Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 869 › Conversation 869-021

Nixon with unidentified visitors in the Oval Office on State Department

Tuesday, March 6, 1973 · 3:02 PM–3:04 PM ET · Oval Office ·2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  [Unknown person(s)]Conversation869-021 onTape 869StartTuesday, March 6, 1973 at 3:02 PMEndTuesday, March 6, 1973 at 3:04 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 869-021 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with an unknown individual and Stephen B. Bull to address a scheduling error regarding a memorial service for slain diplomats at the State Department. The discussion centered on a miscommunication concerning the attendance of the victims' families, which led the President to believe they would not be present. Nixon expressed frustration over the administrative oversight and directed staff to investigate the cause of the confusion.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I was over there for this thing today.
My dad was in here.
The wives were not going to be there.
After I finished speaking, I thought they were there.
You saw it.
You saw it.
It had a written name.
I wrote that name.
And I was so specifically asked the question until about five minutes before you came down.
Sure, the family's not there.
This is a very poor-standard invention.
Find out what happened.
Just so, I guess, I need to know that before I speak.
I frequently notice, particularly when we check, ask the question of our senators.

NARA Description

On March 6, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:02 pm to 3:04 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 869-021 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 869-21

Date: March 6, 1973
Time: 3:02 pm - 3:04 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with an unknown man.

       Mayors
           -Meeting in Cabinet Room

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 3:02 pm.

The unknown man left at an unknown time before 3:04 pm.

       President's meeting at State Department, memorial service
             -Families of slain diplomats
                   -Informing President of presence
                   -Memorial plaque [?]
                   -Scheduling mix up


The President and Bull left at 3:04 pm.
                                           -59-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                     (rev. May-2010)

Also recorded on March 6, 1973

  • 869-020 2:40 PM · 20 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:40 pm to 3:02 pm.
  • 869-022 3:04 PM · 36 sec — unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:04 pm and 3:39 pm.
  • 869-025 3:04 PM · 25 sec — unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:04 pm and 3:39 pm.
  • 870-001 3:39 PM · 56 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:39 pm and 3:42 pm.
  • 870-002 3:42 PM · 39 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Thomas G. Corcoran, unknown person(s), and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:42 pm to 4:20 pm.
  • 870-003 4:20 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:20 pm and 4:22 pm.
  • 870-004 4:20 PM · 24 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Robert B. Pamplin, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:20 pm and 4:46 pm.
  • 870-005 4:46 PM · 1 hr 11 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Ronald L. Ziegler, Earl L. Butz, James T. Lynn, Caspar W. ("Cap") Weinberger, John D. Ehrlichman, and Roy L. Ash met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:46 pm and 6:00 pm.

All 45 conversations from March 6, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 869-021, March 6, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/869-021 (accessed September 18, 2026).