Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 158 › Conversation 158-046

Nixon phone call with Colson on Vietnam War and Henry Kissinger

Saturday, December 30, 1972 · 11:54 AM–11:56 AM ET · Camp David Study Table · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.Conversation158-046 on Tape 158StartSaturday, December 30, 1972 at 11:54 AMEndSaturday, December 30, 1972 at 11:56 AMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 158-046 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Charles Colson confer regarding public relations messaging surrounding the recent cessation of U.S. bombing north of the 20th Parallel in Vietnam. Colson reports feedback from Henry Kissinger, who advocates for a restrained public approach to avoid over-discussing the administration's strategic shifts. The discussion reinforces the need for the President to maintain control over the messaging narrative to ensure consistency in congressional and public communications.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 1 minute of this recording (about 39% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yeah, I'm just going to have to call, uh, everyone to take a copy here.
Uh, we're going to get up to the last column today, but before I do, I'd like you to just give your name and your name, and make sure that, you know, that you've voted on it.
Please vote for it.
And if you can't, it's helpful if everybody's voted.
And if everybody's voted, without a doubt, you know, everybody would do that very, very well.
Right.
And I'm really sure you have.
I just got a call from, I haven't had a chance to call Henry yet, because I was just trying to find out who's out, but I'll get him.
But, uh, Carl Kennedy called, and he said that Henry's just called in, and he said to...
He says now that the reference to that previous meeting was a good idea.
And he said that he's not worried about that, but he's worried that we don't have to talk it up too much.
And that's just what we should be doing.
That's what I was going to say.
I mean, you got this.
And I think the President should take over.
You got this.
And I appreciate that.
I think that everybody has this.
But I don't know what you're going to do.

NARA Description

On December 30, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at Camp David from 11:54 am to 11:56 am. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 158-046 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 158-46

Date: December 30, 1972
Time: 11:54 am - 11:56 am
Location: Camp David Study Table

The President talked with Charles W. Colson.

[See Conversation No. 238-8]

       Vietnam War
            -Cessation of US bombing north of 20th Parallel
                 -Announcement
                 -The President’s call to Henry A. Kissinger
                        -Colson’s call to Kissinger
                             -Reaction
                             -Colson’s conversation with John B. Connally
                 -Colson’s conversation with Col. Richard T. Kennedy
                        -Gerald L. Warren’s press conference
                             -Kissinger’s press conference, December 16, 1972
                                   -Reference to transcript
                                          -Kissinger’s view
                                                -Public relations [PR]
                 -Colson’s call to Kissinger
                        -Congressional relations
                                               -60-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Also recorded on December 30, 1972

  • 158-042 11:51 AM · 59 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Cmdr. Alexander R. Larzelere talked on the telephone at Camp David from 11:51 am to 11:52 am.
  • 158-043 11:52 AM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at 11:52 am.
  • 158-044 11:52 AM · 47 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Nellie L. Yates talked on the telephone at Camp David from 11:52 am to 11:53 am.
  • 238-005 11:52 AM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at 11:52 am.
  • 238-006 11:52 AM · 47 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Nellie L. Yates met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 11:52 am to 11:53 am.
  • 158-045 11:53 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 11:53 am and 11:54 am.
  • 238-007 11:53 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 11:53 am and 11:54 am.
  • 238-008 11:54 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 11:54 am to 11:56 am.

All 64 conversations from December 30, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 158-046, December 30, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/158-046 (accessed September 29, 2026).