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Conversation: 035-003

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Start Date: 26-Dec-1972 4:58 PM

End Date: 26-Dec-1972 5:12 PM

Participants:

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

Recording Device: White House Telephone

035-003.mp3

NARA Description:

On December 26, 1972, Charles W. Colson and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone from 4:58 pm to 5:12 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 035-003 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 35-3

Date: December 26, 1972
Time: 4:58 pm - 5:12 pm
Location: White House Telephone

Charles W. Colson talked with the President.

       Henry A. Kissinger
            -Recent meeting with Charles H. Percy
                  -Duration
                  -The President’s view
                       -Kissinger’s schedule
                             -Congressmen, Senators, Republicans, Democrats
            -Recent meeting with McGeorge Bundy
            -Percy
                                         -6-

            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. Oct.-07)

                                                          Conversation No. 35-3 (cont’d)

            -Support for the President's Vietnam policy
                   -Recent statement
                   -Motivations
      -Colson’s view
            -Intellect
      -Personality
            -Thomas W. Braden
            -John C. Stennis
      -Louis P. Harris poll
            -View of Kissinger
            -US electorate
                   -1972 campaign
                   -Lifestyle
      -Schedule
      -Percy
            -The President's instructions
      -Recent conversation with Colson
            -Duration

Public relations [PR]
      -Kenneth W. Clawson
      -Outlook
      -The President’s first term
             -Toughness
                   -US bombing of North Vietnam
                          -Prisoners of War [POWs]
                          -Harris Poll
                                -Result
                                       -1972 election
      -US bombing of North Vietnam
             -William F. (“Billy”) Graham
             -Reasons for bombing
                   -End of war
             -Press reaction
                   -Time
                   -Newsweek

Press and media relations
      -The President's memorandum to Colson and Patrick J. Buchanan
           -Monographs
                                    -7-

          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                            Tape Subject Log
                              (rev. Oct.-07)

                                                      Conversation No. 35-3 (cont’d)

                 -“Things They Would Like to Forget”
                 -Time
                 -Newsweek
    -1972 campaign
`         -Public relations efforts
          -[George S. McGovern’s] alleged gains
    -PR efforts
          -Accuracy in Media campaign
                 -James Keogh
                       -[United States Information Agency] [USIA]
          -Effect on press circulation
    -Buchanan's article
          -"Legend of St. George McGovern"
                 -McGovern
                 -Harriet Van Horne quote
                 -Press reaction
                 -The President’s view
                 -Liberal reaction
    -Administration policy
          -The President’s instructions
                 -Colson’s role
          -Raymond K. Price, Jr.
          -Press credibility
    -Proposed curbs on television [TV] news bias
          -Clay T. (“Tom”) Whitehead
          -Right to protect sources
          -First Amendment issue
                 -Double standard
                       -Pentagon Papers
                       -Conflicts with criminal cases
                              -Right to protect sources
    -Press predictions from first term
          -Cambodia
          -The President's May 8, 1972 decision
          -Economy
          -1972 election
          -Buchanan
    -Buchanan
          -“Things They Would Like to Forget”
          -Article for Accuracy In Media newsletter
                                 -8-

      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                         Tape Subject Log
                           (rev. Oct.-07)

                                                    Conversation No. 35-3 (cont’d)

             -Effect on press bias
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
      -Criticisms of press
             -Effect
                   -Public
                   -Media
-Colson's schedule
      -Thomas W. Braden
      -Opinion leaders’ views
             -Frank W. Fitzsimmons
                   -US bombing of North Vietnam
                          -Public reaction
                                -Abbott McConnell Washburn
                                      -Political effects
                                      -Son
                   -Administration's criticisms of media
                          -Whitehead’s speech
-Whitehead speech
      -Public reaction
             -Washington and New York
             -Miami
      -News magazines’ response
             -Compared to networks
             -Time
                   -Television [TV] and radio station’s ownership
             -Local station’s control
                   -Compared to networks’
             -Newsweek article
      -Public response
             -Compared to US bombing of North Vietnam
-Cable television [TV]
      -Administration proposals
             -Effect on networks
-Network news coverage
      -Howard K. Smith
      -Harry Reasoner
      -John W. Chancellor
      -Walter L. Cronkite, Jr.
      -Dan Rather
      -[Arnold] Eric Sevareid
                                              -9-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Oct.-07)

                                                             Conversation No. 35-3 (cont’d)

                  -Daniel L. Schorr
                  -John Pierpoint
             -Cable TV
                  -Public reaction
                        -The President’s view
                  -Advantages
                        -Local services
                        -TV picture reception
                              -Super Bowl coverage
                  -Colson’s forthcoming meeting with Whitehead
                        -Colson’s work outside the administration
             -Whitehead
                  -Possible promotion
                  -Efforts
                  -Possible meeting with the President
                        -Colson’s conversation with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman

       Public statements
             -PR
                   -The President’s instructions
                         -Kissinger
                               -Palm Springs