Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 833 › Conversation 833-012

Nixon, Kissinger & Bull on Alexander M. Haig, Jr. and Award ceremony

Thursday, January 4, 1973 · 11:33 AM–11:37 AM ET · Oval Office · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.; Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation833-012 on Tape 833StartThursday, January 4, 1973 at 11:33 AMEndThursday, January 4, 1973 at 11:37 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 833-012 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull to finalize logistical details and media management for an upcoming award ceremony honoring Alexander M. Haig, Jr. The discussion focused on controlling press access during the event and perfecting the delivery of the official citation, which had been vetted by Melvin R. Laird. Henry A. Kissinger joined the brief session to coordinate the preparation of a statement regarding Secretary of State William P. Rogers.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

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You got something else to do on that?

As soon as they come in and photograph it, get them out.

I'll say a word, and then as soon as I finish, move them, move them, move them out and see.

As soon as I say, I'm going to speak for the

Uh, a minute, two minutes.

All you need to be able to see this now is put it right below the bottom of your head.

So it's an empirical reading of the citation.

What position are you in now?

Actually, uh, just in, uh, on the face of the stage.

Well, that's the legal.

Well, you're the one who said we're showing courage to people.

The last day has no substance.

I can give it to you.

I give it in the last day, sir.

And it shows, you said, great delivery.

Oh, it does.

That's fine.

Oh, no, I'll give it to you.

That's fine.

You made it correct.

NARA Description

On January 4, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:33 am and 11:37 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 833-012 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 833-12

Date: January 4, 1973
Time: Unknown between 11:33 am and 11:37 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Stephen B. Bull.

        Alexander M. Haig, Jr.'s award ceremony
             -Rose Mary Woods
             -Press relations
                   -Photographs
                   -The President's statements
             -Citation
                   -Melvin R. Laird

Kissinger entered at 11:35 am.

Bull left at an unknown time.

        William P. Rogers
              -Statement
                    -Preparation

Henry A. Kissinger left at 11:37 am.
                                             -33-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                              Conversation No. 833-21 (cont’d)

Also recorded on January 4, 1973

833-013 11:37 AM · 12 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Melvin R. Laird, William P. Rogers, Henry A. Kissinger, Adm. Thomas H. Moorer, Robert F. Froehlke, Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr., Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft, Lt. Col. William L. Golden, Mrs. Alexander M. Haig, Sr., Patricia Haig, Alonzo Fox, Alexander M. Haig, Sr., Brian Haig, Barbara Haig, Frank Haig, Edward B. Meredith, Mrs. Edward B. Meredith, Mrs. George Meredith, Rose Mary Woods, Stephen B. Bull, and Oliver F. ("Ollie") Atkins met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:37 am and 11:48 am.
833-014 11:48 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:48 am and 11:51 am.
833-015 11:51 AM · 35 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:51 am and 11:55 am.
833-016 11:51 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:51 am and 11:55 am.
833-017 11:55 AM · 46 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Elliot L. Richardson, Henry A. Kissinger, Stephen B. Bull, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:55 am to 12:42 pm.
833-018 12:42 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:42 pm and 12:45 pm.
833-019 12:42 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:42 pm and 12:45 pm.
833-020 12:45 PM · 15 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, Gerard C. Smith, Stephen B. Bull, and Oliver F. ("Ollie") Atkins met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:45 pm to 1:01 pm.

All 47 conversations from January 4, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 833-012, January 4, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/833-012 (accessed October 13, 2026).