Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 668 › Conversation 668-010

Nixon, Haldeman & Bull on Llewellyn E. Thompson and Memorial service

Wednesday, February 9, 1972 · 8:45 AM–9:19 AM ET · Oval Office

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Bull, Stephen B.Conversation668-010 on Tape 668 (tape position 00:42:53–00:45:21)StartWednesday, February 9, 1972 at 8:45 AMEndWednesday, February 9, 1972 at 9:19 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 668-010 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon, H. R. Haldeman, and Stephen B. Bull discussed the logistical arrangements for the upcoming memorial service of diplomat Llewellyn E. “Tommy” Thompson, Jr. The participants focused on distinguishing the nature of the event from a traditional funeral and confirmed the specific venue as the Washington National Cathedral. They sought to finalize the timing of the service to ensure proper executive planning.

Audio

Download MP3 (part 1) · 167.5 MB ·Download MP3 (part 2) · 100.6 MB ·Download MP3 (part 3) · 7.1 MB

This conversation has not yet been cut into its own clip, so the player above contains the full tape segment shared with neighbouring conversations. It begins about 00:42:53 into the tape and ends around 00:45:21.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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43:20I'm just wondering what was the time, the first time, the time that you're like bothering my head.
43:33It's a memorial service, not an actual funeral.
43:36I know, I know.
43:36And it's at the cathedral that your grandpa home brought you.
44:02Is that the Prince of Babel and Thompson, the memorial service of the Cathedrals of the Dead?
44:07I'm pretty sure they plan out what time it starts.

NARA Description

On February 9, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:45 am and 9:19 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 668-010 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 668-10

Date: February 9, 1972
Time: Unknown between 8:45 am and 9:19 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.

     Memorial service
        -Compared to funeral
               -Cathedral

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 8:45 am.

                -Llewellyn E. (“Tommy”) Thompson, Jr.
           -Timing

Haldeman and Bull left at an unknown time before 9:19 am.

Also recorded on February 9, 1972

  • 020-078 8:39 AM · 37 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and John M. Zwach talked on the telephone from 8:39 am to 8:40 am.
  • 668-007 8:39 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John M. Zwach met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:39 am to 8:40 am.
  • 020-079 8:40 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:40 am and 8:44 am.
  • 668-008 8:40 AM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:40 am and 8:44 am.
  • 020-080 8:44 AM · 44 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Walter R. Tkach talked on the telephone from 8:44 am to 8:45 am.
  • 668-009 8:44 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Walter R. Tkach met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:44 am to 8:45 am.
  • 668-011 8:45 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:45 am and 9:19 am.
  • 668-012 8:45 AM · 1 hr 46 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, unknown person(s), Ronald L. Ziegler, Rose Mary Woods, Manolo Sanchez, White House operator, Stephen B. Bull, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:45 am and 10:40 am.

All 53 conversations from February 9, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 668-010, February 9, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/668-010 (accessed October 2, 2026).