Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 834 › Conversation 834-004

Nixon & Bull on White House protocol and Press relations

Friday, January 5, 1973 · 1:57 PM–2:03 PM ET · Oval Office · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.Conversation834-004 on Tape 834StartFriday, January 5, 1973 at 1:57 PMEndFriday, January 5, 1973 at 2:03 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 834-004 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with his aide, Stephen B. Bull, to discuss the logistical management of courtesy calls with foreign officials, specifically focusing on time constraints and press access. Nixon expressed frustration regarding unauthorized public announcements by press secretary Ronald Ziegler promising press presence at these meetings, which conflicted with the President’s desire for tighter scheduling and privacy. The discussion centered on curbing unnecessary press exposure and enforcing strict fifteen-minute limits for these diplomatic encounters.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Mr. President, whenever you're ready to get started.
I'm going to call the president.
They're all over 15 minutes.
This is a 15-minute courtesy call.
We need to get the area out in front of us.
I'm going to call the president.
They need to get out fast.
I'm going to call the president.
They're not going to be in front of us.
They're going to be in front of us.
Well, I figured I'd announce the press close as he said.
Goddamn, I told you not to press close.
See what you haven't got the time for.
He's announced there'd be press close.
But I'm unsealed.
I'm unsealed.
Why did they overrule you then?
Remember I said no press close.
Why are they doing this?
I'm not certain why that came about.
Yes, sir.
Yes, sir.
Yes, sir.
Yes, sir.
All right.
All right.

NARA Description

On January 5, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:57 pm and 2:03 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 834-004 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 834-4

Date: January 5, 1973
Time: Unknown between 1:57 pm and 2:03 pm
Location: Oval Office

Stephen B. Bull met with the President.

       Ceremonies

       Length of courtesy calls of visiting foreign officials

       Press coverage

       Press photos
             -Ronald L. Ziegler's announcement
                  -Time constraints
                  -John D. Ehrlichman

       Meetings

Bull left at an unknown time before 2:03 pm.

Also recorded on January 5, 1973

  • 394-009 1:08 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building on an unknown date, sometime between 1:08 pm on January 5, 1973 and 2:56 pm on January 8, 1973.
  • 394-010 1:08 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building on an unknown date, sometime between 1:08 pm on January 5, 1973 and 2:56 pm on January 8, 1973.
  • 834-005 2:03 PM · 55 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:03 pm to 2:04 pm.
  • 834-006 2:04 PM · 23 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, S. Zalman Shazar, Yitzhak Rabin, Col. Richard T. Kennedy, and Oliver F. ("Ollie") Atkins met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:04 pm to 2:19 pm.
  • 834-007 2:20 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:20 pm to 2:21 pm.
  • 834-008 2:22 PM · 10 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Dr. Edward E. David, Jr., and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:22 pm to 2:30 pm.
  • 834-009 2:30 PM · 41 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:30 pm to 2:31 pm.
  • 834-010 2:31 PM · 27 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Dong Jo Kim, Kim Chong-pil, Kim Yong-sik, Carl Han, Henry Sullivan, Oliver F. ("Ollie") Atkins, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:31 pm and 3:03 pm.

All 43 conversations from January 5, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 834-004, January 5, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/834-004 (accessed October 12, 2026).