Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 165 › Conversation 165-016
Nixon phone call with Camp David operator on Ronald L. Ziegler
Saturday, May 12, 1973 · 12:30 PM–12:31 PM ET · Camp David Study Table · 12 sec
AI Summary
President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to facilitate a telephone connection with his Press Secretary, Ronald L. Ziegler. The brief exchange served as a routine administrative request to place an outgoing call. No substantive policy discussions or policy developments occurred during this brief interaction.
Audio
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
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NARA Description
On May 12, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 12:30 pm and 12:31 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 165-016 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 165-16
Date: May 12, 1973
Time: Unknown between 12:30 pm and 12:31 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table
The President talked with the Camp David operator.
Telephone call to Ronald L. ZieglerAlso recorded on May 12, 1973
- 165-014 11:58 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Roy L. Ash talked on the telephone at Camp David from 11:58 am to 12:00 pm.
- 165-015 12:22 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone at Camp David from 12:22 pm to 12:30 pm.
- 165-017 12:31 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone at Camp David from 12:31 pm to 12:36 pm.
- 165-018 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 12:37 pm.
- 165-019 12:37 PM · 17 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone at Camp David from 12:37 pm to 12:54 pm.
- 165-020 12:54 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 12:54 pm and 12:59 pm.
- 165-021 12:59 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone at Camp David from 12:59 pm to 1:03 pm.
- 165-022 1:03 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 1:03 pm and 2:04 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 165-016, May 12, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/165-016 (accessed October 12, 2026).