Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 136 › Conversation 136-029

Nixon phone call with Camp David Operator on George A. Smathers

Sunday, July 23, 1972 · 2:35 PM–3:08 PM ET · Camp David Study Table · 35 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Camp David OperatorConversation136-029 on Tape 136 (tape position 02:18:48–02:19:21)StartSunday, July 23, 1972 at 2:35 PMEndSunday, July 23, 1972 at 3:08 PMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 136-029 ↗

President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to initiate a telephone call to former Senator George Smathers. He provided instructions to locate Smathers, noting that the former senator might be in North Carolina, and authorized the White House operator to pursue the connection either that day or the following morning. No further follow-up was required by the Camp David operator.

Download MP3 · 1.4 MB

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Each line starts with a timestamp button; press it to play the audio from that point.

Yes, please.
I would like to get a call to Senator, former Senator George Smathers.
He...
The White House operator, you'll have to check with her, probably has a number for him in Florida or in Washington.
Certainly, Mr. President.
I understand, incidentally, that he's in North Carolina today, and if it's too difficult to reach him, don't bother.
You don't need to call me back on it, but just leave the call with the White House operator, and if they don't reach him today, they can put it through tomorrow morning, okay?
Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you.

On July 23, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 2:35 pm and 3:08 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 136-029 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 136-29
Date: July 23, 1972
Time: Unknown between 2:35 and 3:08 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table (telephone)

The President talked with the Camp David operator.

[See Conversation No. 196-28]

       Request for George A. Smathers
            -Telephone number
  • 136-026 2:10 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David at 2:10 pm.
  • 136-027 2:10 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 2:10 pm and 2:14 pm.
  • 196-024 2:10 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 2:10 pm and 2:14 pm.
  • 196-025 2:14 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 2:14 pm to 2:35 pm.
  • 136-028 2:35 PM · 20 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at Camp David at 2:35 pm.
  • 136-030 2:35 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 2:35 pm and 3:08 pm.
  • 196-026 2:35 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 2:35 pm and 3:05 pm.
  • 196-027 2:35 PM · 31 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 2:35 pm and 3:05 pm.

Conversation 136-029, July 23, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/136-029 (accessed October 12, 2026).