Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 31 › Conversation 031-030

Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on Charles W. Colson

Monday, October 9, 1972 · 7:09 PM–7:21 PM ET · White House Telephone · 10 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation031-030 on Tape 31StartMonday, October 9, 1972 at 7:09 PMEndMonday, October 9, 1972 at 7:21 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 031-030 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon initiates a request through the White House operator to place a telephone call to Charles W. Colson. The brief communication serves strictly as a logistical directive to establish a line of contact with his special counsel. No further substantive policy matters or tactical decisions are discussed during this exchange.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Coulson, please.
Yes.

NARA Description

On October 9, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:09 pm and 7:21 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 031-030 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 31-30

Date: October 9, 1972
Time: Unknown between 7:09 pm and 7:21 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with the White House operator.

         Request for a call to Charles W. Colson

Also recorded on October 9, 1972

  • 794-013 3:34 PM · 31 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:34 pm and 3:35 pm.
  • 794-014 3:35 PM · 24 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, unknown person(s), and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:35 pm to 4:34 pm.
  • 794-015 4:34 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:34 pm and 4:37 pm.
  • 794-016 4:37 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Republican candidates for office, including Carveth S. Thompson, Russell W. Peterson, Robert Hirsch, Louie B. Nunn, Dave Towell, Gene Savoie, Harold V. Froehlich, James B. Moseley, Paul W. Cronin, Ellis S. Rubin, Joel Gustafson, Jack Insco, Russ Sloan, Alf Adams, John W. Byrnes, William E. Timmons, John C. Nidecker, Richard K. Cook, and Brad E. Hainsworth, met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:37 pm to 5:00 pm.
  • 794-017 5:00 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:00 pm to 5:10 pm.
  • 794-018 5:11 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:11 pm and 6:08 pm.
  • 031-029 7:08 PM · 46 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods talked on the telephone from 7:08 pm to 7:09 pm.
  • 031-031 7:21 PM · 22 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 7:21 pm to 7:32 pm.

All 31 conversations from October 9, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 031-030, October 9, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/031-030 (accessed October 1, 2026).