Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 315 › Conversation 315-006

Nixon & Colson on Media strategy and Public relations

Monday, January 17, 1972 · 2:47 PM–3:10 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 12 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.Conversation315-006 on Tape 315 (tape position 00:08:57–00:21:14)StartMonday, January 17, 1972 at 2:47 PMEndMonday, January 17, 1972 at 3:10 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 315-006 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Charles Colson discuss media strategy and the public perception of various political commentators and personalities. The two analyze the performance and communication styles of specific individuals, debating how to effectively leverage these figures for the administration's messaging efforts. The conversation concludes with a focus on managing the longevity and impact of these media surrogates to ensure they remain effective political assets.

Audio

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Position in tape: 00:08:57 – 00:21:14

part A, 10:00

315a.mp3
315b.mp3

NARA Description

On January 17, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:47 pm to 3:10 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 315-006 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 315-6

Date: January 17, 1972
Time: 2:47 pm - 3:10 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Charles W. Colson.

[See Conversation No. 18-91; four items have been withdrawn from the conversation]

Transcript (AI-generated)

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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You don't think it was exactly the same?
I think I...
People are on the side of
The person being subject to being in a position to talk.
That's Bill Rock's point.
The person rates up on the inside.
One thing about writers is that they never complain that he rates them up.
They just hear a word from us.
Do you think that should come up in the future as well?
Of course, I'd let me in for as long as you had the time.
You just have to sit there and take it, that's all.
Never kill me again, will you?

— 1 min 12 s with no transcribed speech —

I guess we, uh...
I don't know if I'd expect all of us to lie about that.
I wish they had Agnes next week.
Agnes was damn good on this program.
Is that right?
Yeah.
You got Mike to sit here, too?
He could get off soon.
I think it's imperative.
I'm just saying, he's so good.
He'll knock that...
He's going to do that, and he must not hide that lie that you're pushing.
He's going to do that, and so that way, of course, comics are critical.
You can't lose them.
I've never seen him do that.
I've never watched him.
I've never watched him.
I've seen bad reactions to what he's done.
He's been damned.
He's crisp.
He's very intelligent.
He's smooth.
He's got class.
A lot more muscle.
It's too smooth.
Yeah.
Yeah.
If the people are soothing, just say that after a month or two months for it to go on.
Don't put it on me.
Just sort of say that a lot of people in your shop have just said that they're so well, so it matters.
It will.
It will later.
It will later.
Yeah, I don't have any questions at all.
That sort of thing.
That's what I would do.

— 3 min 36 s with no transcribed speech —

Oh, yeah.
Stay well.
I'm going to be leaving soon.
See you later.

Also recorded on January 17, 1972

  • 315-017 2:34 PM · 25 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:34 pm and 3:43 pm.
  • 315-018 2:34 PM · 38 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:34 pm and 3:43 pm.
  • 315-019 2:34 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Roger Staubach met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:34 pm and 3:43 pm.
  • 018-089 2:39 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Raymond K. Price, Jr. talked on the telephone from 2:39 pm to 2:43 pm.
  • 315-004 2:39 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Raymond K. Price, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:39 pm to 2:43 pm.
  • 018-090 2:43 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:43 pm and 2:47 pm.
  • 315-005 2:43 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:43 pm and 2:47 pm.
  • 018-091 2:47 PM · 22 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 2:47 pm to 3:10 pm.

All 42 conversations from January 17, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 315-006, January 17, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/315-006 (accessed November 4, 2026).