Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 867 › Conversation 867-028

Nixon, Bull & Melich on Republican National Conventions

Friday, March 2, 1973 · 4:08 PM–5:05 PM ET · Oval Office ·4 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.; Melich, Richard; Melich, Richard (Mrs.)Conversation867-028 onTape 867StartFriday, March 2, 1973 at 4:08 PMEndFriday, March 2, 1973 at 5:05 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 867-028 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with Richard and Mrs. Melich, accompanied by Stephen B. Bull, for a social visit in the Oval Office. The conversation focused on the Melichs' travels to Yugoslavia, the USSR, and Sweden, as well as their long-standing history of supporting the Republican Party at national conventions since 1952. The group also discussed family backgrounds, including the Melichs' ancestral ties to the Mormon faith and the naming of their child after the President.

Republican National Conventions
International travel
Yugoslavia
Mormonism
Presidential social visits
Utah politics

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Mr. President, this is Mr. Richard Miller.

Hi there.

How are you?

Nice to see you.

How are you?

Good to see you.

Hi, how are you?

I've got something to show you.

We are in Utah this summer.

And the little guy with the bear name is your namesake.

And this is your gift to you, Italian, the parents of this boy.

Thank you.

How did you do the soccer interview there?

Well, we were there at the environmental conference in Stockholm.

Oh, yeah?

Yes.

We spent a weekend in Russia.

And Dory and I are talking about soccer.

My father and mother were both going to do soccer.

Oh, really?

What park?

Which park?

Horn and their soccer team.

My father was born on this little farm, and they still own the water seven miles.

It's a very, very good place, I understand.

Well, they're so poor, of course, but they're nice people.

And strong.

Strong.

The ambassador here was from this section is where all their generals come from.

Well, I want to get back to you, Tom.

um i'm surprised that

We have a sign-in.

Right, right.

I'll keep your option open.

I want Mitch to sign this for you, and we'll give you this.

All right.

Good, good.

And we'll send you one of these.

Thank you, Mark.

Is that working?

Here, here's one of those.

Thank you.

Well, we've enjoyed our experience here.

Well, we've been so glad to have you here.

I appreciate it.

Well, that's a great party.

We have been in the political battle for many years.

For a long time, after the 52nd Convention, first we attended every word of this institution.

Not until we had Chicago Sun.

Our delegation in Chicago and the combination of 60, 64 times San Francisco, and twice within Miami.

I don't see it.

It's your wife's birthday.

Yeah, well, best of luck to you.

Wish you the best.

We'll be seeing her.

I'll be out in town one of these days.

Are you from New Southland, too?

No, I wasn't.

You were not.

No, I, no, I wasn't.

You're a Buddhist, are you?

No, I'm not.

Her, uh, ancestors were, I never said they were Mormons in Utah.

I, uh, but it's still, you'd still be a Mormon in Judah's law, can't you?

Yeah, it's still not.

I'm afraid those Mormons have missionaries all over the world.

I see.

All right.

NARA Description

On March 2, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Richard Melich, and Mrs. Richard Melich met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:08 pm and 5:05 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 867-028 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 867-28

Date: March 2, 1973
Time: Unknown after 4:08 and before 5:05 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Mr. and Mrs. Richard Melich; Stephen B. Bull and the White House
photographer were present at the beginning of the meeting.

       Greetings

       Melichs's visit to Yugoslavia, Sweden, and Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
            -Photograph
                   -Child
                          -Naming after President
            -Environmental conference
                   -Stockholm
            -Melich's parents
                   -Zagreb
                   -Serbians
            -President's visit to Yugoslavia
            -Melich's parents
            -Rural life
            -Yugoslav ambassador to the US

       Photographs

       Return to Utah
            -President's visit to Utah
            -Melich's future career
            -Salt Lake City

       Photographs

       Melich's work with administration
            -1952 convention
                  -Chicago
            -1964 convention
                  -San Francisco
                  -Barry M. Goldwater
                                            -43-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                        (rev. June-2010)
                                                             Conversation No. 867-28 (cont’d)

             -1968 convention
                  -Chicago
             -Miami convention

       Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
            -Birthday

       Mrs. Melich's ancestors
            -Mormons
                  -Missionaries

Mr. and Mrs. Melich left.

Also recorded on March 2, 1973

867-020 4:08 PM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at 4:08 pm.
867-021 4:08 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Edwin S. Cohen, and Mrs. Cohen met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:08 pm and 5:05 pm.
867-022 4:08 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Harold Finger, and Mrs. Harold Finger met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:08 pm and 5:05 pm.
867-023 4:08 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Robert C. Moot, and Mrs. Robert C. Moot met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:08 pm and 5:05 pm.
867-024 4:08 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Richard F. Schubert, and Mrs. Richard F. Schubert met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:08 pm and 5:05 pm.
867-025 4:08 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Charles L. Ill, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:08 pm and 5:05 pm.
867-026 4:08 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Samuel Jackson, and Mrs. Samuel Jackson met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:08 pm and 5:05 pm.
867-027 4:08 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and Spencer Schedler met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:08 pm and 5:05 pm.

All 58 conversations from March 2, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 867-028, March 2, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/867-028 (accessed September 18, 2026).