Conversation: 157-026
Prev: 157-025 Next: 157-027Start Date: 9-Dec-1972 12:22 PM
End Date: 9-Dec-1972 12:58 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.;Recording Device: Camp David Study Table
NARA Description:
On December 9, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at Camp David from 12:22 pm to 12:58 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 157-026 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 157-26 Date: December 9, 1972 Time: 12:22 pm - 12:58 pm Location: Camp David Study Table The President talked with Charles W. Colson. [See Conversation No. 235-4] ***************************************************************** [Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift] Democratic National Committee [DNC] -Voting -Robert S. Strauss -McGovernites -George W. Mitchell -Maine -South -Labor -George Meany -Support for Mitchell [End segment reviewed under deed of gift] -33- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Apr.-08) Conversation No. 157-26 (cont’d) ***************************************************************** Labor Department -Peter J. Brennan -Recent hiring of assistant -George Meany’s view -Relationship with Meany -Public reaction to appointment -Meany -Relationship with George P. Shultz -Brennan -Colson’s conversation with Shultz -Press reaction -Public reaction to appointment -“Working man” -Tokenism -Black, Mexican-American appointments -Brennan’s conversation with unknown person in Florida -Brennan’s schedule -Apollo XVII launch -Donald F. Rodgers -Martin Durkin -Public reaction to appointment -Brennan’s conversation with unknown person -Party registration change ***************************************************************** [Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift] Democratic Party -DNC Chairman -Cleavage New Majority -Republican Party -Support for the President [End segment reviewed under deed of gift] -34- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Apr.-08) Conversation No. 157-26 (cont’d) ***************************************************************** Plane crash -E. Howard Hunt, Jr.’s wife, Dorothy -Death -Chicago -Possible effect on Watergate trial -Cancellation -Delay -Dorothy Hunt -Family -Catholicism -Howard Hunt -Possible effect on Watergate trial -Delay **************************************************************** [Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift] 1972 election results -Percentage compared to Lyndon B. Johnson victory in 1964 -Vote count -Press coverage -Republican National Committee [RNC] chairman -Percentages -Arkansas -New Jersey -Missouri -Massachusetts -New York -Rhode Island -Absentee ballots -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman National economy -New York Times -Washington Post -35- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Apr.-08) Conversation No. 157-26 (cont’d) [End segment reviewed under deed of gift] ***************************************************************** -Media and press relations -Networks -New York Times and Washington Post -1972 election -[Bureau of Labor Statistics] [BLS] -1972 election -Unemployment statistics -1970, 1971, 1972 -Seasonal adjustments -Brennan -Meany -Chart -Brennan’s reaction -Commissioner -Geoffrey H. Moore -Departure -Teaching -Treasury Department -Colson’s conversation with Shultz -Deputy Commissioner -Albert E. Sindlinger -Economic news -Timing -1972 election -Christmas -Retails sales -Public confidence -The President’s role -George S. McGovernites, media Press and media relations -Life -Hugh S. Sidey -Time -Possible column -“Watching the President” -36- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Apr.-08) Conversation No. 157-26 (cont’d) -Format -Sidey -Julie Nixon Eisenhower’s view -“Martin Z. Agronsky Show” -Establishment -International Brotherhood of Teamsters article -Hiring of Colson -Edward Bennett Williams -Story source -Firing as General Counsel -Washington Post and New York Times article -Watergate case -Edward Bennett Williams’s claim -Colson -Frank E. Fitzsimmons -Washington Post and New York Times Lobbying firms -Opponents -Lloyd N. Cutler -Clark M. Clifford -Washington Post -Charls E. Walker -Conversation with Colson -Public relations [PR] -Colson’s firm -Shultz -Connally -Republicans -Opponents -Williams -Cutler -Colson’s role -“Kitchen Cabinet” -Colson’s conversation with Walker -1972 Republican National Convention -Meetings with the President -Establishment -Clifford, Cutler, Williams -Williams -37- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Apr.-08) Conversation No. 157-26 (cont’d) -Press Media relations -Media ratings -Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS] -Edith Ephron -The President’s conversation with Julie Nixon Eisenhower -Compared to National Broadcasting Company [NBC], American Broadcasting Company [ABC] -Accuracy in media -Massachusetts Institute of Technology [MIT] study -Liberals -Edwin Diamond -Syracuse University study -American Enterprise Institute [AEI] study -CBS -William Small’s inquiries at White House -Colson’s activities -Lawsuits -Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo’s friend -Charles Crutchfield -Patrick J. Buchanan’s comments\ ***************************************************************** [Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift] Julie Nixon Eisenhower -Robert Novak article -Media bias -George S. McGovern gains [End segment reviewed under deed of gift] ***************************************************************** Media relations -Bias -1972 campaign -Robert D. Novak article -38- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Apr.-08) Conversation No. 157-26 (cont’d) -Precincts -Detroit -Thomas W. Braden -Novak -Buchanan’s article -James Keogh -Kevin Phillip’s article -Colson’s speech in New England -CBS-Washington Post “axis” -Effect -Media credibility -Phillip’s readership ***************************************************************** [Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift] Study on 1972 campaign -Syracuse University -[First name unknown] McClure and [first name unknown] Patterson -Influence on voters -Issues -Watergate -Vietnam negotiations -Votes for McGovern -Democrats for Nixon -Spot advertisements -Hardhats -Welfare -Voter recollection -Clark MacGregor -Negative advertisements -California -Michigan -Impact -Massachusetts -Haldeman -Robert J. Dole [End segment reviewed under deed of gift] -39- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Apr.-08) Conversation No. 157-26 (cont’d) ***************************************************************** Second term reorganization -[Internal Revenue Service] [IRS] -George D. Webster -Conversation with Colson -The President’s meeting with Webster -Departures -Retribution -Letter -Background -East Tennessee -Republican -Education -Maryville College -Compared to Whittier College -Solicitor General -Robert H. Bork -Colson’s viewing on television [TV] -Bork’s physical appearance -Beard -Deputy Solicitor General -[Jewell S. LaFontant] -Bork -Drafting of anti-busing position -Network coverage -Frederic V. Malek meeting with Colson -Polish-Americans -Italian-Americans -Italian-Americans -John A. Volpe -John A. Scali -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman’s effort -William P. Rogers -Compared to Brennan -Malek -Bias -John A. Stella -Harvard University -40- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Apr.-08) Conversation No. 157-26 (cont’d) -Malek -Claude S. Brinegar -Error -Catholicism -Catholics -Scali -Brinegar -Italian-Americans -Scali -Roy L. Ash -Brennan -Michael P. Balzano, Jr. -Polish-Americans -Immigration and Naturalization Service [INS] -Mitchell Kapelevski [sp?] -John A. Stastny, home builders -Colson’s conversation with James T. Lynn -Polish-Americans and Italian-Americans -The President’s meetings with Assistant Secretaries -Photographs -Distribution to local presses -Scali -Brennan -Publicity -Compared to other Cabinet members -News summaries -Conservatives -Hardhats -Scali -Press relations Press and media relations -CBS -Daniel Rather -Robert Pierpont -Daniel L. Schorr -Watergate stories -Life -The President’s conversation with Julie Nixon Eisenhower -Andrew Heiskell -41- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Apr.-08) Conversation No. 157-26 (cont’d) -Postal rates -Bill -US Postal Service -The President -Horatio Alger -1972 election -Mandate -Republican Party -Media -Establishment -Photograph coverage -John F. Kennedy -Clay T. (“Tom”) Whitehead -Networks -Economic power -Background -Rand Corporation -Exclusion -CBS -William S. Paley -Calls to Colson -NBC -Possible conversation with Colson -Howard K. Smith -Teamsters -Colson -Tone -John Chancellor -Colson -CBS -Teamsters -Williams -Washington Post -Rather -Administration handling -ABC -NBC -Chancellor -Possible conversation with Colson -Julian Goodman -42- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Apr.-08) Conversation No. 157-26 (cont’d) -CBS