Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 833 › Conversation 833-016

Nixon & Bull on Diplomatic protocol and Heads of state

Thursday, January 4, 1973 · 11:51 AM–11:55 AM ET · Oval Office · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.Conversation833-016 on Tape 833StartThursday, January 4, 1973 at 11:51 AMEndThursday, January 4, 1973 at 11:55 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 833-016 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull reviewed the President’s daily schedule and finalized protocols for upcoming meetings with foreign dignitaries. The discussion focused on establishing strict guidelines for interactions with heads of state, specifically limiting meetings while granting exceptions for Carlos P. Romulo and Vice President Yen Chia-Kan of the Republic of China. Additionally, the President issued explicit instructions to close the attendance list for an upcoming reception, prohibiting any further additions to the guest list.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Believe me, I've got one minute, sir.
Henry's just coming back from his office.
All right, Bob.
Bob, I have to ask you to check this.
Did you want to see Bob and John are open today at 3 o'clock?
No, I don't have to... Or was that open today?
I'm not going to stand by.
I don't know whether I can do it.
I can make it or not.
It's just a question of right now we've got to concentrate on some other things.
If they can hold that time, I'll see if I can get through with these other matters by 3.
Very nice.
This is your end of
are acutely aware of the guidelines you gave in regards to meetings with heads of state on, uh, tomorrow, on Friday, that you would only see those three with Romulo on stage.
Yes, sir.
With Romulo being the only exception.
This is an acquaintance.
Not much longer.
But Henry's coming with a recommendation, uh, historic recommendation that you see Vice President, uh, Yan of the Republic of China on the same basis that you would see the other heads of state.
feels this should be an exception to the rule of management major significance a new mastermind in 1970 in the white house dinner that's a hard thing to call but all right you can't run that too late because i bet i call the big reception how long is that going to run this is going up to um
Don't add anything out of the crack now.
There's absolutely no crack.
All of them are, but nobody can add anything.
Not even the secretary is leaving or any of that.
Okay.
We're starting at around four o'clock, so this is...
When we're about a half hour away, it's all right.
All right.
All right.
All right.
All right.
Romeo may not be the last of us.
I've got to get out of here before Saturday is over and get ready for that reception.

NARA Description

On January 4, 1973, 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. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 833-016 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 833-16

Date: January 4, 1973
                                                -36-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                             Conversation No. 833-21 (cont’d)

Time: Unknown between 11:51 am and 11:55 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Stephen B. Bull.

The President’s schedule
             -Location of Henry A. Kissinger
             -Meeting with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman
                   -Timing
             -Guidelines for meetings with heads of state
                   -Kissinger, H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
                   -Carlos P. Romulo
                   -Yen Chia-Kan
                         -Taiwan, Republic of China
                         -1970 White House dinner
             -Reception
             -Additions
                   -Haldeman, Ehrlichman
                   -Departing Cabinet
             -Meeting with Yen
                   -Length
                   -Romulo
             -Reception

Bull left at an unknown time before 11:55 am.

Also recorded on January 4, 1973

  • 833-012 11:33 AM · 2 min — 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.
  • 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.
  • 833-017 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 833-016, 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/833-016 (accessed October 13, 2026).