Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 23 › Conversation 023-079
Nixon phone call with Colson on 1972 Presidential Election
Tuesday, April 25, 1972 · 10:23 PM–10:47 PM ET · White House Telephone ·24 min
AI Summary
President Nixon and Charles Colson discuss strategies for exploiting the ongoing turmoil within the 1972 Democratic presidential primaries, specifically focusing on the vulnerabilities of candidates like George McGovern and Edmund Muskie. They also evaluate political messaging regarding the Vietnam War, emphasizing the necessity of secret negotiations and coordinating a robust public relations response to challenge Democratic critics. Nixon directs Colson to intensify political attacks, tasking administration surrogates and Republican candidates with forcing their opponents to answer for their positions on the war.
- 1972 Presidential Election
- Democratic Party Primaries
- Vietnam War
- Political Strategy
- Public Relations
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
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Hello?
Well, what's the...
I just finished the dinner.
We had, at Seville, a very good meeting, I think.
I gave Biden a hard line at the end.
They all stood up and really hollered.
They got a bunch of hawks.
That was it.
I suppose they don't know how to handle it except to squeal about credibility.
That's the silliest thing they ever heard of.
Look, every war is settled through secret negotiations.
Every one I've ever heard of.
The Russians have been told about it.
Well, but that's what I want to say.
The information that he's saying is that they shouldn't be tripping over the steps.
They're worried about the public safety of the government.
No, no.
The only, the only, uh, the only, uh,
Do you think that's bad?
No.
No, no.
We didn't lie.
We didn't lie.
We were very careful not to.
That's just purely for the press squeal.
They're really climbing the walls, huh?
Good.
Couldn't happen.
All of our fellows took advantage of it.
I guess they were crazy running around and...
They made that today too, didn't they?
The damn war can be ended.
We're doing this.
We couldn't do it earlier.
We had to wait until the enemy filled up a lot, too.
Boy, they're all out there now.
A whole damn bunch.
The Madame Ben thing, I've told Harman, they don't...
every candidate, but not just those, every candidate, every one of the Republican candidates ought to force his opponent to be either repudiated or crucified.
Do you understand that tactic?
I used to do it all the time.
and put out the wire publicly.
Well, I would say that tomorrow.
Good.
All right.
Didn't play it?
Got it.
Well, circulate it.
I know, but it's just not right.
Well, another thing, the other thing there is to get surface agony again.
What I was thinking is, I'm a good person, but I guess that he's a hell of a good player.
I mean, I've always seen him.
I've talked to him.
I've talked to the boys.
I've talked to the guys.
But it's a friend.
It's a friend.
It's a friend.
It's a friend.
Yeah.
Well, anyway, let's get, uh, Ziggler can hit it.
And get a very strong base.
Oh,
or they're going to jeopardize the peace well we can and you'll follow up this thing follow up to be sure
We will get along.
We will get along.
We will get along.
We will get along.
We will get along.
We will get along.
We will get along.
But they had too much news to me, too.
But he can be sure it's nailed all out.
We'll do that next time.
We'll do that next time.
I think that we can use this today, clearly today, to review this.
Well, had to be, good job.
It's beautiful.
Eric is going into the field on Thursday.
Good, after our broadcast.
That's right, that I'm going on.
And I'm going to review it.
And I'm going to discuss it with him.
He's a pretty good person.
He's going to do it.
He's an absolute professional.
He's going to do it.
He's incredibly good.
You know, he's going to do it.
He's going to do it.
Well, we shall see how it all comes out.
At least if it comes out, our Democratic friends are on the wrong side.
They always try to sabotage the Democrats.
Are they?
They can.
Well, anyways, it's an interesting thing.
It's horrible to see.
Thank you.
Okay, I'll see you tomorrow.
NARA Description
On April 25, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 10:23 pm to 10:47 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 023-079 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 23-79
Date: April 25, 1972
Time: 10:23-10:47 pm
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with Charles W. Colson.
*****************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 03/21/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[023-079-w001]
[Duration: 6m 45s]
1972 election primaries
-Returns
-Massachusetts
-Paper ballot
-Early figures
-George S. McGovern
-Victory
-Edmund S. Muskie
-George C. Wallace and Hubert H. Humphrey
-George S. McGovern
-Momentum
-Results favorable for President
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-Outcome in Pennsylvania
-Percent of vote
-Pennsylvania primary
-Edmund S. Muskie
-George S. McGovern
-George C. Wallace
-Edmund S. Muskie
-Possible withdrawal
-Ohio primary
-Difficulty for Democratic supporters
-Problems for Democrats
-Performance of Hubert H. Humphrey
-George S. McGovern
-Victory
-George C. Wallace
-Figures
-Compilation
-Timing
-Massachusetts primary
-Results expected April 26
-Paper ballot
-Pennsylvania primary
-Polls
-George S. McGovern
-Edmund S. Muskie
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-Ohio and Indiana primaries
-May 2, 1972
-Ohio primary
-Importance for Edmund S. Muskie
-John J. Gilligan's support
-Pennsylvania
-Chances
-Withdrawal from Democratic race
-George W. Romney
-Comparison to Edmund S. Muskie
-1968 Republican presidential primary performance
-Lack of party support
-Support limited to beneficial poll results
-1966 election
-Edmund S. Muskie
-Problems
-Opposition within party
-George S. McGovern
-Lack of regular party support
-Support confined to left-wing minority of Democratic Party
-Compared with Barry M. Goldwater
-Lack of support from party regulars
-Richard J. Daley
-Harris poll
-Results
-George S. McGovern
-Radical
-President’s opinion
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-Alienation of Democratic Party regulars
-Statements
*****************************************************************
Vietnam
-Congressional dinner
-Support for the President
-Henry Tannenbaum [sp?]
-Negotiations
-Secrecy
-Press objections
-John W. Chancellor
-Soviets
-Dan Rather
-Henry A. Kissinger
-White House statements
-End of war
-The President's sense of timing
-Democrats
-Problems
-Madame Nguyen Thi Binh
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Republican challenge
-Attacks
-Colson's conversation with Kenneth W. Clawson
-Presidential candidates
-Statements
-Muskie
-Barry M. Goldwater attacks
-Circulation
-The Vice President's attacks
-Ronald L. Ziegler's statements
-Challenge to candidates
-Follow-up actions
-American Broadcasting Company [ABC]
-Goldwater
-News reports
-Harris poll
-Release
-Albert E. Sindlinger
-Support for the President
-Democrats
-Republican accusations
-Ziegler
*****************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 03/21/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[023-079-w003]
[Duration: 7m 51s]
1972 Democratic Party primaries
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-Problems
-Withdrawal
-Edmund S. Muskie
-Withdrawal
-Advantages to the President's campaign
-Democrats
-George S. McGovern
-Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy
-Refusal to run
-George S. McGovern
-Ohio primary
-George C. Wallace
-Indiana primary
-Edmund S. Muskie
-George C. Wallace
-Defeat of Edmund S. Muskie
-Impact on Hubert H. Humphrey
-Opinion of Democratic Party regulars
-Constituency
-Hubert H. Humphrey’s comments
-Press
-Support for George S. McGovern
-Liberals and leftists
- George S. McGovern
-Nomination
-War record
-Weaknesses
-Support in party
-Barry M. Goldwater comparison
-Nelson A. Rockefeller
*****************************************************************Also recorded on April 26, 1972
- 023-078 10:13 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:13 pm and 10:47 pm.
- 333-001 8:41 AM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 8:41 am and 8:43 am.
- 333-002 8:41 AM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 8:41 am and 8:43 am.
- 333-003 8:43 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 8:43 am to 8:44 am.
- 333-004 8:44 AM · 29 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and John K. Andrews, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 8:44 am and 9:26 am.
- 333-005 8:44 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and John K. Andrews, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 8:44 am and 9:26 am.
- 333-006 8:44 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 8:44 am and 9:26 am.
- 333-007 9:26 AM · 1 hr 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, Alexander P. Butterfield, unknown person(s), and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 9:26 am to 10:29 am.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 023-079, April 26, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/023-079 (accessed September 18, 2026).