Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 190 › Conversation 190-008
Nixon phone call with Camp David Operator on Camp David
Wednesday, May 17, 1972 · 7:33 PM–7:44 PM ET · Camp David Hard Wire · 2 min
AI Summary
President Nixon consulted with the Camp David operator to conduct a technical test of the communications equipment within the Aspen Lodge. The exchange served primarily as a functional check of the taping system and internal telephone lines. No substantive policy matters or political discussions were addressed during this brief procedural interaction.
- Camp David
- communications testing
- presidential infrastructure
- technical operations
Audio
This clip was extracted from the full tape recording by Easy Nixon.
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Position in tape: 00:31:01 – 00:32:42
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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 17, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 7:33 pm and 7:44 pm. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 190-008 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 190-8 Date: May 17, 1972 Time: Unknown between 7:33 and 7:44 pm Location: Camp David Hard Wire The Camp David operator talked with the President. [See Conversation No. 131-17]
Also recorded on May 17, 1972
- 190-006 6:40 PM · 10 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Beverly J. Kaye, and unknown person(s) met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 6:40 pm and 7:33 pm.
- 131-016 7:33 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at 7:33 pm.
- 131-017 7:33 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 7:33 pm and 7:44 pm.
- 190-007 7:33 PM · 37 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at 7:33 pm.
- 131-018 7:44 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at 7:44 pm.
- 190-009 7:44 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at 7:44 pm.
- 131-019 7:49 PM · 31 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at Camp David from 7:49 pm to 8:20 pm.
- 190-010 7:49 PM · 10 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 7:49 pm and 8:20 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 190-008, May 17, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/190-008 (accessed October 12, 2026).