Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 18 › Conversation 018-082

Haldeman & Hughes on Camp David and Transportation

Thursday, January 13, 1972 · 2:47 PM–3:09 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsHaldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); White House operator; Hughes, James D. ("Don")Conversation018-082 on Tape 18 (tape position 03:51:45–03:52:58)StartThursday, January 13, 1972 at 2:47 PMEndThursday, January 13, 1972 at 3:09 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 018-082 ↗

AI Summary

H. R. Haldeman coordinates with Maj. Gen. James D. Hughes to finalize the logistics for President Nixon’s upcoming trip to Camp David. They determine 4:00 p.m. as the optimal departure time, balancing weather forecasts for Thurmont, Maryland, and the status of helicopter availability. The pair establishes a contingency plan to travel by car if adverse weather conditions prevent air travel.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
General Hughes please.
There you are.
What he's going to do is set a time now and leave at that time, either by helicopter or car, depending on whether the thing is open.
Now, the question is, is 4 or 4.30 a better time to set?
I'd set 4.
Because if thermon opens, it'll close back in again.
Yeah, that's right.
And also, that gives them a better time to start for driving, too.
I mean, rather than...
and try to check and guess it.
I'd say 4 o'clock because that's when it's forecast to be acceptable.
They should open and you'd know it here at 4 o'clock.
Yes, because we could leave by chopper.
That's right.
We've got our helicopter up there now, you see.
It's on its way.
And if not, we'll go by car.
So 4 gives you that much of a...
Okay.
And that's for sure?
Yes, sir.
Thank you, sir.
Right on.

NARA Description

On January 13, 1972, 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. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 018-082 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 18-82

Date: January 13, 1972
Time: Unknown between 2:47 pm and 3:09 pm
Location: White House Telephone

H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman talked with the White House operator.

[See Conversation No. 314-1F]

     Request for a call to Maj. Gen. James D. Hughes

Haldeman talked with Hughes.

     The President's plans to go to Camp David
          -Transportation mode

           -Best time to go
                 -Thurmont, Maryland
           -Weather prediction

Also recorded on January 13, 1972

  • 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.
  • 018-078 2:45 PM · 46 sec — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and James D. ("Don") Hughes talked on the telephone at 2:45 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.
  • 018-083 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.
  • 018-084 3:09 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:09 pm and 3:50 pm.

All 54 conversations from January 13, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 018-082, 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/018-082 (accessed September 24, 2026).