Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 20 › Conversation 020-118

Nixon phone call with Colson on People's Republic of China

Tuesday, February 29, 1972 · 2:50 PM–2:53 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator; Colson, Charles W.Conversation020-118 on Tape 20 (tape position 03:47:31–03:49:29)StartTuesday, February 29, 1972 at 2:50 PMEndTuesday, February 29, 1972 at 2:53 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 020-118 ↗

AI Summary

Charles W. Colson calls President Nixon to offer congratulations and share positive domestic feedback following the President's recent trip to the People's Republic of China. Colson emphasizes that the President's demeanor and confidence during the visit successfully impressed the public and converted political skeptics. The brief conversation concludes with the President requesting that Colson call back in five minutes so he can address pending administrative paperwork.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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).
Hello.
Mr. Colson, Mr. President, Mr. Colson for you.
All right.
Hello.
Congratulations, Mr. President.
Oh, yes, indeed.
I just have a minute here before I have to get into some stuff with Henry.
But just wanted you to know you were back.
Well, I think you handled that just beautifully.
I've gotten a lot of reactions and impressions from around the country.
And I think the
was one of the really, truly great leaders of the world.
The way in which he handled it was just, I don't know the proper words to describe it, but I heard from people whose judgment I respect, whom I tested last week as things were happening, and it was just a superb reaction.
very skillfully, very tough, and handling very courageously the unknown, doing it beautifully.
Your manner, the demeanor throughout was
was, I think, probably the most impressive.
The confidence that you... Of course, you know, I've done it, Chuck, for years, but for the last three years, and nobody's noticed it.
Oh, well, sure, but you were on everybody's set every night.
I mean, it was massive coverage, as you know.
Oh, yes, yes, yes.
Massive coverage.
What you did, I think what you did in political terms, Mr. President, we won't talk in those terms outside.
That's right, that's right.
But in political terms, you converted a lot of skeptics.
The people that I... Yeah, incidentally, I just...
I notice that they've got something for me to sign here.
Call me back in five minutes, will you?
Yes, sir.
Just five minutes.
Yes, sir.

NARA Description

On February 29, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 2:50 pm to 2:53 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 020-118 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 20-118

Date: February 29, 1972
Time: 2:50 pm - 2:53 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The White House operator talked with the President.

     Charles W. Colson on the line

Colson talked with the President.

[See Conversation No. 322-6]

     The President’s schedule
          -Henry A. Kissinger

     People’s Republic of China [PRC] trip
          -Public reaction
                -President's greatness as world leader
                -President's demeanor and confidence
                      -History of President's conduct
          -Political benefits
                -Skeptics

     President's schedule
           -Return of Colson's call

Also recorded on February 29, 1972

  • 322-005 2:48 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Clark MacGregor met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:48 pm to 2:50 pm.
  • 322-006 2:51 PM · 55 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:51 pm to 2:53 pm.
  • 020-119 2:53 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:53 pm and 2:56 pm.
  • 322-007 2:53 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:53 pm and 2:56 pm.
  • 322-008 2:53 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Manolo Sanchez, and Lawrence M. Higby met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:53 pm and 2:56 pm.
  • 322-009 2:53 PM · 11 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 2:53 pm and 2:56 pm.
  • 020-120 2:56 PM · 13 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 2:56 pm to 3:16 pm.
  • 322-010 2:56 PM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:56 pm to 3:16 pm.

All 51 conversations from February 29, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 020-118, February 29, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/020-118 (accessed October 2, 2026).