Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 16 › Conversation 016-129
Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on Charles W. Colson
Tuesday, December 21, 1971 · 5:58 PM–10:11 PM ET · White House Telephone · 8 sec
AI Summary
President Nixon instructed the White House operator to cancel a pending call to Charles W. Colson. He directed the operator to hold the connection, deciding to postpone the communication to a later time. The brief exchange reflects a change in the President's immediate scheduling priorities regarding his outreach to Colson.
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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 December 21, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:58 pm and 10:11 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 016-129 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 16-129
Date: December 21, 1971
Time: Unknown between 5:58 pm and 10:11 pm
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with the White House operator.
[See Conversation No. 639-29]
Call to Charles W. ColsonAlso recorded on December 21, 1971
- 016-128 5:58 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:58 pm and 10:11 pm.
- 016-130 5:58 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:58 pm and 10:11 pm.
- 639-027 5:58 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 5:58 pm and 6:07 pm.
- 639-028 5:58 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:58 pm and 6:07 pm.
- 639-029 5:58 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and John N. Mitchell met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:58 pm and 6:07 pm.
- 639-030 6:07 PM · 51 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John N. Mitchell, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and John D. Ehrlichman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 6:07 pm to 6:59 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 016-129, December 21, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/016-129 (accessed October 10, 2026).