Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 754 › Conversation 754-003

Nixon, Bull & Carruthers on Golda Meir and Middle East diplomacy

Wednesday, July 26, 1972 · 11:39 AM–12:05 PM ET · Oval Office ·2 min

ParticipantsBull, Stephen B.;  Carruthers, William H.;  Nixon, Richard M. (President);  Meir, GoldaConversation754-003 onTape 754StartWednesday, July 26, 1972 at 11:39 AMEndWednesday, July 26, 1972 at 12:05 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 754-003 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon coordinated with staff members Stephen B. Bull and William H. Carruthers to finalize technical and logistical arrangements for a scheduled telephone call with Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir. The discussion focused on managing the broadcast of the call, including the timing of the connection and the involvement of the press. Following the direct conversation with Meir, Nixon participated in a photo session where he discussed regional Middle Eastern geopolitics and development with members of the media.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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They said that they wanted limited to five minutes, is that what they want?
Not necessarily, sir.
Five minutes, I would say, again.
I thought what we wanted to do, basically, I'd notice if they did a 60-minute program, then.
I don't know what you were going to do.
Well, okay, then.
Why don't you just tell them to show me on the phone?
Steve will come in and give you a signal.
And exactly 10 seconds before you pick up the phone, Shirley and Mrs. Mayer will say hello to you first.
And the conversation will go into that.
And we just go two-way?
Yes, sir.
And both ends of the conversation will be taken to the press.
All right.
It'll be just a single, uncruel, slightly cool thing.
No, it was just the voices in the background.
The program was going on, sir.
We'll bring in the... Oh, we're ready to go.
I'll just throw this.
Okay.
If you'd like to go in the back room.

NARA Description

On July 26, 1972, Stephen B. Bull, William H. Carruthers, President Richard M. Nixon, and Golda Meir met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:39 am and 12:05 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 754-003 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 754-3

Date: July 26, 1972
Time: Unknown between 11:39 am and 12:05 pm
Location: Oval Office

Stephen B. Bull met with William H. Carruthers [?] and technicians.

      Telephone call to Golda Meir
           -Audio arrangements and film crew
                -Set-up

Bull lefts at an unknown time after 11:39 am.

The President and Bull entered at an unknown time after 11:39 am.

Bull left at an unknown time after 11:39 am.

      The President's schedule
           -Call to Meir
                  -Countdown

Bull entered at an unknown time before 11: 52 am.

                 -Countdown

The President talked with Golda Meir between 11:52 am and 11:55 am.

[Conversation No. 754-3A]

[See Conversation No. 27-78]

[A transcript of this conversation appears in Public Papers of the Presidents, Richard Nixon,
1972, pp. 740-741]

[End of telephone conversation]

      Photographs

                                        (rev. Oct-06)

Members of the press entered at an unknown time after 11:55 am.

[Photograph session]

     The President's previous conversation with Meir
          -Direct broadcasts with Israel
          -Tourism

     The President's schedule
          -Saudi Arabia
          -Egypt
                -Gamal Abdel Nasser
          -Iran
          -Saudi Arabia
          -Jordan
          -Israel

     Saudi Arabia
         -1967 Arab-Israeli War
         -Development
               -Schools, hospitals
               -Oil

Bull, members of the press and technicians left at an unknown time before 12:05 pm.

Also recorded on July 26, 1972

  • 027-074 11:39 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 11:39 am.
  • 027-075 11:39 AM · 11 sec — Stephen B. Bull and unknown person(s) talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:39 am and 11:52 am.
  • 027-076 11:39 AM · 15 sec — Stephen B. Bull and unknown person(s) talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:39 am and 11:52 am.
  • 027-077 11:39 AM · 33 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:39 am and 11:52 am.
  • 754-002 11:39 AM · 41 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and William H. Carruthers met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:39 am and 11:52 am.
  • 027-078 11:52 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Golda Meir talked on the telephone from 11:52 am to 11:55 am.
  • 754-004 11:55 AM · 15 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:55 am and 12:05 pm.
  • 754-005 11:55 AM · 1 min — 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 11:55 am and 12:05 pm.

All 81 conversations from July 26, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 754-003, July 26, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/754-003 (accessed September 18, 2026).