Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 633 › Conversation 633-001

Nixon & Woods on Ralph J. Bunche and Elmer H. Bobst

Thursday, December 9, 1971 · 9:05 AM–9:11 AM ET · Oval Office · 6 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Woods, Rose Mary; White House operatorConversation633-001 on Tape 633 (tape position 00:01:13–00:07:38)StartThursday, December 9, 1971 at 9:05 AMEndThursday, December 9, 1971 at 9:11 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 633-001 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and his personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, discuss the administrative details regarding the death of diplomat Ralph J. Bunche, including coordinating a presidential statement and a personal call to Ruth H. Bunche. Additionally, the pair reviews correspondence from Elmer H. Bobst and plans for the placement and display of a bust of Winston Churchill in the Oval Office. The meeting concludes with a brief logistical exchange involving a White House operator.

  • Ralph J. Bunche
  • Rose Mary Woods
  • Elmer H. Bobst
  • Winston Churchill
  • Oval Office decor

Audio

Download MP3 · 3.2 MB

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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).
I didn't think about it.
I was trying to write it off.
I was trying to get it off the air.
I was trying to get it off the air.
I was trying to get it off the air.
I was trying to get it off the air.
I was trying to get it off the air.
I was trying to get it off the air.
They had done an announcement a little while ago.
They thought it was an original announcement, and the White House had to come along.
But when George talked to us in the morning at 7.30, he decided he couldn't do it because he was sorry.
We had, they had other repairs, I assume, repaired.
And this basement, which, you know, Terry wanted, but he couldn't do it.
I assume he did, although...
You know, the rain here, it's not the rain.
It's the sun.
It's the sun.
It's the sun.
It's the sun.
It's the sun.
It's the sun.
It's the sun.
It's the sun.
It's the sun.
The name has prepared a letter to, uh, Elmer Boseman.
I don't know if you can hear this, but I knew you were gonna call me.
Yes, I was the best liar I've ever been.
I think the person's all right.
The party's open again.
It doesn't go on to you, but it's fine.
And then, um, even if you talk to the person, it's fine.
It is.
It is.
Oh, yes.
Oh, yes.
Yes, I got it, please.
No, I don't know what that is.
It's important.
For one, we're scared.
No, man, no.
And our process is not being referred to as Alzheimer's, it's called, you know.
Yeah, of course.
My name is Peter.
I'll read it, and then I'll say it, and then I'll say it.
The link in terms of what you think that the inheritance is to you,
Whenever you have a minute, I'll bring it in so you can see it if you want.
What do you remember I had?
It was quite challenging.
I just can't believe it.
But I'm the kid that made it.
I know I'm the kid that made it.
I didn't know it was going to be like this.
I thought it was going to be like this.
That was Kennedy over at Kennedy Center, isn't it?
No, I didn't block the bus screen.
That's terrible.
That's just awful.
I think it's grotesque up there.
The hard part is it's too loud for the spot, so we wanted to clutter it up.
Did I have any idea what the amount was, which I'd rather wait until you have a minute?

NARA Description

On December 9, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:05 am to 9:11 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 633-001 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 633-001

Date: December 9, 1971
Time: 9:05 am - 9:11 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Rose Mary Woods.

     Call from an unknown man

     Death of Ralph J. Bunche
          -George H.W. Bush
                -Announcement of Bunche’s death
          -The President's call to Ruth H. Bunche
          -Statement

**************************************************************************

[Previous archivists categorized this section as unintelligible. It has been rereviewed and
released 07/15/2019.]
[Unintelligible]
[633-001-w001]
[Duration: 31s]

     John Patrick Cooley [?]
          -Letter

       Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542

**************************************************************************

     Elmer H. Bobst
         -Letter

     The President's call to Mrs. Bunche

The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 9:05 am and
9:11 am.

[Conversation No. 633-1A]

[See Conversation No. 16-65]

[End of telephone conversation]

**************************************************************************

[Previous archivists categorized this section as unintelligible. It has been rereviewed and
released 07/15/2019.]
[Unintelligible]
[633-001-w002]
[Duration: 1m 24s]

     Unknown person’s [Ruth H. Bunche] [?] daughter

**************************************************************************

     Bust
            -Winston S. Churchill
                 -To be brought to the President
                       -Location
            -Abraham Lincoln
            -John F. Kennedy
                 -Comparisons

       Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542

Woods left at 9:11 am.

Also recorded on December 9, 1971

  • 016-065 9:04 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:04 am and 9:12 am.
  • 016-066 9:12 AM · 58 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Ruth A. Bunche talked on the telephone from 9:12 am to 9:13 am.
  • 633-002 9:12 AM · 58 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Ruth A. Bunche met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:12 am to 9:13 am.
  • 016-067 9:13 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:13 am and 11:33 am.
  • 633-003 9:13 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:13 am and 10:04 am.
  • 633-004 9:13 AM · 37 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:13 am and 10:04 am.
  • 633-005 10:04 AM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at 10:04 am.
  • 633-006 10:04 AM · 56 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Emilio Garrastuzu Medici, and Vernon A. Walters met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:04 am to 11:02 am.

All 44 conversations from December 9, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 633-001, December 9, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/633-001 (accessed October 12, 2026).