Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 11 › Conversation 011-021

Nixon phone call with Colson on Kennedy Center and Interservice Symphonic band

Thursday, October 7, 1971 · 9:53 PM–11:35 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.Conversation011-021 on Tape 11 (tape position 00:32:44–00:33:53)StartThursday, October 7, 1971 at 9:53 PMEndThursday, October 7, 1971 at 11:35 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 011-021 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Charles Colson discuss the logistics of the President’s last-minute attendance at a performance by the Interservice Symphonic band at the Kennedy Center. Colson provides details regarding the dress code and composition of the audience to ensure the President feels comfortable appearing in a business suit. Nixon ultimately decides to attend and directs Colson to notify the event organizers to hold the presidential box for his arrival within ten minutes.

Audio

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Mr. President, there are about 2,700 people there, and they're mixed.
It's two-thirds in black tie.
They're all service people.
One-third in business suits.
They've got about another half hour to play, although if you wanted to go... Only a half hour.
Well, if you wanted to go, we could call them.
I'm sure they'd keep playing.
Well, what did you say about their black tie?
No.
The Navy had it all black tie and the other services were mixed.
So the girl that we just talked to over there said that it was about, it was mixed.
She would guess about two-thirds in uniform dress were black tie.
I think you'll find they're mostly military people, so it wouldn't matter that much.
I wouldn't think if you wanted to go that it would be objectionable at all to go in a business suit.
Well, I'll tell you, you call them, tell them I'm coming, and they hold a seat for me in the presidential box.
I'll do it right now and tell them to keep playing until you get there.
No, no, I'll be there in about ten minutes.
Yes, sir.
Bye.
Bye, Mr. President.

NARA Description

On October 7, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:53 pm and 11:35 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 011-021 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 011-021

 Date: October 7, 1971
 Time: Unknown between 9:53 pm and 11:35 pm
 Location: White House Telephone

 The President talked with Charles W. Colson.

        Kennedy Center
            -Interservice Symphonic band
            -The President's schedule

Also recorded on October 8, 1971

  • 011-010 8:58 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 8:58 pm.
  • 011-014 9:03 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 9:03 pm to 9:09 pm.
  • 011-015 9:09 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles G. ("Bebe") Rebozo talked on the telephone from 9:09 pm to 9:11 pm.
  • 011-016 9:17 PM · 39 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 9:17 pm to 9:20 pm.
  • 011-017 9:20 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:20 pm and 9:40 pm.
  • 011-018 9:40 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William F. ("Billy") Graham talked on the telephone from 9:40 pm to 9:44 pm.
  • 011-019 9:44 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:44 pm and 9:52 pm.
  • 011-020 9:52 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 9:52 pm to 9:53 pm.

All 28 conversations from October 8, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 011-021, October 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/011-021 (accessed October 12, 2026).