Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 136 › Conversation 136-004

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

Saturday, July 22, 1972 · 1:23 PM–1:42 PM ET · Camp David Study Table · 7 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Camp David OperatorConversation136-004 on Tape 136 (tape position 00:01:37–00:01:43)StartSaturday, July 22, 1972 at 1:23 PMEndSaturday, July 22, 1972 at 1:42 PMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 136-004 ↗

President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to request a telephone connection with Charles W. Colson. This brief administrative interaction served as a communication bridge to facilitate further discussion between the President and his special counsel. No substantive policy or political matters were addressed during this specific exchange.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yes, please.
Coulson, please.
Thank you, Mr. President.

On July 22, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 1:23 pm and 1:42 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 136-004 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 136-4

Date: July 22, 1972
Time: Unknown between 1:23 and 1:42 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table (telephone)

The President talked with the Camp David operator.

[See Conversation No. 197-7]

       Request for Charles W. Colson
  • 197-006 1:23 PM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 1:23 pm and 1:42 pm.
  • 197-007 1:23 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 1:23 pm and 1:42 pm.
  • 136-005 1:42 PM · 34 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at Camp David from 1:42 pm to 2:17 pm.
  • 197-008 1:42 PM · 15 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 1:42 pm to 2:17 pm.
  • 136-006 2:17 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 2:17 pm and 2:25 pm.
  • 136-007 2:17 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 2:17 pm and 2:25 pm.
  • 197-009 2:17 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 2:17 pm and 2:25 pm.
  • 197-010 2:25 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 2:25 pm to 2:31 pm.

Conversation 136-004, July 22, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/136-004 (accessed October 12, 2026).