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Conversation 335-007

TapeTape 335StartWednesday, May 3, 1972 at 12:41 PMEndWednesday, May 3, 1972 at 12:59 PMTape start time00:28:25Tape end time00:37:23ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Colson, Charles W.Recording deviceOld Executive Office Building
AI Summary

President Nixon and Charles Colson discuss the political fallout and public perception of ongoing military engagements, specifically addressing the risk of potential battlefield losses impacting the President's scheduled trip to Moscow. Nixon emphasizes the necessity of maintaining resolve despite negative projections, drawing a parallel to his steadfast support for J. Edgar Hoover. The conversation highlights the administration's efforts to manage both foreign policy objectives and domestic law-and-order optics during a period of strategic uncertainty.

Vietnam WarMoscow SummitJ. Edgar HooverPublic RelationsLaw and Order
AudioNARA Description

On May 3, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:41 pm and 12:59 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 335-007 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 335-7

Date: May 3, 1972
Time: Between 12:41 and 12:59 pm.
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Charles W. Colson.

[See Conversation No. 23-133; two items have been withdrawn from this conversation]

                                        (rev. Nov-01)
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

You know, it isn't going very well.
They were justified.
I mean, it isn't as bad as I say, but, you know, and it is, and incidentally, it's exactly what I predicted when we were out.
I said, over and over, I said, we're going to have some losses, and they're having a massive investment.
Hopefully, we're going to have some more.
We're going to go for three or four more weeks.
We're going to lose some.
Frankly, there's no one who would be damn sure I'm not going to go to Moscow.
I think you would agree, but if I went to Moscow, I'm going to slowly attend to rumbling around in the way.
I'll never go.
And I think on that point, well, most people would say it's been terrible.
It'll hurt us because they'll say, what happened to the Generation T?
Come back again.
We simply can't take this anymore.
What the hell?
We tried.
We were doing a damn thing again.
We'll keep, we'll keep them, keep them going.
You know, one thing I, well, we're all sad about it.
I think that we had one good break this weekend, and on the law and order issue, there's no better way for me to identify, to identify with my friend Hoover.
You know, and I, I stood by him, and I didn't snap on the fire, and I called, and I never did, and I stood by him to pick him down, and I defended him, and, and,
Yeah.
Yeah.
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