Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 158 › Conversation 158-023

Nixon phone call with Camp David Operator on Charles W. Colson and Camp David

Friday, December 29, 1972 · 5:15 PM–5:20 PM ET · Camp David Study Table · 17 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Camp David OperatorConversation158-023 on Tape 158StartFriday, December 29, 1972 at 5:15 PMEndFriday, December 29, 1972 at 5:20 PMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 158-023 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to facilitate a telephone connection with his special counsel, Charles W. Colson. The brief exchange served as a logistical request to initiate a direct line of communication between the President and his advisor. No further substantive policy discussions occurred during this short administrative interaction.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Teksting av Nicolai Winther

NARA Description

On December 29, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 5:15 pm and 5:20 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 158-023 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 158-23

Date: December 29, 1972
Time: Unknown between 5:15 pm and 5:20 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table

The President talked with the Camp David operator.

[See Conversation No. 237-52]]

       Request for a call to Charles W. Colson

Also recorded on December 29, 1972

  • 158-020 5:06 PM · 26 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at 5:06 pm.
  • 158-021 5:06 PM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 5:06 pm and 5:12 pm.
  • 237-026 5:06 PM · 26 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at 5:06 pm.
  • 158-022 5:12 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone at Camp David from 5:12 pm to 5:15 pm.
  • 237-029 5:12 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 5:12 pm to 5:15 pm.
  • 237-052 5:15 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 5:15 pm and 5:20 pm.
  • 158-024 5:20 PM · 11 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at Camp David from 5:20 pm to 5:32 pm.
  • 237-030 5:20 PM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 5:20 pm to 5:32 pm.

All 67 conversations from December 29, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 158-023, December 29, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/158-023 (accessed October 19, 2026).