Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 439 › Conversation 439-014

Nixon & Bull on Camp David and Congressional relations

Wednesday, May 23, 1973 · 5:00 PM–5:05 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 4 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.; [Unknown person(s)]Conversation439-014 on Tape 439StartWednesday, May 23, 1973 at 5:00 PMEndWednesday, May 23, 1973 at 5:05 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 439-014 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull and an unidentified individual to resolve logistical conflicts regarding his upcoming schedule and travel arrangements. The discussion focused on rectifying a scheduling error involving congressional events and coordinating the President's transit to Camp David via helicopter or automobile due to poor weather conditions. Ultimately, the President decided to proceed with his plans while emphasizing the need for candid communication with his staff regarding the itinerary.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 2 minutes of this recording (about 42% 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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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When are they expecting to be there?

We, uh, we made a, I told Al, we made some error in the schedule.

We should never have scheduled two events the same day, or the same week.

But anyway, it's done now, and we want to do it again.

We're taking a power cut out of this one.

Timid is pretty good at this one.

Don't hate me.

By the way, the helicopter is not at any place.

We haven't saved all that much time.

Yes, sir.

There's another place I haven't checked.

That is going to be about a 40-minute drive.

It was 20 minutes before I left.

Is the weather, you're sure about that?

Yes, sir.

That's the weather situation was.

That's a few minutes ago.

Dark weather up there.

Well, why don't we just decide?

I'm going to go right for him.

I'm going to have this very honest to him.

Yeah, if you don't, you know, we'll send him up right now.

Yeah, he can go now.

You know, get a little relaxation.

All right, sir.

I don't know.

Well, you can escort out of town tonight.

Let's see.

Yes, sir.

Let's see.

I'll be right out.

Go on up.

NARA Description

On May 23, 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 5:00 pm to 5:05 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 439-014 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 439-14

Date: May 23, 1973
Time: 5:00 pm - 5:05 pm
Location: Old Executive Office Building

President met with Stephen B. Bull and an unknown man.

       President’s schedule
              -State whips meetings
              -Blair House
              -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
                      -Scheduling error
                              -Congressional events
              -Republican congressmen
                      -William E. Timmons
                              -Return
              -Camp David
                      -Helicoptor
                              -Frederick, Maryland
                              -Drive
                      -Weather
                      -Blair House
                      -Ellipse
                              -Parking
                      -Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft
                              -Separate car
                              -Relaxation

       Clothing
              -Manolo Sanchez
                                            -47-

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                          Conversation No. 439-14 (cont'd)

Bull and the unknown man left at 5:05 pm.

Also recorded on May 23, 1973

046-172 3:39 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:39 pm and 3:58 pm.
046-173 3:58 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 3:58 pm to 4:01 pm.
439-046 3:58 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:58 pm to 4:01 pm.
046-174 4:01 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:01 pm and 4:05 pm.
046-175 4:04 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Elliot L. Richardson talked on the telephone from 4:04 pm to 4:08 pm.
439-047 4:05 PM · 47 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., White House operator, Elliot L. Richardson, and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:05 pm to 4:58 pm.
046-176 4:08 PM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:08 pm and 4:24 pm.
046-177 4:24 PM · 58 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 4:24 pm to 4:26 pm.

All 56 conversations from May 23, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 439-014, May 23, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/439-014 (accessed October 12, 2026).