Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 18 › Conversation 018-073
Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on Charles W. Colson
Wednesday, January 12, 1972 · 8:11 PM–8:13 PM ET · White House Telephone · 7 sec
AI Summary
President Nixon contacted the White House operator to initiate a telephone call to his special counsel, Charles W. Colson. The brief exchange served solely as a logistical request to establish this communication line. No substantive policy matters or further instructions were recorded during the interaction.
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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 January 12, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:11 pm and 8:13 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 018-073 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 18-73
Date: January 12, 1972
Time: Unknown between 8:11 pm and 8:13 pm
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with the White House operator.
Request for a call to Charles W. ColsonAlso recorded on January 13, 1972
- 018-071 7:30 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:30 pm and 8:09 pm.
- 018-072 8:09 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 8:09 pm to 8:11 pm.
- 018-074 8:13 PM · 27 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 8:13 pm to 8:40 pm.
- 018-075 8:40 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:40 pm and 9:26 pm.
- 018-076 9:26 PM · 16 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John B. Connally talked on the telephone from 9:26 pm to 9:42 pm.
- 647-001 10:10 AM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:10 am and 10:12 am.
- 647-002 10:12 AM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:12 am to 10:19 am.
- 647-003 10:19 AM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:19 am and 10:34 am.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 018-073, January 13, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/018-073 (accessed October 12, 2026).