Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 140 › Conversation 140-049

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

Sunday, August 20, 1972 · 11:25 AM–12:27 PM ET · Camp David Study Table · 9 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Camp David OperatorConversation140-049 on Tape 140StartSunday, August 20, 1972 at 11:25 AMEndSunday, August 20, 1972 at 12:27 PMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 140-049 ↗

President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to facilitate an outgoing call to Charles W. Colson. This brief administrative interaction served as a logistical step to connect the President with his Special Counsel. No policy matters or substantive discussions occurred during this 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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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.
Yes, we are.
Thank you, Mr. President.

On August 20, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 11:25 am and 12:27 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 140-049 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 140-49

Date: August 20, 1972
Time: Unknown between 11:25 am and 12:27 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table

The President talked with the Camp David operator.

[See Conversation No. 206-25]

     Request for a call to Charles W. Colson
  • 206-008 11:25 AM · 10 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 11:25 am and 12:27 pm.
  • 206-025 11:25 AM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 11:25 am and 12:27 pm.
  • 140-050 12:27 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone at Camp David from 12:27 pm to 12:36 pm.
  • 206-009 12:27 PM · 17 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 12:27 pm and 1:00 pm.
  • 140-051 12:36 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 12:36 pm and 4:00 pm.
  • 206-010 12:36 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 12:36 pm and 4:00 pm.
  • 206-011 12:36 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 12:36 pm and 4:00 pm.
  • 206-012 12:36 PM · 26 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 12:36 pm and 4:00 pm.

Conversation 140-049, August 20, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/140-049 (accessed October 8, 2026).