Conversation: 158-018
Prev: 158-017 Next: 158-019Start Date: 29-Dec-1972 12:13 PM
End Date: 29-Dec-1972 12:37 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.;Recording Device: Camp David Study Table
NARA Description:
On December 29, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at Camp David from 12:13 pm to 12:37 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 158-018 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 158-18 Date: December 29, 1972 Time: 12:13 pm - 12:37 pm Location: Camp David Study Table The President talked with Charles W. Colson. [See Conversation No. 237-22] Vietnam War -Cessation of US bombing north of 20th Parallel -Announcement -Press relations -US bombing -Demonstration -Dean Francis B. Sayre -White House -Administration response -Infiltration -Demeanor -Liberals -Colson’s viewing on television [TV] -Establishment -Attire -American Association for the Advancement of Science [AAAS] -Press conference -Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS] special, December 28, 1972 -Tone -Charles Collingwood -Comments on breakdown of negotiations -Henry A. Kissinger -Ambiguities -Options -Resumption of negotiations -23- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-08) Conversation No. 158-18 (cont’d) US bombing of North Vietnam -December 28, 1972 -Plane losses -Sorties -Targets -Effect -Effect -Damage -Recovery -Compared to World War II -Japan -Soviet Union -Germany -Britain -France -Damage -Communists -Recovery -Cessation north of 20th Parallel -Report from Saigon -Washington Post -The President’s meeting with Colson -Washington Star -Washington Post articles -US bombing of North Vietnam north of 20th Parallel -Effect -Damage -B-52s -Hanoi -Civilians -Reports from Saigon -Washington Star -Announcement -Gerald L. Warren -Tone -Negotiations -North Vietnam -Public relations [PR] -24- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-08) Conversation No. 158-18 (cont’d) -US bombing -Effect on negotiations -Liberals’ view -Pressure on US -Liberals’ view -Necessity -Negotiations -Liberals’ view -Effect -Public opinion -“Nixon’s done it again” -New Majority, “Hawks” -North Vietnam -White House -Possible op-ed article in New York Times -Television [TV] -Letters -Telephone calls -The President’s May 8, 1972 decision -Collingwood -Commentary -Paper [“Things They Would Like to Forget”] -Distribution -Congress, editors, broadcasters, opinion leaders -Effect -Criticism -Herbert G. Klein -“Nixon’s done it again” -Effect -Possible op-ed article in New York Times -J. Anthony Lukas [?] -John A. Scali -Possible meeting with Colson -Kissinger’s concern -The President’s relationship with Kissinger -Kissinger’s conversation with journalists -US bombing of North Vietnam north of 20th Parallel -The President’s decision -William P. Rogers’s schedule -25- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-08) Conversation No. 158-18 (cont’d) -Melvin R. Laird’s schedule -Reaction of White House staff -Scali -Victory for the President -Ability as “salesman” -Meeting with Colson -Timing -Secrecy -PR -Liberals’ view -The President’s May 8, 1972 decision -People’s Republic of China [PRC] -“Nixon’s done it again” -Pressures on US -Credibility -Resumption of negotiations -Instruction for Colson -Scali -Timing -Announcement -“No comment” instruction -Warren -Compared to Ronald L. Ziegler -Kissinger -PR -Scali -Leaks -Ambassadorship to United Nations [UN] -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman’s view -Ambassadorship to UN -Daniel L. Schorr -Judgment on announcement -Background -White House -Resumption of negotiations -North Vietnam -Deep background -Unknown person -Bernard and Marvin L. Kalb -26- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-08) Conversation No. 158-18 (cont’d) -Howard K. Smith -Stewart M. Hensley -Leaks -Resumption of negotiations -Tone -“Serious” -Instruction for Colson -Labor leaders -Congressional relations -William E. Timmons -Telephone call to leaders -Kissinger’s calls to leaders -Negotiations -John C. Stennis -F. Edward Hebert -Gerald R. Ford -Barry M. Goldwater -Hugh Scott -PR -Labor leaders -Statements -Negotiations -Breakdown -Liberals’ view -1972 election -[Arnold] Eric Sevareid -Telephone calls -Dan Rather -Harry Reasoner -Effect -Commentators -Colson’s call to Scali -Colson’s call to the President -27- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-08)