Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 852 › Conversation 852-011

Nixon, James & White House photographer on Personnel and California

Wednesday, February 7, 1973 · 12:29 PM–12:33 PM ET · Oval Office · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.; White House photographer; James, E. Pendleton; James, Julie; James, RobConversation852-011 on Tape 852StartWednesday, February 7, 1973 at 12:29 PMEndWednesday, February 7, 1973 at 12:33 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 852-011 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with E. Pendleton James and his family to bid them farewell as they prepared to return to California. During the brief meeting, the President expressed his appreciation for James's service within the administration and discussed the family's future in the Palos Verdes area. The encounter concluded with a formal photo session and the presentation of presidential mementos to the family.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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How are you?
Good to see you.
Thank you.
Going back to California.
Going back to California.
This is Julie.
Mr. President.
I'm very glad to meet you.
And Robbie.
Robbie, I know.
They're very excited.
And I'm glad to meet you.
I just want to thank you for the opportunity to serve in your administration.
Well, I'm very excited.
We want to thank you for what you've done.
I know that that shot gave you all of this.
Good man.
What a great set.
Wonderful job.
You're going to live in Los Angeles.
Until the 30s.
Oh, that's not bad.
Wonderful schools there, too.
You can send them to public schools.
Right.
And then you can see the ocean.
Of course.
You're always welcome when you can come back.
Now, we're going to get you a picture.
Let's stand on my right and you stand on my left.
And, uh, I would think you stand up so that you can turn your head.
Like this.
There.
Like this.
Okay.
There we go.
Mr. President, I have to move it this way a little bit.
I'll take care of it.
Here we go.
Here we go.
And we get one for each of you.
And if you grow up, you can have a copy of this.
How wonderful.
Oh, boy, boy.
So you can have it for their, you know, their books and memories.
This will be a great memory we will always have.
And this is an anniversary.
Oh, thank you.
You can put it around with your children.
It's a seal.
Oh, thank you.
Thank you.
This is great.
We want to thank you again.
Yes, thank you for having this meeting.
We do appreciate it.
I want to sit in that chair and just say thank you so much.
Oh, thank you.
Do you want to sit in the chair?
Would you like to sit in the chair?
Thank you for coming today.
You're welcome.
All right.
All right.
There you go.
Thank you, Sister Grace.
Thank you.
Good luck.
Thank you.
That's a little pocket of our support.
I think we carried a house very lucky.
All right.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.

NARA Description

On February 7, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, White House photographer, E. Pendleton James, Julie James, and Rob James met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:29 pm to 12:33 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 852-011 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 852-11

Date: February 7, 1973
Time: 12:29 pm-12:33 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Mr. and Mrs. E. Pendleton James, Julie James, Rob James, and Stephen B.
Bull; the White House photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting.

       Introductions

       Return to California

       Appreciation for job
             -[Frederick V. Malek’s] staff

       California
              -Palos Verdes
              -Public schools
                     -Ocean
                     -Fondness for Washington, DC area

       Photographs
             -Copies
                                              -37-

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                           Conversation No. 852-11 (cont’d)

                         -Children

       Presidential ashtrays

       Goodearle's appreciation
             -Chair

       Palos Verdes
              -1972 election

James, et al., left at 12:33 pm.

       President’s schedule
              -Meeting
                      -Patrick E. O’Donnell

Bull left at 12:33 pm.

Also recorded on February 7, 1973

  • 852-008 12:21 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:21 pm to 12:22 pm.
  • 852-009 12:22 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, White House photographer, Wallace B. Henley, Laurie Henley, and Travis Henley met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:22 pm to 12:26 pm.
  • 852-010 12:26 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, White House photographer, J. Roy Goodearle, Mrs. J. Roy Goodearle, Sarah Goodearle, Harold Goodearle, Ellen Good, and Doris Good met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:26 pm to 12:29 pm.
  • 852-019 12:26 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at 12:26 pm.
  • 852-012 12:33 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House photographer, W. Richard Howard, Patrick E. O'Donnell, and Mrs. Patrick E. O'Donnell met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:33 pm to 12:36 pm.
  • 852-013 12:36 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:36 pm and 12:40 pm.
  • 852-020 12:40 PM · 1 min — unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:40 pm and 3:10 pm.
  • 043-037 12:41 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 12:41 pm.

All 28 conversations from February 7, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 852-011, February 7, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/852-011 (accessed October 12, 2026).