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Conversation 032-013

TapeTape 32StartTuesday, October 24, 1972 at 12:17 AMEndTuesday, October 24, 1972 at 12:29 AMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Colson, Charles W.Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

President Nixon and Charles Colson discussed political campaign strategies and the effectiveness of their messaging against George McGovern's supporters. They reviewed recent public appearances, specifically praising Vice President Spiro Agnew’s stance on amnesty and reflecting on Nixon’s own successful use of a wreath-laying ceremony in New York to counter hecklers. The conversation focused on the political potency of contrasting amnesty for draft resisters with honoring those who served in the military.

Campaign StrategyGeorge McGovernAmnestySpiro AgnewPolitical Messaging
AudioNARA Description

On October 24, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 12:17 am to 12:29 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 032-013 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 32-13

Date: October 24, 1972
Time: 12:18 am - 12:29 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Charles W. Colson.
                                           19

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                   Tape Subject Log
                                     (rev. Oct-06)

       Greetings


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 57s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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       Campaign practices
          -George S. McGovern supporters
          -The President's tactics


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 3m 10s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

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       Amnesty issue
          -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew’s speech
              -Colson’s view
          -The President’s speech in Uniondale, New York, October 23, 1972
              -Wreath laying
                   -Hecklers
                   -Appeal


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                                                 20

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Oct-06)


BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 3m 17s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3

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Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

Mr. Colson.
Hello.
Yes, sir, Mr. President.
Did I cut you in bed?
No, not at all, sir.
They were shouting and screaming.
They're doing a lot worse to us than we're doing to him, but I don't want to do it to him.
I thought about watching it today, Mike.
God, all the screaming he's done about banks and... That's right.
Look at the people at the signs who have plans.
Yes, the Vice President was great today on Amnesty.
He really was.
He had some very good stuff on that.
I get it in my speech, too.
I had dedicated or laid the first wreath at the Eastchester thing, and I said,
And the crowd, we had hecklers in the hall, and it was very hard to talk, but I said, I just laid this wreath, I said it very quietly, and I said, as I laid the wreath, and stood back for the moment of silence that occurred to me, I did it very low-key, I said that instead of all this talk about amnesty for those that deserve America, let's honor those that served America.
Shit, they come apart.
They come apart.
It really has a tremendous amount of appeal.
brings the crowds out of their seat, no question about it.
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