Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 840 › Conversation 840-001

Nixon & Bull on Lincoln Day speeches and Vietnam policy

Saturday, February 3, 1973 · 9:06 AM–9:10 AM ET · Oval Office · 6 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.Conversation840-001 on Tape 840StartSaturday, February 3, 1973 at 9:06 AMEndSaturday, February 3, 1973 at 9:10 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 840-001 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and aide Stephen B. Bull reviewed the President's upcoming schedule, focusing on key meetings with economic boards, Republican leadership, and political advisors like Clay T. Whitehead and Charles W. Colson. They discussed preparations for Lincoln Day speeches, the distribution of materials regarding Vietnam, and the evaluation of a new podium for use in the Roosevelt Room. Additionally, the pair coordinated logistics for a trip to Camp David, adjusting the departure time for the President's helicopter.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

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Take a little more than that.

We'll roll it out.

I'll take you back to the garage.

In late December, you were talking to Chuck Colson, Clay White, who was making this very powerful species.

And so it would be very valuable to be able to, Clay White, to be able to meet with you, particularly since you're the only four-pastoral recurrence.

Yes, sir.

There's going to be a private meeting, September 15th, in the local office meeting.

Sure.

I think also Chuck spoke to you about meeting with Howard Sinley and Colson.

All right.

Are you interested in seeing the new podium?

We might be able to set that up.

We can set that up in the Roosevelt Room sometime.

Just to see if it's satisfying.

Well, I guess I should look at it sometime.

Yes, sir.

It needs adaptation.

We'll find satisfaction.

The idea is that the attendees would go out and have the same initiative to use in their Lincoln Day speeches.

No hesitance.

I have a good reading paper on Vietnam.

The best material.

You know what I mean?

Yes, sir.

A handout for everybody, plus like the editorial comment, the various points that we made.

So I'll be talking about it.

I want you to have it in place with the handout that we just did.

Where did it happen?

It happened in 1969.

It was in San Francisco.

We've had to use them really for about two years.

You can get some of that to the commission when we have a staff member on the anniversary of, we might have the same anniversary, but different people, they have to be able to be together.

The first one is raised for a minute.

The first one.

Let's go.

Did you want the helicopter order to be used in the second time?

Well, about 3 o'clock, I might move it up a little bit.

Right.

We'll say 2 o'clock.

That's right.

Okay, just to go in that part of the cell phone.

I don't know if this is the case.

Oh, shoot.

All right.

Are you letting us know how many times?

Yeah, I'll give you the dollar or two.

NARA Description

On February 3, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:06 am to 9:10 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 840-001 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 840-1

Date: February 3, 1973
Time: 9:06 am - 9:10 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Stephen B. Bull.

       The President's schedule
              -Meeting with Price Commission and Pay Board
                      -Length of meeting
              -Meeting with Clay T. (“Tom”) Whitehead
                      -Charles W. Colson
                             -Speeches
              -Meeting with Albert E. Sindlinger
                      -Polls
                      -Public schedule

       Podium
             -Roosevelt Room

       Republican Congressional leadership meeting
             -Roy L. Ash
                    -Financial waste
                    -Lincoln Day speeches

       J. Willard (“Bill”) Marriott, Jr.
               -1969 Inauguration

       Colson
              -Reading paper on Vietnam
                     -Material for Republican leadership
                            -Editorial opinion
                            -Lincoln Day speeches
       Event for campaign contributors
              -Marriot
              -Inaugural medals
                                               -2-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                           Conversation No. 840-19 (cont’d)

               -Spiro T. Agnew
               -Raymond K. Price, Jr.
               -Top donors
               -White House staff
                      -Anniversary

       The President’s schedule
              -Camp David
                     -Helicopter
                     -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon

Bull left at 9:10 am.

Also recorded on February 3, 1973

840-002 9:10 AM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:10 am and 9:55 am.
840-003 9:10 AM · 32 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Barbara Walters met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:10 am and 10:29 am.
043-016 9:55 AM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Barbara Walters talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:55 am and 10:59 am.
840-004 9:55 AM · 52 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:55 am and 10:29 am.
840-005 10:29 AM · 30 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:29 am to 10:59 am.
840-006 10:59 AM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:59 am and 11:05 am.
840-007 10:59 AM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:59 am and 11:05 am.
840-008 10:59 AM · 49 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Manolo Sanchez, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:59 am and 11:05 am.

All 41 conversations from February 3, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 840-001, February 3, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/840-001 (accessed October 1, 2026).