton-Carlton Hotel reception
             -Meeting with Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon, Tricia Nixon-Cox and Edward R. F. Cox,
              and Julie
             Nixon-Eisenhower
                    -Motorcade

Bull left at 1:50 pm.
                                              -7-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                        (rev. Feb-09)
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

Oh, Steve, I just want to point out that there's a long time.
It's a question that I made two or three minutes early, sir.
Oh, so you better leave now.
Well, we're going to get a radio message right to the party area.
Is it two?
Is the number five?
Yes, sir.
A couple minutes early.
The agenda is to leave.
Where do we leave from?
I go over to the address.
Yes, sir.
That's probably the easiest.
All right.
Just to highlight that, Sarah.
I'm just going to lead off with that quote that came in there when I had to transfer the casket on.
Of course, you're not going to sign.
And you're looking at it as well.
Would you get, for me, the dates for death of an agent for these people?
T.R.
Wilson.
Okay.
Then we'll just try that one more.
We go out of there and we're going to have to hold it in place in order to get it to stop.
And we're still staying in the car that is in the flat of John Morgan, Texas.
No, we should be in the hall in that place.
We're going to drive by and we're going to push it off to the country's capital.
And that's the time when the car will open up on you.
That's the time when you should get out of the car.
You know what I mean?
Excuse me, Mrs. Johnson.
I'm going to do the class.
You're going to be laying in the green.
You're going to be placing in the green.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
.
.
.
.
.
The picture you're in today is 5.5.
There's a concession being given to one of the offices.
You've got a suggestion that you're going to sign.
You've got it on the textbook.
So where's it going to be given?
So you've got to show it to all of those houses.
And it doesn't need a recommendation.
It's a good job.
I'm actually going to have you in the office for a few minutes to say hello.
I want you to turn.
I'm going to go back.
I'm going to ask you a question.
Uh, no, I'll go, uh, I'll meet them there at the south wall, uh, right outside the old office.
I'll have the car and I'll go around to there and have it load there, okay?
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