Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 2 › Conversation 002-100

Nixon phone call with Colson on Anti-war protests and Peter J. Brennan

Wednesday, May 5, 1971 · 7:54 PM–9:10 AM ET · White House Telephone · 8 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.Conversation002-100 on Tape 2 (tape position 03:34:23–03:42:14)StartWednesday, May 5, 1971 at 7:54 PMEndThursday, May 6, 1971 at 9:10 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 002-100 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Charles Colson discuss strategies to leverage public support for the administration in the wake of anti-war demonstrations. They specifically examine the role of Peter J. Brennan and the potential for a 'hardhat' labor mobilization to counter protesters, including a proposed march on Wall Street. Additionally, the pair discusses the political implications of Edward M. Kennedy's involvement in recent demonstrations and the perceived need for congressional allies to speak out in support of the administration.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 4 minutes of this recording (about 46% 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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Well, you've had a rather interesting day, huh?
Certainly have.
It's been a good week.
Yeah, yeah.
Anything of interest to you?
I think the whole display, you know, you get a lot of thought, a lot of public support.
Henry had a call from a friend of his who worked with Rockefeller.
He talked to somebody in Breneslaw, Secretary Breneslaw.
He pointed out that there was a great deal of
I think you might give him a call, see if there's anything there.
The question is whether he can mobilize them.
Sure, yeah.
Or you might talk to him and see what he thinks.
And also the teardown to the aircraft flight.
Yeah.
Couldn't let them go.
Yeah, good.
Don't let them get arrested.
uh teddy seems to have moved into the scene again
You know, he moves out of this, he's, I think, choosing the wrong side at the wrong time.
So that's the, that's the, the making of it, on and off.
We've got to stick with them.
The Congress and the Senators should speak up, too.
Oh, I know.
Oh, they don't want to run that.
But that's all right.
Just keep trying.
I don't know who's doing it.
Good.
Good.
Also, you're right to demonstrate the piece of rod, but not to the right to break the piece of bone.
That didn't pick up the line.
That's good.
Good.
Henry said that where he was in California, there was just a strong reaction against the demonstrators for what they were doing.
It was very, very strong.
It was a marvelous force to be alive.
Well, okay.
Well, just keep it up.
See if Brennan, he may not want to do it.
It's fine.
But if he does, it's okay, too.
Oh.
Well, maybe for that reason, he might want to do it.
We'll push for it.
Sure.
Okay.
Okay, fine.

NARA Description

President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone on an unknown date, sometime between 7:54 pm on May 5, 1971 and 9:10 am on May 6, 1971. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 002-100 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 2-100

Date: Unknown between May 5 and May 6, 1971
Time: Unknown between 7:54 pm, May 5 and 9:10 am, May 6, 1971
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Charles W. Colson.

     Public reports regarding demonstrators
          -Colson's conversation with unknown man
          -Administration's handling
          -Locations
                -Chicago
                -New England

     Hardhats
          -Henry A. Kissinger
                -Conversation with person on Nelson A. Rockefeller's staff
          -Peter J. Brennan

                                                                                               Back to Top

       Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542

            -Support for President
            -Proposed march on Wall Street
            -Colson's possible conversation with Brennan
            -Possible actions
            -Veterans of Foreign Wars [VFW]

     Demonstrations
         -Victory flag

     Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy
         -Forthcoming congressional hearings
               -Demonstrations

     Demonstrations
         -Congressmen
               -Robert J. Dole
               -Press coverage
         -Press coverage

[A transcript of the following portion of this conversation was prepared under court order from
December 1978 through March 1979 for Special Access 8, Ronald V. Dellums, et al. v. James M.
Powell, et al., No. 71-2271. The National Archives and Records Administration produced this
transcript. The National Archives does not guarantee its accuracy.]

[End of transcript]

     Brennan

Also recorded on May 5, 1971

  • 002-094 6:13 PM · 2 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:13 pm and 7:45 pm.
  • 002-095 6:13 PM · 14 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:13 pm and 7:45 pm.
  • 002-096 6:13 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:13 pm and 7:53 pm.
  • 492-008 6:13 PM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House on an unknown date, sometime between 6:13 pm on May 5, 1971 and 8:45 am on May 6, 1971.
  • 002-097 7:53 PM · 28 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Tricia Nixon Cox talked on the telephone from 7:53 pm to 7:54 pm.
  • 002-098 7:54 PM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone on an unknown date, sometime between 7:54 pm on May 5, 1971 and 9:10 am on May 6, 1971.
  • 002-099 7:54 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone on an unknown date, sometime between 7:54 pm on May 5, 1971 and 9:10 am on May 6, 1971.
  • 002-101 7:54 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Tricia Nixon Cox talked on the telephone on an unknown date, sometime between 7:54 pm on May 5, 1971 and 9:10 am on May 6, 1971.

All 77 conversations from May 5, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 002-100, May 5, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/002-100 (accessed October 12, 2026).