Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 291 › Conversation 291-018

Nixon with unidentified visitors in his EOB office on Charles W. Colson

Monday, October 18, 1971 · 5:25 PM–5:32 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 4 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation291-018 on Tape 291 (tape position 01:48:09–01:48:20)StartMonday, October 18, 1971 at 5:25 PMEndMonday, October 18, 1971 at 5:32 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 291-018 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to initiate an urgent telephone connection. The primary objective of the interaction was to facilitate a direct line of communication with special counsel Charles W. Colson. No substantive policy matters were discussed during this brief administrative exchange.

Audio

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Come on, please.

NARA Description

On October 18, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:25 pm and 5:32 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 291-018 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 291-18

Date: October 18, 1971
Time: Unknown between 5:25 pm and 5:32 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with White House operator.

[See Conversation No. 11-118]

     Request for a call to Charles W. Colson

Also recorded on October 18, 1971

  • 011-115 5:19 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Chet Holifield talked on the telephone from 5:19 pm to 5:21 pm.
  • 011-116 5:21 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:21 pm and 5:24 pm.
  • 291-015 5:21 PM · 33 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:21 pm and 5:24 pm.
  • 291-016 5:21 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:21 pm and 5:24 pm.
  • 011-117 5:24 PM · 32 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon talked on the telephone from 5:24 pm to 5:25 pm.
  • 291-017 5:24 PM · 33 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:24 pm to 5:25 pm.
  • 011-118 5:25 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:25 pm and 5:32 pm.
  • 011-119 5:32 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, and unknown person(s) talked on the telephone from 5:32 pm to 5:40 pm.

All 46 conversations from October 18, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 291-018, October 18, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/291-018 (accessed September 28, 2026).