Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 735 › Conversation 735-015
Nixon & Bull on Ronald L. Ziegler and John D. Ehrlichman
Thursday, June 15, 1972 · 3:45 PM–3:47 PM ET · Oval Office · 35 sec
AI Summary
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull to coordinate administrative matters and schedule updates. The discussion focused on Ronald Ziegler's upcoming press briefing and the scheduling of a meeting with John D. Ehrlichman to address the issue of busing. Following these logistical arrangements, the meeting concluded promptly.
Audio
NARA Description
On June 15, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:45 pm and 3:47 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 735-015 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 735-015
Date: June 15, 1972
Time: Unknown between 3:45 and 3:47 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Stephen B. Bull.
Ronald L. Ziegler's briefing
The President's schedule
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Busing
-Ziegler
Bull left at an unknown time before 3:47 pm.
Conversation No. 735-016/736-001
Date: June 15, 1972
Time: 3:47-5:25 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 11/28/2017.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[735-016-w001]
[Duration: 4m 14s]
Film documentaries
-Film crew
-William H. Carruthers
-Meeting with Dwight Chapin
-Edward R. Spiegel
-Producer
-Appearance
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-Samuel Thomas
-Wrote Freedom's Finest Hour
-The President's letter
-Warren BrooksShow the rest of the log (494 more lines)
-Political philosophy
-Dean Burch
-National Georgraphic series
-Style
-David Wolper
-Documentarian
-Years of Lightning, Days of Drums
-George S. McGovern documentary
-Producer
-David Wolper
-Appointment with Destiny series
-Lee at Appomattox
-Abraham Lincoln
-Quality of work
-TV work
-Edward R. Spiegel
-Reputation
-Amount film shot vs. used
-Network news
-Editorial control
-Richard A. Moore
-Views
-Republican convention
-Potential audience
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Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 3:48 pm.
The President's schedule
-Public relations
-Henry A. Kissinger’s forthcoming trip to the People’s Republic of China
[PRC]
-Congressional briefing on Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
-The President’s comments
-Head of state visit by Luis Echeverria Alvarez
-Astronauts' meeting
Astronauts
-John W. Young
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS] interview
-Statement
-Schedule
-Camp David
-Young's statement on trip around country
-Space program
-Popularity
-Joint program with the Soviet Union [USSR]
Congressional briefing on Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
-Kissinger
-Statement
-Length
-Press reaction
-Preparation
-Staff problems
-Reasons
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Length of statement
-Time of start
-Clark MacGregor
-J. William Fulbright
-The President's statement
-The President’s role in negotiations
-Negotiations with the Soviet Union
-State Department
-Nature of agreement
-Arms spending
-Leonid I. Brezhnev
-Spending levels
-George S. McGovern
-Press coverage
-Press coverage
-Size of briefing
-Length of briefing
-Kissinger’s view
-Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
Space program
-Astronauts
-Young’s statement
-Joint mission between United States [US] and Soviet Union [USSR]
-Language study
-Details
Kissinger's trip to the People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-News leads
-Network television
-New York Times
-Washington Post, Washington Star
Vietnam
-Nikolai V. Podgorny trip
-Kissinger’s trip to the People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Effect
-People’s Republic of China’s [PRC’s] reaction to Vietnam War
-Michael J. Mansfield’s statement
-The President’s opponents on war
-Reactions of People’s Republic of China [PRC] to Soviet Union [USSR]
-Tactics
Echeverria
-Political skills
-Statement on children
Kissinger entered at 4:05 pm.
-Meeting with mothers and children
Vietnam
-Charles McC. Mathias, Jr.'s call to Kissinger
-Mansfield amendment
-Opposition
-Dinner
-Kissinger’s remarks
-Nelson A. Rockefeller
-Mathias
-Support in Maryland
-[John] Fife Symington [?]
-Liberals
Kissinger's trip to the People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Press coverage
-Trip announcement
-Effect
-Podgorny’s trip to Hanoi
-Effect
-Honolulu, Hawaii
Vietnam War
-Military activity
-Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr. analysis
-21st Division
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-Performance
-Kissinger’s assessment
-III Corps
-An Loc
-Press coverage
-Effect
-Performance of South Vietnamese Army
-Kissinger’s view
-23rd Division
-Kontum
John Paul Vann’s funeral
-Joesph W. Alsop's letter to the President
-Presentation of Medal of Freedom
-Vann
-The President’s view
-Performance
Vietnam military activity
-Hue
-North Vietnamese Army
-B-52 sorties
-Bombing
-Mansfield’s statement
-Mining
-Kissinger’s trip to the People’s Republic of China [PRC]
Mexico
-Military
-Quality
-Echeverria’s entourage
-Number
-Composition
-Acapulco
-Miguel Aleman’s cove
-Gustavo Diaz-Ordaz
-Puerto Vallarta
Key Biscayne, Florida
-Background
-Refugee Cuban Minister of Education
-Purchase of island
-Graft
United States [US] foreign aid
-Recipients
-Corruption
-Latin American conditions
-The President’s view
-Mexican presidents
-Adolfo Ruiz Cortines
-Aleman
-Residence
-Mohammed Reza Pahlavi [Shah of Iran]
-Mexican upper class
-Lower classes
-Head of Mexican public relations
-Acapulco
Kissinger’s forthcoming trip to the People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Honolulu
-Gerald R. Ford’s and [Thomas] Hale Boggs’s forthcoming People’s Republic of
China [PRC] trip
-Bryce N. Harlow
-The President’s message for Chou En-lai
-Kissinger’s meeting with the Soviets
-The President’s meeting with Chou En-lai
-The President’s meeting with Brezhnev
-Soviet strategy
-Chinese interests
-Agreements with the Soviets
-Astronauts
-People’s Republic of China [PRC] program
Kissinger left at 4:26 pm.
Kissinger
-Mathias
-Dinner
-Schedule
-Echeverria dinner
-Trip to the People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Workload
-Meeting with Mexican Foreign Minister [Emilio Rabasa Mishkin]
-Salinity of the Colorado River
Latin America
-United States [US] ambassadors
-Work responsibilities
-Residences
-Servants
-Foreign Service
-Servants
Kissinger
-Reaction to briefing
Ziegler left at 4:30 pm.
Congressional briefing on Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
-Starting time
-Delay
-F. Edward Hebert
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
-Senate ratification
-The President’s view
-Congressional debate
-Fulbright
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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 11/28/2017.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[735-016-w009]
[Duration: 1m]
Henry Kissinger's meeting with Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
-Edmund S. Muskie
-Charles W. Colson
-Comments regarding George S. McGovern
-On paper
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Harlow's meeting with Jackson
-Support for the President
-Democrats for Nixon
-Possible position in Administration
Rose Mary Woods entered at 4:34 pm.
Tables for Echeverria dinner
-Seating arrangements
-Maurice H. Stans
-Cabinet officers
-Ignacio E. Lozano, Jr.
-Martin S. Hayden
-Astronauts
-Young
-Mrs. Willis Smith, Jr.
-Mrs. Charles H. Meyer
Gifts for Echeverria
Woods left at 4:37 pm.
Echeverria dinner
-Unknown woman
-Lozano
-Patricia R. Hitt
-Stans
-Mrs. Smith
-Astronauts
Jackson
-Harlow
-Possible Cabinet position
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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 11/28/2017.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[735-016-w010]
[Duration: 3m 45s]
1972 campaign
-Democrats for Nixon
-John N. Mitchell
-Charles W. Colson
-John B. Connally
-Prominent individuals
-Recruitment
-Harry F. Byrd, Jr.
-John N. Mitchell
-Harry S. Dent
-Bryce N. Harlow
-Samuel W. Yorty
-Jesse Unruh
-John Brademas
-George S. McGovern
-Los Angeles Times editorials
-National defense
-Teamsters Executive Committee meeting
-California
-Frank E. Fitzsimmons
-Charles W. Colson
-Possible meeting with the President in San Clemente
-Endorsement first then meeting with President
-John B. Connally's ranch
-Democrat defectors
-Create an atmosphere of anti-McGovernism
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Parochial school aid
-Wilbur D. Mills bill
-John Cardinal Krol
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Timing of support
-John N. Mitchell and Charles W. Colson
-The President's forthcoming meeting with Krol
-Philadelphia plan
Edward M. Kennedy
-Colson
-Boston Globe article
William F. (“Billy”) Graham's call to the President
-Request for telegram
-Explo '72
-Message from the President
-Attendance
-Television coverage
-L. Nelson Bell's election in the Presbyterian Church of the United States [US]
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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 11/28/2017.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[735-016-w011]
[Duration: 50s]
1972 campaign
-George S. McGovern
-Nomination
-Religion will be a factor
-National Council of Churches
Endorsement of George S. McGovern
-Pastoral background
-Church attendance
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Graham
-The President's previous call from Soviet Union
-Graham's location in Ireland
-Explo '72
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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 11/28/2017.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[735-016-w012]
[Duration: 14s]
1972 campaign
-George S. McGovern
-Appeal to liberal protestant churchman
-Pacifist
-Marijuana
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The President's schedule
-Florida
-Jaycee Convention
-Spiro T. Agnew
-Public appearances
-Activities since return from Soviet Union [USSR]
-Press coverage
-The President’s view
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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 11/28/2017.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[735-016-w013]
[Duration: 3m 20s]
1972 campaign
-California
-Campaign kick-off
-President’s opinion
-Comparison with Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Gettysburg
-Costs
-$400,000
-Attendees’ pay
-Publicity
-El Adobe donates dinner
-San Diego meeting
-San Clemente
-Convention hall in San Diego
-Stay in San Clemente
-Modifications needed
-Timing
-Speech
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An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 4:37 pm.
Refreshment
The unknown person left before 4:57 pm.
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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 11/28/2017. 1m
5s segment cleared for release. 24s remain closed as 735-016-w014.]
[Personal Returnable]
[735-016-w014]
[Duration: 1m 5s]
1972 campaign
-Start
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 4:37 p.m.
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[735-016-w014]
[Duration: 24s]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 14
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1972 campaign
-Conventional thinking
-Kick-off campaign
-New type of thinking
-Length of campaign
-George S. McGovern
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Woods entered at 4:57 pm.
Seating arrangements for Echeverria dinner
-Echeverria
-Rabasa
-William P. Rogers
-Lozano
-Astronauts
-Mrs. Smith
-Hitt
Woods left at an unknown time before 5:25 pm.
The conversation was cut off at an unknown time before 5:25 pm.
[The conversation continues on 736-1]Transcript (AI-generated)
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Would you see, Steve, when you're .
Yeah.
Well, I'll call her and just give
Thank you.
Also recorded on June 15, 1972
- 735-010 1:36 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:36 pm and 2:30 pm.
- 735-013 2:30 PM · 31 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Stephen B. Bull, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:30 pm to 3:03 pm.
- 735-014 3:04 PM · 32 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Sultan ibn Abd al-Aziz Al Saud, Ibrahim al-Sowayel, Melvin R. Laird, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Camile Nowfel, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:04 pm to 3:45 pm.
- 735-016 3:47 PM · 31 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Ronald L. Ziegler, Henry A. Kissinger, Rose Mary Woods, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:47 pm to 5:25 pm.
- 736-001 3:47 PM — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:47 pm to 5:25 pm.
- 736-002 5:25 PM — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, John D. Ehrlichman, White House operator, William G. Milliken, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:25 pm and 6:43 pm.
- 025-068 5:31 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:31 pm and 5:46 pm.
- 025-069 5:46 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William G. Milliken talked on the telephone from 5:46 pm to 5:54 pm.
Related conversations
- Nixon, Haldeman & Bull on Campaign finance and PRC trip October 6, 1971 · 27 min
- Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on Pandas and National Zoo March 13, 1972 · 1 min
- Nixon & Ziegler on Busing and Press Relations August 12, 1971 · 2 min
- Nixon, Ziegler & Haldeman on Busing and Constitutional amendment March 17, 1972 · 10 min
- Nixon & Haldeman on CIA briefing book and Henry Kissinger October 14, 1971 · 2 min
- Nixon & Bull on Economic Policy and George P. Shultz April 25, 1973 · 4 min
Cite this conversation
Conversation 735-015, June 15, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417181483). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/735-015 (accessed November 3, 2026).