Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 158 › Conversation 158-033

Nixon phone call with Rush on Vietnam War and Airstrikes

Friday, December 29, 1972 · 7:10 PM–7:11 PM ET · Camp David Study Table · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Rush, [David] KennethConversation158-033 on Tape 158StartFriday, December 29, 1972 at 7:10 PMEndFriday, December 29, 1972 at 7:11 PMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 158-033 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with Deputy Secretary of State Kenneth Rush to confirm preparations for an upcoming policy announcement. The conversation focused on ensuring the administration remained on track regarding the cessation of U.S. bombing north of the 20th parallel in Vietnam. Rush expressed support for the decision, confirming that their strategic course of action was settled and ready for implementation.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 1 minute of this recording (about 77% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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

All right, thanks very much.

Go ahead, please.

Good evening, Mr. President.

Well, I'd just like to be sure you're on track for tomorrow morning.

All right, we are, Mr. President.

Good.

I'm very pleased about that, and I want to suggest that, well, that, uh, you know, that maybe we'll try to understand everything that we've done the right thing again, I think.

Yeah, done the right thing, but it's nothing funny, sir.

remember i think there's so many

All right.

Thank you.

NARA Description

On December 29, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and [David] Kenneth Rush talked on the telephone at Camp David from 7:10 pm to 7:11 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 158-033 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 158-33

Date: December 29, 1972
Time: 7:10 pm - 7:11 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table

The President talked with [David] Kenneth Rush.

[See Conversation No. 237-41]

       Vietnam War
            -Cessation of US bombing north of 20th Parallel
                 -Announcement
                 -Rush’s congratulations
                 -Media relations
                 -Outcome
                 -Pressures
                        -Settlement agreement
                 -Timing
                        -Congressional relations
                               -Reconvention
                                               -41-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Also recorded on December 30, 1972

158-032 7:02 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and U. Alexis Johnson talked on the telephone at Camp David from 7:02 pm to 7:04 pm.
237-040 7:02 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and U. Alexis Johnson met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 7:02 pm to 7:04 pm.
237-041 7:10 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and [David] Kenneth Rush met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 7:10 pm to 7:11 pm.
158-034 9:41 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:41 am and 9:53 am.
237-042 9:41 AM · 28 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:41 am and 9:53 am.
158-035 9:53 AM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at Camp David from 9:53 am to 10:02 am.
237-044 9:53 AM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 9:53 am to 10:02 am.
158-036 10:02 AM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:02 am and 10:04 am.

All 64 conversations from December 30, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 158-033, December 30, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/158-033 (accessed October 10, 2026).