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Conversation: 016-131

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Start Date: 21-Dec-1971 10:11 PM

End Date: 21-Dec-1971 10:35 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Colson, Charles W.

Recording Device: White House Telephone

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 04:44:09

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 05:07:24

016-131.mp3

NARA Description:

On December 21, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 10:11 pm to 10:35 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 016-131 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 16-131

Date: December 21, 1971
Time: 10:11 pm - 10:35 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Charles W. Colson.

     Bermuda

     Azores

     Media
         -John W. Chancellor
              -National Broadcast Corporation [NBC] program [“A Day in the Life of the
                   President”]
                   -Editing
                   -Content
                   -President’s image
                         -Comparisons
                               -Harry S. Truman
                               -Dwight D. Eisenhower
                               -John F. Kennedy
                               -Lyndon B. Johnson
                   -Ending of show discussed
                         -Interview with Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon and Tricia Nixon Cox
                   -John A. Scali’s impression
                         -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
                               -President’s comments to Haldeman
                   -Patricia Colson’s reaction
                   -Sound quality
                         -Compared to the Oval Office
                                            102

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. 10/06)



**********************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 7s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

**********************************************************************


                    -Lighting
                    -Julie Nixon Eisenhower
                          -North Carolina
                                -Forthcoming visit to Duke University
                    -Labor legislation
                    -Haldeman
                          -Feelings towards show
                    -Scali
                    -Dwight L. Chapin
                          -Discussion of show with Colson
                    -End of show
                          -Description
                                -Interview with Chancellor
                                -Return to the White House
                    -Ratings
                          -People’s reactions
                                -Polls

    George Meany
        -Letter from President
              -Wishes for speedy recovery
              -Health
        -James Suffridge
              -Plan for Suffridge to take over for Meany

    Meeting with British in Bermuda, December 20, 1971

    News summaries
        -Lyndon K. (“Mort”) Allin
                                            103

                        NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. 10/06)



Press
        -Coverage
             -Positive over past three weeks
                   -India-Pakistan War
                         -Negative
                              -Public apathy
                              -Harris poll [?]

Stock market
     -Performance
          -Attitude
          -John B. Connally

Press
        -Attitude
              -Colson’s view
              -Time and Newsweek
                   -Influence

Consumer Price Index [CPI]
    -James D. Hodgson prediction
    -Excise tax

President’s trips abroad
     -Justification
           -British and French
           -Henry A. Kissinger
                  -Effect on foreign leadership
     -NBC program
           -Chancellor
           -Gen. Charles A.J.M. de Gaulle comparison
                  -Parallels
           -Truman
           -Dwight Eisenhower
           -Kennedy
           -Johnson
                  -President favorably compared to
                        -Positive tone
                        -Ending show
                              -Dramatic emphasis
                                           104

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/06)



    Media
        -Julie Eisenhower’s Christmas Eve show
              -Publicity
                    -Public awareness
                    -Time and Newsweek
                    -Additional print media
                         -NBC
              -Letter from President
                    -Robert W. Sarnoff
                    -Chancellor
                         -Julian Goodman
                    -Chancellor
                         -Dinner party
                               -Colson’s conversation with Chancellor
                                     -1972 Presidential campaign

    Europeans


**********************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 24s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5

**********************************************************************


    Edward R.G. Heath

    Georges J.R. Pompidou
         -Negotiations
              -Length

    Press photographs
          -Effects
          -New York Times
               -Public’s good feelings
                                        105

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. 10/06)



Economy
    -Unemployment
         -Insurance unemployment claims
    -CPI
         -Hodgson
    -Wholesale price index
         -Stability
    -Retail sales

President’s image
     -Charisma
           -British and French
           -Mood of country
                 -Importance
           -Effects
           -John F. Kennedy
                 -Charisma
                       -1960's
           -Johnson
     -Albert E. Sindlinger poll of Meany confrontation
           -Public image of President
                 -Poll results
     -NBC
     -Compared to one-on-one show
           -Colson’s view
     -President’s image
           -Importance
           -Sindlinger poll
           -Scali’s opinion
                 -Scali’s call to Colson
           -Scali’s opinion of NBC program
           -End of show
           -Haldeman
           -Image conveyed
                 -Reactions
                       -Public opinion

Economy
    -Peter G. Peterson
          -Jobs
                                           106

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. 10/06)