Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 18 › Conversation 018-078

Haldeman & Hughes on Camp David and Presidential transportation

Thursday, January 13, 1972 · 2:45 PM ET · White House Telephone · 46 sec

ParticipantsHaldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Hughes, James D. ("Don")Conversation018-078 on Tape 18 (tape position 03:47:23–03:48:09)StartThursday, January 13, 1972 at 2:45 PMEndThursday, January 13, 1972 at 2:45 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 018-078 ↗

AI Summary

H. R. Haldeman and Major General James D. Hughes discussed the logistical difficulties of transporting President Nixon to Camp David via helicopter due to poor weather conditions. Haldeman emphasized the President's preference to avoid a long drive and requested an evaluation of alternative landing sites, such as Thurmont. Hughes committed to investigating the viability of nearby landing locations and reporting back to Haldeman shortly.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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hello mr president is bob alderman oh um general he is okay hello don bob alderman uh we've got the problem of choppers and getting to camp david right uh and understand there's no way to get up there between now and tomorrow morning 11 o'clock right before all right uh how close can we chopper out of here uh yeah there's a problem here at the camp it's up at the camp okay
Then how close can we get to Camp David?
Can we get to Thurmont or something like that?
I'll have to check, Bob.
I'm not in my office and I didn't check that point.
Well, he does need to go and he's very anxious to avoid driving all the way if possible.
Give me five minutes.
Right.
Call me back on this line.
Right.
Thank you.

NARA Description

On January 13, 1972, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and James D. ("Don") Hughes talked on the telephone at 2:45 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 018-078 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 18-78

Date: January 13, 1972
Time: 2:45 pm
Location: White House Telephone

H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman talked with Maj. Gen. James D. Hughes.

[See Conversation No. 314-1B]

     Helicopters for trip to Camp David
          -Problems with weather
                -Thurmont, Maryland

Also recorded on January 13, 1972

  • 647-020 2:22 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at 2:22 pm.
  • 018-077 2:34 PM · 1 min — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:34 pm and 2:45 pm.
  • 314-001 2:34 PM · 1 hr 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Stephen B. Bull, White House operator, James D. ("Don") Hughes, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:34 pm to 3:41 pm.
  • 018-079 2:45 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 2:45 pm.
  • 018-080 2:45 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 2:45 pm to 2:47 pm.
  • 018-081 2:47 PM · 2 min — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and James D. ("Don") Hughes talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:47 pm and 3:09 pm.
  • 018-082 2:47 PM · 1 min — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, and James D. ("Don") Hughes talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:47 pm and 3:09 pm.
  • 018-083 2:47 PM · 1 min — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, President Richard M. Nixon, and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:47 pm and 3:09 pm.

All 54 conversations from January 13, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 018-078, 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/018-078 (accessed September 24, 2026).