Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 34 › Conversation 034-120

Nixon phone call with Golden on Camp David and Presidential travel

Sunday, December 17, 1972 · 3:25 PM–3:26 PM ET · White House Telephone · 36 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Golden, William L. (Lt. Col.)Conversation034-120 on Tape 34StartSunday, December 17, 1972 at 3:25 PMEndSunday, December 17, 1972 at 3:26 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 034-120 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with Lt. Col. William L. Golden to finalize arrangements for a short trip to Camp David. Nixon requested that departure be expedited, prompting the President to set a departure time for 30 minutes following the call. The logistics were settled with the understanding that the President would return to the White House the following day around noon.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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, Colonel Golden, sir.

We're going to go to...

I've decided to go up to Camp David for the evening, and I'll come back tomorrow around noon or something like that.

All right, sir.

And what time would you like, please?

Well, what time or how soon can you get them ready?

We'd like to get up, you know, as soon as I can be ready.

Yes, sir.

I believe we can go in about 30 minutes.

30 minutes?

Yes, sir.

All right, fine.

Well, you bring it in when they're ready.

All right, sir.

Will do.

We'll figure we'll leave in 30 minutes.

Yes, sir.

Fine.

All right.

NARA Description

On December 17, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Lt. Col. William L. Golden talked on the telephone from 3:25 pm to 3:26 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 034-120 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 34-120

Date: December 17, 1972
Time: 3:25 pm - 3:26 pm
Location: White House Telephone
                                               -98-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                          Conversation No. 34-120 (cont’d)

The President talked with Lt. Col. William L. Golden.

       The President’s schedule
            -Camp David trip
                  -Timing

Also recorded on December 17, 1972

034-117 3:13 PM · 59 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Julie Nixon Eisenhower talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:13 pm and 3:16 pm.
034-118 3:23 PM · 54 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Julie Nixon Eisenhower talked on the telephone from 3:23 pm to 3:24 pm.
034-119 3:24 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:24 pm and 3:25 pm.
034-121 3:27 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 3:27 pm.
034-122 3:27 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:27 pm and 3:28 pm.
034-123 3:28 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 3:28 pm to 3:29 pm.
034-124 3:29 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 3:29 pm.
034-125 3:29 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 3:29 pm to 3:35 pm.

All 29 conversations from December 17, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 034-120, December 17, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/034-120 (accessed October 11, 2026).