Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 16 › Conversation 016-096
Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on Charles W. Colson
Friday, December 10, 1971 · 8:15 PM ET · White House Telephone · 11 sec
AI Summary
President Nixon initiates a brief telephonic interaction with the White House operator to request a connection to Charles W. Colson. The call serves as an administrative bridge to facilitate direct communication with his special counsel. No further substantive policy matters were discussed 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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data
Each line starts with a timestamp button; press it to play the audio from that point.
NARA Description
On December 10, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 8:15 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 016-096 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 16-96
Date: December 10, 1971
Time: 8:15 pm
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with the White House operator.
Request for a call to Charles W. ColsonAlso recorded on December 11, 1971
- 016-089 7:59 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:59 pm and 8:01 pm.
- 016-090 8:01 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 8:01 pm.
- 016-091 8:01 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:01 pm and 8:06 pm.
- 016-092 8:06 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 8:06 pm to 8:09 pm.
- 016-093 8:09 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:09 pm and 8:12 pm.
- 016-094 8:09 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:09 pm and 8:12 pm.
- 016-095 8:12 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and George E. Allen talked on the telephone from 8:12 pm to 8:15 pm.
- 016-097 8:16 PM · 10 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 8:16 pm to 8:26 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 016-096, December 11, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/016-096 (accessed October 5, 2026).