Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 829 › Conversation 829-033

Nixon & Bull on Diplomatic relations and Henry Kissinger

Tuesday, January 2, 1973 · 11:50 AM–12:00 PM ET · Oval Office · 7 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.Conversation829-033 on Tape 829StartTuesday, January 2, 1973 at 11:50 AMEndTuesday, January 2, 1973 at 12:00 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 829-033 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull discussed the scheduling of various high-level courtesy calls and diplomatic meetings, including visits from foreign heads of state recommended by Henry Kissinger. The pair established strict time limits for these appointments to ensure efficiency while managing the logistics for upcoming events, such as the Harry S. Truman memorial service. Additionally, they reviewed potential domestic meetings, including a requested visit with J. Bennett Johnston, Jr., to foster political cooperation.

Audio

Download MP3 · 9.6 MB

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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).
I feel it might be two, perhaps two or three more.
I'll tell you, they recommend it.
Kissinger recommended the meeting to the three men of state.
I will be able to give you a lot of that.
But they're going to basically have to be courtesy
I actually schedule them.
Schedule them on a half-hour basis.
Do you understand?
Yes, sir.
Right after this, sir, starting at 3, 3, 3.30, 4 o'clock.
But then by saying, by telling them in 15 minutes, we've got to accomplish it.
Is that fair?
That's right.
Thank you.
I think we have to anticipate that maybe one or two other heads of state, heads of government, fully understand how to rule that level.
Absolutely.
Now you'll have prayers to see Romulo, the defense minister of Turkey, people like that, and the Lord Chester.
They want answers.
They'll call them.
We cannot expand beyond those.
They will have to be seen by God.
If there is another, you're going to have to say, I don't have to see it.
But if it's aesthetics, it's two or three more, and they just put them in at 1,500 arrows.
These people should be told to put them in at 1,500 each.
Three, three, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 51, 52, 52, 52, 53, 52, 53, 52, 53, 52, 53, 52, 53, 54, 53, 54, 53, 54, 53, 54, 53, 54, 53, 54, 53, 54, 53, 54, 53, 54
Yes, the whole should be done with the State Department, for everybody, including the President and everybody else.
No.
Have you heard about whether or not they're going to be coming or not?
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
Tell me if Johnson comes.
Well, find out.
If he's coming, I'd have to see him.
I'd have him late in the day, and I'd have to have him on time.
You really want to go to Searson?
A couple of thoughts on this.
Bob asked that you consider two courtesy calls this week.
A fellow college member in on this call, Art, one of his sons, Senator Johnson, Eleanor's successor.
He's in town with his wife, four children, and his parents.
Bob emphasizes that this man, a Democrat, maybe, frankly, a majority type, could be of assistance to us.
five-foot hand-shaped photograph.
Welcome aboard.
Second session is Mike Bonner and Drew Fuller.
Mark Evans, Zachary Sawyer.
Mark, sir.
You're having a comeback.
Perfect.
You're here.
Thanks, man.
The final one is really his final one for the week.
All right.
David Altshuler, Assistant Secretary of State for Congressional Relations at the McCarty.
He's been there for four years.
This is a
We're leaving.
Yes, sir.
Two minutes.
We might do it just about the same time as Johnson.
Sure.
Sure.
Ten minutes or eight minutes.
Figure Johnson.
But those always need to start.
See you after you go to Congress and so forth.
But actually at the end, at least 15 minutes.
It will take a lot of hours.
It doesn't make any difference.
He'll understand.
He's fed him and the others.
This is the only thing for him.
His attendant's here today.
He said he's wanting to get him in.
Well, I'll talk with the leadership thing.
That's true.
So I can get a few.
I'll tell you what.
Get it right now and ask him if he could come in with you with the number that he finally comes up with.
All right.
That's it.
Thank you.

NARA Description

On January 2, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:50 am and 12:00 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 829-033 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 829-33

Date: January 2, 1973
Time: Between 11:50 am and 12:00 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Stephen B. Bull.

       Harry S. Truman’s memorial service
            -Future receptions
                  -National Security Council [NSC]
            -Foreign visitors
            -Henry A. Kissinger's recommendations
                  -Heads of state
                                              -38-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                             Conversation No. 829-33 (cont’d)

                         -Courtesy calls
                         -Scheduling
                   -Other foreign officials
                         -Carlos P. Romulo
                         -Defense Minister of Turkey
                         -Lord Chancellor of England
             -Diplomatic reception
                   -State Department
             -Attendance by Truman family
                   -Blair House
                   -Clifton V. Daniel
             -Attendance by Lyndon B. Johnson
                   -Meeting with the President
             -Courtesy calls
                   -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
                   -J. Bennett Johnson, Jr.
                         -Allen J. Ellender
                         -Johnson family
                         -Photographs
                         -Aid to Nixon administration
                   -David M. Abshire
                         -Assistant Secretary of State
                   -Timing

       Meeting with William E. Timmons
            -Meeting with bipartisan congressional leaders

Bull left at 12:00 pm.

Also recorded on January 2, 1973

  • 035-056 10:21 AM · 57 sec — Charles W. Colson, White House operator, unknown person(s), Rose Mary Woods, Gerald L. Warren, and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:21 am and 11:20 am.
  • 829-031 11:28 AM · 22 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Rose Mary Woods, and Marjorie P. Acker met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:28 am to 11:46 am.
  • 829-032 11:46 AM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:46 am and 11:50 am.
  • 829-034 12:00 PM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:00 pm and 12:13 pm.
  • 829-035 12:13 PM · 43 min — President Richard M. Nixon, William E. Timmons, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:13 pm to 12:56 pm.
  • 829-036 12:56 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:56 pm and 1:00 pm.
  • 829-037 1:00 PM · 13 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William E. Timmons met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:00 pm to 1:14 pm.
  • 829-041 1:14 PM · 12 sec — unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:14 pm and 3:33 pm.

All 52 conversations from January 2, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 829-033, January 2, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/829-033 (accessed October 2, 2026).