Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 145 › Conversation 145-012

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

Monday, October 2, 1972 · 4:59 PM–8:22 PM ET · Camp David Study Table · 11 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Camp David OperatorConversation145-012 on Tape 145StartMonday, October 2, 1972 at 4:59 PMEndMonday, October 2, 1972 at 8:22 PMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 145-012 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to facilitate an outgoing call to Charles W. Colson. The interaction served as a logistical request to establish communication between the President and his special counsel. No substantive policy discussions or complex strategic decisions occurred 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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yes, please.
John Colson, please.
Thank you, Mr. President.

NARA Description

On October 2, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:59 pm and 8:22 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 145-012 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 145-12

Date: October 2, 1972
Time: Unknown between 4:59 pm and 8:22 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table

The President talked with the Camp David operator.

            Request for a call to Charles W. Colson

Also recorded on October 2, 1972

  • 145-013 4:59 PM · 16 sec — Henry A. Kissinger and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:59 pm and 8:22 pm.
  • 145-014 4:59 PM · 23 sec — Henry A. Kissinger and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:59 pm and 8:22 pm.
  • 145-015 4:59 PM · 17 sec — Henry A. Kissinger and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:59 pm and 8:22 pm.
  • 145-016 4:59 PM · 11 sec — Henry A. Kissinger and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:59 pm and 8:22 pm.
  • 145-017 4:59 PM · 2 min — Henry A. Kissinger and Adm. Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr. talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:59 pm and 8:22 pm.
  • 214-024 5:03 PM · 12 sec — Henry A. Kissinger and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 5:03 pm and 8:30 pm.
  • 214-025 5:03 PM · 28 sec — Henry A. Kissinger and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 5:03 pm and 8:30 pm.
  • 214-026 5:03 PM · 18 sec — Henry A. Kissinger and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 5:03 pm and 8:30 pm.

All 44 conversations from October 2, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 145-012, October 2, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/145-012 (accessed October 10, 2026).