Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 147 › Conversation 147-003

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

Friday, October 6, 1972 · 8:35 PM–8:40 PM ET · Camp David Study Table · 10 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Camp David OperatorConversation147-003 on Tape 147StartFriday, October 6, 1972 at 8:35 PMEndFriday, October 6, 1972 at 8:40 PMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 147-003 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to facilitate an outgoing call to White House special counsel Charles W. Colson. The exchange served exclusively as a logistical request to establish communication with a key staff member. No policy discussions or substantive developments occurred during this brief administrative interaction.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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.
Thank you, Mr. President.

NARA Description

On October 6, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 8:35 pm and 8:40 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 147-003 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 147-3

Date: October 6, 1972
Time: Unknown between 8:35 pm and 8:40 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table

The President talked with the Camp David operator.

[See Conversation No. 217-5]

        Request for a call to Charles W. Colson

Also recorded on October 7, 1972

  • 147-001 8:30 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 8:30 pm and 8:32 pm.
  • 147-002 8:32 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield talked on the telephone at Camp David from 8:32 pm to 8:35 pm.
  • 217-004 8:32 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 8:32 pm to 8:35 pm.
  • 217-005 8:35 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 8:35 pm and 8:40 pm.
  • 147-004 8:40 PM · 16 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at Camp David from 8:40 pm to 9:00 pm.
  • 217-006 8:40 PM · 16 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 8:40 pm to 9:00 pm.
  • 217-007 9:00 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 9:00 pm on October 6, 1972 and 10:16 am on October 7, 1972.
  • 217-008 9:00 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 9:00 pm on October 6, 1972 and 10:16 am on October 7, 1972.

All 41 conversations from October 7, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 147-003, October 7, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/147-003 (accessed October 11, 2026).