Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 167 › Conversation 167-020

Nixon phone call with Camp David operator on H. R. Haldeman and Communication

Sunday, May 20, 1973 · 3:30 PM ET · Camp David Study Table · 12 sec

ParticipantsCamp David operator; Nixon, Richard M. (President)Conversation167-020 on Tape 167StartSunday, May 20, 1973 at 3:30 PMEndSunday, May 20, 1973 at 3:30 PMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 167-020 ↗

President Nixon attempted to reach H. R. Haldeman by telephone from Camp David, but the operator was unable to locate him. The call was intended to establish direct contact with the former Chief of Staff. After receiving confirmation that Haldeman was unavailable, the President instructed the operator to attempt the call again in one hour.

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I'm sorry.
Still not answering his presence.
Fine.
I'll call in about an hour.
All right, sir.

On May 20, 1973, Camp David operator and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at Camp David at 3:30 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 167-020 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 167-20

Date: May 20, 1973
Time: 3:30 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table

The Camp David operator talked with the President.

     Telephone call to H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
  • 167-016 2:55 PM · 12 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone at Camp David from 2:55 pm to 3:07 pm.
  • 167-017 3:07 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 3:07 pm and 3:13 pm.
  • 167-018 3:13 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Julie Nixon Eisenhower talked on the telephone at Camp David from 3:13 pm to 3:15 pm.
  • 167-019 3:15 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 3:15 pm and 3:30 pm.
  • 167-021 3:30 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 3:30 pm and 3:34 pm.
  • 167-022 3:34 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Hobart D. Lewis talked on the telephone at Camp David from 3:34 pm to 3:35 pm.
  • 167-023 3:35 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 3:35 pm and 3:36 pm.
  • 167-024 3:36 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles G. ("Bebe") Rebozo talked on the telephone at Camp David from 3:36 pm to 3:37 pm.

Conversation 167-020, May 20, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/167-020 (accessed October 12, 2026).