Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 640 › Conversation 640-004

Nixon & Bull on Associate Justices and Commissions

Wednesday, December 22, 1971 · 11:02 AM–11:03 AM ET · Oval Office · 58 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.Conversation640-004 on Tape 640 (tape position 01:16:53–01:18:32)StartWednesday, December 22, 1971 at 11:02 AMEndWednesday, December 22, 1971 at 11:03 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 640-004 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull discussed the logistical arrangements for an upcoming ceremony involving the presentation of commissions to Associate Justices. The President expressed a desire to streamline the event by bypassing formal introductions with attendees he had previously met. Additionally, they briefly touched upon concerns regarding insufficient financial pledges for the associated committee.

Audio

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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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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President, we'll introduce you to the presentation of these commissions.
We'll get a money pledge to that finance committee.
I've met them all before.
If you might recall, I had a meeting in November or October.
Remember, I went around that.
So I don't want to go around the table and meet them.
I don't think we have a sufficient number of money pledges.
Why don't you?
Just to remember, they...
We're in between.
Yes, sir.
Just the presentation of the missions.
We have both ends and conflicts for members of the committee.

NARA Description

On December 22, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:02 am to 11:03 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 640-004 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 640-4

Date: December 22, 1971
Time: 11:02 am - 11:03 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Stephen B. Bull.

     Associate Justices Commissions ceremony
          -John N. Mitchell
          -Press picture
          -Gifts
          -Press coverage
                -Presentation
          -Family members

Bull left at 11:03 am.

Also recorded on December 22, 1971

  • 640-001 9:46 AM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:46 am and 9:48 am.
  • 640-002 9:46 AM · 27 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:46 am and 9:48 am.
  • 640-003 9:48 AM · 1 hr 13 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Henry A. Kissinger, George P. Shultz, and Arthur F. Burns met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:48 am to 11:02 am.
  • 640-005 11:03 AM · 29 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Lewis F. Powell, Jr., Richard S. Smith, Christopher Sumner, Lewis F. Powell, III, William H. Rehnquist, James Rehnquist, James Rehnquist, John N. Mitchell, Wallace H. Johnson, John D. Ehrlichman, Egil ("Bud") Krogh, Jr., Richard A. Moore, Charles W. Colson, Herbert G. Klein, Geoffrey C. Shepard, White House photographer, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:03 am to 11:33 am.
  • 086-005 11:33 AM · 37 min — President Richard M. Nixon and members of the President's Commission on Financial Structure and Regulation, including Reed O. Hunt, Atherton Bean, Morris D. Crawford, Jr., Morgan C. Earnest, James H. Edgerton, Richard G. Gilbert, William D. Grant, Alan Greenspan, Walter S. Holmes, Jr., [Joseph] Lane Kirkland, Donald S. MacNaughton, Edward H. Malone, Rex J. Morthland, William H. Morton, Ellmore C. Patterson, K. A. Randall, Ralph S. Regula, Dr. Raymond J. Saulnier, Ezra Solomon, Robert H. Stewart, III, Dr. Donald Jacobs, Dr. Almarin Phillips, Allen R. Rule, Henry Shine, Jr., Clarence Scruggs, James Lynch, Edward J. Gannon, Charls E. Walker, Paul A. Volcker, Peter M. Flanigan, George P. Shultz, the White House photographer, and members of the press, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House from 11:33 am to 12:11 pm.
  • 640-006 12:11 PM · 17 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Peter M. Flanigan, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:11 pm and 12:31 pm.
  • 640-007 12:31 PM · 12 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Paul W. McCracken, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:31 pm to 12:43 pm.
  • 640-008 12:43 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:43 pm and 12:45 pm.

All 15 conversations from December 22, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 640-004, December 22, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/640-004 (accessed October 10, 2026).