Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 19 › Conversation 019-003
Nixon phone call with Colson
Tuesday, January 18, 1972 · 6:55 PM–7:35 PM ET · White House Telephone · 13 sec
AI Summary
President Nixon initiated a telephone call to his special counsel, Charles W. Colson, through the White House operator. Although the recording captures the request for the connection, the subsequent substance of the conversation remains unavailable due to a lack of transcript documentation. Consequently, no specific policy decisions or action items can be determined from 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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
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NARA Description
On January 18, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:55 pm and 7:35 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 019-003 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 19-3
Date: January 18, 1972
Time: Unknown between 6:55 pm and 7:35 pm
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with the White House operator and requested a call to Charles W. Colson
Request for a call to Charles W. ColsonAlso recorded on January 18, 1972
- 650-013 2:30 PM · 1 hr 14 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Alexander P. Butterfield, White House operator, Zosimo T. Monzon, and John B. Connally met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:30 pm to 3:42 pm.
- 018-103 2:40 PM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:40 pm and 3:28 pm.
- 018-104 3:28 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John B. Connally talked on the telephone from 3:28 pm to 3:29 pm.
- 650-014 3:42 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:42 pm and 3:45 pm.
- 650-015 3:45 PM · 7 sec — United States Secret Service agents and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at 3:45 pm.
- 018-105 4:12 PM · 40 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 4:12 pm.
- 019-001 4:12 PM · 52 sec — the recording device engaged at an unknown time between 4:12 pm and 5:23 pm, but the conversation appears to be blank.
- 019-002 5:23 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 5:23 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 019-003, January 18, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/019-003 (accessed October 12, 2026).