Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 131 › Conversation 131-024

Nixon phone call with Camp David Operator on Charles W. Colson

Thursday, May 18, 1972 · 10:05 AM–10:10 AM ET · Camp David Study Table ·6 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Camp David OperatorConversation131-024 onTape 131 (tape position 01:39:07–01:39:13)StartThursday, May 18, 1972 at 10:05 AMEndThursday, May 18, 1972 at 10:10 AMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 131-024 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to facilitate a telephone connection with his special counsel, Charles W. Colson. The call served purely as a logistical request to bridge the President to his aide. No substantive policy matters or further developments were addressed during this brief 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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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.
Thank you, Mr. President.

NARA Description

On May 18, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:05 am and 10:10 am. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 131-024 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 131-24

Date: May 18, 1972
Time: Unknown between 10:05 am and 10:10 am
Location: Camp David Study Table

The President talked with the Camp David operator.

[See also Conversation No. 191-2]

     Request for a call to Charles W. Colson

Also recorded on May 18, 1972

  • 191-001 10:05 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:05 am and 10:10 am.
  • 191-002 10:05 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:05 am and 10:10 am.
  • 131-025 10:10 AM · 23 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at Camp David from 10:10 am to 10:33 am.
  • 191-003 10:10 AM · 12 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 10:10 am to 10:33 am.
  • 131-026 10:33 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:33 am and 10:58 am.
  • 191-004 10:33 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:33 am and 10:58 am.
  • 131-027 10:58 AM · 10 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David from 10:58 am to 11:08 am.
  • 191-005 10:58 AM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 10:58 am to 11:08 am.

All 90 conversations from May 18, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 131-024, May 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/131-024 (accessed September 18, 2026).