Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 12 › Conversation 012-072
Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on Charles W. Colson
Thursday, October 21, 1971 · 9:44 PM ET · White House Telephone · 8 sec
AI Summary
President Nixon contacted the White House operator to facilitate an outgoing call to his special counsel, Charles W. Colson. This brief administrative interaction served as the necessary logistical step to connect the President with one of his key political advisors. No substantive policy discussions occurred during this brief exchange.
Audio
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
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NARA Description
On October 21, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 9:44 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 012-072 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 012-072
Date: October 21, 1971
Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542
Time: 9:44 pm
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with the White House operator.
Request for call to Charles W. ColsonAlso recorded on October 22, 1971
- 012-070 9:21 PM · 29 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 9:21 pm.
- 012-071 9:21 PM · 10 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 9:21 pm to 9:31 pm.
- 012-073 9:44 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone from 9:44 pm to 9:45 pm.
- 012-074 9:45 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 9:45 pm.
- 012-075 9:45 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:45 pm and 9:47 pm.
- 012-076 9:45 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:45 pm and 9:47 pm.
- 012-077 9:47 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods talked on the telephone from 9:47 pm to 9:50 pm.
- 012-078 9:50 PM · 14 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 9:50 pm to 10:04 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 012-072, October 22, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/012-072 (accessed October 12, 2026).