Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 636 › Conversation 636-004

Nixon & Bull on Revenue Act of 1971 and Supreme Court

Friday, December 10, 1971 · 3:50 PM–4:05 PM ET · Oval Office · 16 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.Conversation636-004 on Tape 636 (tape position 00:12:54–00:28:54)StartFriday, December 10, 1971 at 3:50 PMEndFriday, December 10, 1971 at 4:05 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 636-004 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 417182997 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull, Rose Mary Woods, and Manolo Sanchez to coordinate his busy administrative and social schedule. The discussion primarily focused on logistics for signing the Revenue Act of 1971, rearranging office décor, and managing upcoming appointments, including a planned interview with Jerrold Schecter and calls to Ambassador Walter Annenberg and William H. Rehnquist. Additionally, the President reviewed Supreme Court confirmation vote data with staff and finalized arrangements for a dinner and his upcoming trip to Camp David.

Audio

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NARA Description

On December 10, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:50 pm to 4:05 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 636-004 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 636-4

Date: December 10, 1971
Time: 3:50 pm - 4:05 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Stephen B. Bull.

     The President's schedule
          -Call from Arthur F. Burns
          -George P. Shultz

Rose Mary Woods entered at 3:50 pm.

     The President's schedule
          -Bill signing (Revenue Act of 1971)
                -Shultz

Bull left at an unknown time before 4:05 pm.

     [Rearrangement of décor]

     Thelma. C. (“Pat”) Nixon

     [Walter H. Annenber]
          -Call from the President

     [Rearrangement of décor]
          -Decisions
     The President's schedule
          -New York

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

[Previous archivists categorized this section as unintelligible. It has been rereviewed and
released 03/01/2018.]
[Unintelligible]
[636-004-w003]
[Duration: 6s]

     Thelma C. (“Pat”) (Ryan) Nixon

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

     Picture
Show the rest of the log (96 more lines)
           -Mrs. Nixon
                -Print

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

[Previous PRMPA Privacy (D) reviewed under PRMPA regulations 03/06/2018. Segment
cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[636-004-w001]
[Duration: 16s]

     Helene Drown
          -President’s opinion

     Dinner
          -Timing

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

     Picture
           -Delivery to Mrs. Nixon

Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 3:50 pm.

     The President's schedule

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 4:05 pm.

     Pictures
           -Rearrangement
                -Little office
     The President's schedule
          -Call to Annenberg
                -Timing
                -Bill signing (Revenue Act of 1971)

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

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 12/07/2017.
53s segment cleared for release. 42s remaining closed as 636-004-w002.]
[Personal Returnable]
[636-004-w002]
[Duration: 53s]

     The President’s schedule
          -Dinner
               -Rose Mary Woods’s attendance

     Television program
          -Mrs. Nixon
          -Julie Nixon Eisenhower

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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[636-004-w002]
[Duration: 42s]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

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

     The President’s schedule
          -Rest
          -Preparation for Camp David trip

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

The President talked with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman at an unknown time between 3:50 pm and
4:04 pm; Woods and Sanchez can be heard in the background.

[Conversation No. 636-4A]

     The President's schedule
          -Camp David
                -Day and time
          -Jerrold L. Schecter interview
                -Proposed length
                -Ronald L. Ziegler
                -Cambodia
                -Rose Garden
                -Timing
           -The President’s upcoming telephone call to William H. Rehnquist

     Supreme Court
          -Appointment
              -Confirmation vote
                   -Rehnquist
                        -Timing
                        -John W. Dean, III
                        -Louis D. Brandeis

[End of telephone conversation]

Woods and Sanchez left at 4:05 pm.

Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 1 minute of this recording (about 6% 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.

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).

Mr. President, I took Ernest's call earlier.
We should sell you everything else, but he's going to be very short on that.
A rediscount rate.
That's Mr. Trump's recommendation statement.
Just don't sign any of them.
I mean, they're still signing things.
You could find him.
You won't find him until after you sign the bill.
All right, okay.
What can we do with this?
Very nice.
Thank you very much.
Maybe that comes out.
The bird.
What do you think?
I think the bird's been there all my life.
I think that's the bird.
What do you think?
I think we ought to show this to Pat.
I don't know.
I'm not ready.
He's gone.
I'll try to get him to call.
He told me he was going to be there.
I just thought maybe he might want to.
He said he was going to be there and stay on all evening.
I'm not sure.
I'm not sure.
I'm not sure that your cat will still hide that, baby.
I'm sorry.
What would it look like if they had placed that bone up there?
Would it be locked?
I think if it's somewhere like that where I didn't dust it, it's not phenomenal.
I don't know.
I can't tell.
I think it's better.
That's better right there.
I'm sure it's better there.
And you may think of another typewriter, but that's beautiful.
There are so many therapy works that look like that.
Uh-huh.
Oh, no, no, that's the piece.
The thing is, that's why I read all the papers that were made, not for you.
What do you think I ought to say here?
Well, actually, it's better.
It's better for me.
Many times.
Why don't we take that over and show it to Pat, what do you think?
No, I mean we could take the thing over and show it to him.
Should we do that?
So, God never gave you the path that you're on.
Maybe we'll just eat before he gets here.
Wouldn't it be nice, perhaps, to take this over?
Maybe, sir.
Oh, that's the place for it right there.
Maybe you'll find another place.
It is beautiful.
Silver and gold and .
And you know there's a commission to be made. .
Hello?
We've got a call.
I don't know if you can see it.
I can't see it.
I can't see it.
That's right.
I think the bird should come out anyway, don't you?
Yes, I think the bird should come out anyway, don't you?
Yes, I think the bird should come out anyway, don't you?
Yes, I think the bird should come out anyway, don't you?
Yes, I think the bird should come out anyway, don't you?
Yes, I think the bird should come out anyway, don't you?
Yes, I think the bird should come out anyway, don't you?
Yes, I think the bird should come out anyway, don't you?
Yes, I think the bird should come out anyway, don't you?
Yes, I think the bird should come out anyway, don't you?
Yes, I think the bird should come out anyway, don't you?
Yes, I think the bird should come out anyway, don't you?
Yes, I think the bird should come out anyway, don't you?
Yes, I think the bird should come out anyway, don't you?
Yes, I think the bird should come out anyway, don't you?
Yes
We could even maybe put it in your bill box.
Do you have a signed thing?
But Rose, I can't do it right now.
I'd like to call him, but I can't do it right this moment.
Let me suggest that we do this.
When I get through with this, I might come in and do it.
So don't be bothered calling him.
I'll call him tonight.
I'll call him this afternoon after I finish signing the bill.
Okay.
Because I thought, you know, maybe about 4.30.
Tell him to go with it.
Take those out.
And then take those over to...
Listen, can you come over?
We have to breathe.
I come to... Dinner.
Dinner at 7 o'clock.
Maybe if you think I can keep that pattern, I could do it on that program.

— 1 min 4 s with no transcribed speech —

Yes, sir.
And I'll bring him up.
Perfect pussy.
I won't be able to go to camp today, but I have some things I have to do here.
So, you know, I just want you to just hear me.
I may go tomorrow, after, you know, just to see if I can come back at the time.
Now, under the circumstances, I'd rather see this all, because I don't, because I don't want to cut off strength.
I'd rather see me be in my place.
Well, you see, I just don't want a situation where he, where I gave him more than 30 minutes.
I can see here that Ron is apparently not coming out.
He expects another walk.
Well, he says, well, he's talking about how he can't go in this situation.
Well, I just can't go into that sort of thing at all.
And I understand he...
Sure, well, I see.
Well, if he doesn't expect that, then that may not be a problem.
But I'll take it my own way.
See, what I plan to do is just take it my own way.
But I'm not going to go into, you know, into serious discussion about not what I didn't think about when he did this and that and the other thing.
That isn't fair.
I mean, it would be rude.
But I think if I go at 5.30 tonight, then he'll know that I...
I just don't like that.
Now we have to call Grantless.
Grantless is going to go to 5 o'clock.
Sure.
Well, I'll give you a good way to secure it.
Thank you.
Would you mind having John Deacon's office check and see what the vote was on Frank Dice?
I mean, on it against him.
I mean, it's a case.
It's really irrelevant.
My recollection is on the 17th against Frank Dice, but it may have been more.
I just don't know.
I don't think any others would be relevant, huh?
None of the others were very close.
Yeah, all right, fine.
See if there's anybody.
Thanks, friend.
It's OK.

Also recorded on December 10, 1971

  • 636-001 3:35 PM · 33 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:35 pm and 3:37 pm.
  • 636-002 3:35 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:35 pm and 3:37 pm.
  • 636-003 3:37 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:37 pm to 3:45 pm.
  • 636-005 4:05 PM · 43 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:05 pm and 4:07 pm.
  • 636-006 4:05 PM · 53 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:05 pm and 4:07 pm.
  • 086-002 4:07 PM · 6 min — during the Signing of the Revenue Act of 1971 (HR 10847), President Richard M. Nixon, Russell B. Long, Wallace F. Bennett, Clinton P. Anderson, Herman E. Talmadge, Carl T. Curtis, Jack R. Miller, Robert P. Griffin, Wilbur D. Mills, John W. Byrnes, Jackson E. Betts, Charles J. Chamberlain, Herman T. Schneebeli, Al Ullman, James E. Smith, Larry Woodworth, Thomas Vail, John B. Martin, George P. Shultz, Clark MacGregor, William E. Timmons, and Warren McEleney met in the Cabinet Room of the White House from 4:07 pm to 4:18 pm.
  • 636-007 4:07 PM · 15 sec — unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:07 pm and 4:18 pm.
  • 636-013 4:07 PM · 27 sec — United States Secret Service agents met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:07 pm and 4:18 pm.

All 84 conversations from December 10, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 636-004, December 10, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417182997). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/636-004 (accessed November 2, 2026).