Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 234 › Conversation 234-016
Shultz & Camp David Operator on Camp David and Telecommunications
Friday, December 8, 1972 · 12:05 PM–1:12 PM ET · Camp David Hard Wire · 21 sec
AI Summary
George P. Shultz utilized the Camp David telecommunications system to initiate a call, but the conversation failed to progress due to an immediate connection error. The exchange was limited to a brief attempt to establish a line, resulting in no substantive discussion or policy decisions. Consequently, the interaction provides no insight into administration business and remains a record of a failed communication attempt.
- George P. Shultz
- Camp David
- Telecommunications
- Communication failure
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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 December 8, 1972, George P. Shultz and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 12:05 pm and 1:12 pm. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 234-016 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 234-16
Date: December 8, 1972
Time: Unknown between 12:05 pm and 1:12 pm
Location: Camp David Hard Wire
George P. Shultz talked with the Camp David operator.
[Wrong line]
[See Conversation No. 157-24]Also recorded on December 8, 1972
- 157-022 9:04 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at 9:04 pm.
- 234-012 9:04 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at 9:04 pm.
- 234-013 9:04 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:04 pm and 9:12 pm.
- 157-023 9:12 PM · 15 sec — Camp David operator and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at Camp David at 9:12 pm.
- 157-024 12:05 PM · 3 min — George P. Shultz, Camp David operator, and John D. Ehrlichman talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 12:05 pm and 1:12 pm.
- 234-017 12:05 PM · 3 min — John D. Ehrlichman and George P. Shultz met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 12:05 pm and 1:12 pm.
- 234-018 1:12 PM · 56 sec — Manolo Sanchez and unknown person(s) met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 1:12 pm and 4:00 pm.
- 234-019 1:12 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Julie Nixon Eisenhower met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 1:12 pm and 4:00 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 234-016, December 8, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/234-016 (accessed October 10, 2026).