Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 2 › Conversation 002-127

Nixon phone call with Colson on Al Capp and Farm organizations

Saturday, May 8, 1971 · 6:50 PM–7:05 PM ET · White House Telephone

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.Conversation002-127 on Tape 2 (tape position 04:41:12–04:56:42)StartSaturday, May 8, 1971 at 6:50 PMEndSaturday, May 8, 1971 at 7:05 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 002-127 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Charles W. Colson discussed several political and media-related matters, including the ongoing controversy involving Al Capp and potential legal actions against him. The conversation also touched upon the administration's strategic efforts to secure political support from farm organizations and addressed internal reactions to political demonstrations. Additionally, the participants reviewed recent communications between Colson and other key figures, such as H.R. Haldeman and Dan Rather, to coordinate the administration's response to these evolving developments.

Audio

Download MP3 (part 1) · 111.9 MB ·Download MP3 (part 2) · 111.6 MB ·Download MP3 (part 3) · 108.6 MB

This conversation has not yet been cut into its own clip, so the player above contains the full tape segment shared with neighbouring conversations. It begins about 04:41:12 into the tape and ends around 04:56:42.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

· Timestamps are positions within the full tape recording.
4:41:25Rydyn ni wedi bod yn siarad am hynny hyd yn oed.
4:41:28Rydw i wedi bod yn siarad am hynny hyd yn oed.
4:41:32Rydyn ni wedi bod yn siarad am hynny hyd yn oed.
4:41:34Rydyn ni wedi bod yn siarad am hynny hyd yn oed.
4:41:39O, ie, os ydych chi'n ffri.
4:41:41Sut yw eich cyfnod?
4:41:44Nid yw'n dda.
4:41:44Nid yw'n dda.
4:41:45Nid yw'n dda.
4:41:47Nid yw'n dda.
4:41:47Nid yw'n dda.
4:41:49Nid yw'n dda.
4:41:50Nid yw'n dda.
4:42:10Os ydych chi eisiau, ydych chi eisiau cymryd y diwrnod?
4:42:14Nid, nid, nid, nid.
4:42:15Byddaf yn bod yma.
4:42:16Nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid, nid,
4:42:38Diolch yn fawr.
4:42:39Diolch yn fawr.
4:43:08Diolch yn fawr.
4:43:10Rwy'n meddwl y byddwn i'n gallu gofyn i chi.
4:43:13Rwy'n meddwl y byddwn yn gallu gofyn i chi.
4:43:32Diolch, diolch.
4:43:33Byddai'n rhaid i chi wneud rhywbeth arall, felly mae'n rhaid i ni wneud hynny.
4:43:41Mae'n rhaid i chi wneud rhywbeth arall.
4:43:58Wel, yn unig, mae'n amlwg, os oes ffordd y gallwn ni gael, chi'n gwybod, rhai o'r bobl yng Nghymru i breidio ar hynny, byddai'n hynod o bwysig.
4:44:08Ac nid yw hynny'n hynod o bwysig.
4:44:10Ie, mae'n amlwg.
4:44:11Mae'n debyg ei bod wedi'i gyflwyno i mewn i ddweud, ie, mae'n dod i mewn i weld a yw'r ffordd sy'n rhaid i ni ei wneud ystod y wythnos.
4:44:20Ac mae hynny'n gwerthfawr i chi ddefnyddio.
4:44:23Ie, yn ymwneud â hynny.
4:44:24Ie, yn ymwneud â hynny, mae'n mynd i ddod i me
4:44:30Mae'n dda.
4:44:59Mr. Cousins.
4:45:28Rwy'n ddysgu amdani amdani, ond dwi ddim yn gwybod.
4:45:32Dwi'n ddysgu amdani amdani, ond dwi ddim yn gwybod.
4:45:40Dwi'n ddysgu amdani amdani, ond dwi ddim yn gwybod.
4:46:01Mae'n rhaid i chi ddweud, mae'n rhaid i chi ddweud, mae'n rhaid i chi ddweud, mae'n rhaid i chi ddweud, mae'n rhaid i chi ddweud, mae'n rhaid i chi ddweud,
4:46:40Mae'n rhaid i chi ddweud y gwir.
4:46:49Mae'n rhaid i chi ddweud y gwir.
4:46:53Mae'n rhaid i chi ddweud y gwir.
4:47:04Mae'n rhaid i chi ddweud y gwir.
4:47:08Mae'n rhaid i fi ddweud y byddwch chi'n gwneud un o'r rhwystrau sydd wedi'u cyflwyno.
4:47:12Mae'r rhwystrau sydd wedi'u cyflwyno wedi'u cyflwyno.
4:47:16Mae'r rhwystrau sydd wedi'u cyflwyno.
4:47:19Mae'r rhwystrau sydd wedi'u cyflwyno.
4:48:05Mae'n rhaid i fi ddweud hynny.
4:48:13Mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud hynny.
4:48:38Mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud y gwir.
4:48:40Mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud y gwir.
4:49:00Mae'n rhaid i mi ddweud y gwir.
4:49:39Ie.
4:49:40Ie.
4:50:04Mae'n rhaid i mi sicrhau bod hynny'n iawn.
4:50:07Mae'n rhaid i mi sicrhau bod hynny'n iawn.
4:50:10Mae'n rhaid i mi sicrhau bod hynny'n iawn.
4:50:12Mae'n rhaid i mi sicrhau bod hynny'n iawn.
4:50:14Mae'n rhaid i mi sicrhau bod hynny'n iawn.
4:50:17Mae'n rhaid i mi sicrhau bod hynny'n iawn.
4:50:19Mae'n rhaid i mi sicrhau bod hynny'n iawn.
4:50:21Mae'n rhaid i mi sicrhau bod hynny'n iawn.
4:50:22Mae'n rhaid i mi sicrhau bod hynny'n iawn.
4:50:24Mae'n rhaid i mi sicrhau bod hynny'n iawn.
4:50:27Mae'n rhaid i mi sicrhau bod hynny'n iawn.
4:50:29Mae'n r
4:50:54Rwy'n meddwl bod hynny'n bwysig iawn.
4:51:23Rwy'n meddwl nad ydw i'n deall pam roedd hynny'n gwneud hynny, oherwydd roedd hi'n ymwneud â hynny.
4:51:44Ie, mae'r peth yw nad oes unrhyw un yn gwneud hynny yn ymwneud â'r syniad hwnnw.
4:51:47Mae'r prifysgol yn gwybod ei fod yn rhyfeddol yn ymwneud â hynny.
4:52:01Mae'n ddiddorol.
4:52:22Mae'n ddiddorol.
4:52:25Mae'n ddiddorol.
4:52:46Na, dwi'n meddwl dwi'n meddwl dwi'n meddwl dwi'n meddwl dwi'n meddwl dwi'n meddwl dwi'n meddwl dwi'n meddwl dwi'n meddwl dwi'n meddwl dwi'n meddwl dwi'n meddwl
4:53:20Dwi'n meddwl hwnnw'n ddewis.
4:53:22Dwi'n meddwl.
4:53:38Dwi'n meddwl.
4:53:40Dwi'n meddwl.
4:53:50Ond rwy'n siŵr bod y pwynt hwnnw'n dda hefyd.
4:54:07Mae'r rhan fwyaf o'r cwmniadau a'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan fwyaf o'r rhan
4:54:38beth byddaf yn ei wneud?
4:55:03rwy'n dweud?
4:55:17ond un peth yn sicr rydyn ni'n gwybod yw ein bod ni wir wedi cymryd rhan i'r peth o'r argyfwng ar y peth o'r argyfwng ar y peth o'r argyfwng ar y peth o'r argyfwng ar y peth o'r argyfwng ar y peth o'r argyfwng
4:55:45Mae'n rhaid i mi wneud yn siŵr mai dyna'r rheswm rydw i'n ei ddweud.
4:55:48Mae'r rheswm rydw i'n ei ddweud.
4:55:55Mae'n rhaid i mi wneud yn siŵr mai dyna'r rheswm rydw i'n ei ddweud.
4:55:57Mae'r rheswm rydw i'n ei ddweud.
4:56:11Mae rhywun wedi cefnogi eich gilydd.
4:56:17Ie, dyna un lle rwy'n meddwl y byddai'r rhwydwaith yn eithaf anodd oherwydd eu bod yn cefnogi

NARA Description

On May 8, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 6:50 pm to 7:05 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 002-127 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 2-127

Date: May 8, 1971
Time: 6:50 pm - 7:05 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Charles W. Colson.

     Al Capp
          -Colson's conversation with Capp
          -Accusations of unknown woman
          -Possible prosecution
          -Jack N. Anderson
          -Role of radical groups

     President's conversation with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman

[Transcript #1: 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]

                                                                                               Back to Top

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

            -Colson's conversation with Haldeman
            -Reaction
            -Colson's conversation with Dan Rather

     Farm organizations
          -Support for President

[Transcript #2: 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]

     Capp
            -Possible prosecution
            -Reaction
            -Role of unknown man and woman

     Demonstrations
         -Administration's reaction

Also recorded on May 8, 1971

  • 002-124 11:45 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:45 am and 11:49 am.
  • 002-125 11:49 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John N. Mitchell talked on the telephone from 11:49 am to 11:51 am.
  • 494-005 1:12 PM · 32 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:12 pm and 1:35 pm.
  • 494-006 1:35 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:35 pm and 1:40 pm.
  • 494-007 1:50 PM · 36 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:50 pm and 1:55 pm.
  • 494-008 1:55 PM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:55 pm and 2:40 pm.
  • 494-009 1:55 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:55 pm and 2:40 pm.
  • 002-126 2:40 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:40 pm and 6:50 pm.

All 13 conversations from May 8, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 002-127, May 8, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/002-127 (accessed October 3, 2026).