President Nixon met with H. R. Haldeman and Stephen B. Bull to vent his frustration regarding his recent attendance at the funeral of Supreme Court Justice Hugo L. Black. Nixon characterized the decision to attend as a significant political error, arguing that it provided no genuine benefit to his administration's relationship with the public or the judiciary while fueling liberal expectations for future judicial appointments. He explicitly instructed his staff to stop pressuring him into similar ceremonial appearances, labeling the advice to attend as poorly conceived.
On September 28, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:06 pm to 3:15 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 579-007 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 579-7
Date: September 28, 1971
Time: 3:06 pm - 3:15 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
The President's schedule
-Forthcoming event with National League of Families convention
-Time
Funeral of Justice Hugo L. Black
-Unknown Unitarian minister
-Euology
-John N. Mitchell
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Strict construction
-Length of service
-Justice John M. Harlan
-The President's attendance
-Justice Thurgood Marshall
-The President's attendance at Justice Black's funeral
-Reaction
-Impact
-The President's position
-Staff
-Compared to White House correspondents' event
-Ehrlichman
-Relationship between administration and Supreme Court
Supreme Court
-Justice Black
-Influence
-Justice Potter Stewart
The President’s schedule
-Tenure of Gen. Lewis B. Hershey
-Kennedy family
Funeral for Justice Black
-Wording of service
-Rhetoric
-Justice Black
-Political stance
-Ehrlichman
-Richard A. Moore
-Leonard Garment
-Conservatives
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 3:06 pm.
The President's schedule
Bull left at an unknown time before 3:15 pm.
Funeral for Justice Black
-Reasons for the President's attendance
-Ehrlichman and Moore
-Mitchell
-Press corps
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Escorts for the President
-Value to the President's attendance
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-The President’s handwritten note
-Liberals
The President and Haldeman left at 3:15 pm.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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.