Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 24 › Conversation 024-067
Nixon phone call with Colson on Vietnam War and Melvin R. Laird
Wednesday, May 10, 1972 · 3:59 PM–4:00 PM ET · White House Telephone · 30 sec
AI Summary
President Nixon and Charles Colson discuss the positive performance of Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird during a recent televised press conference regarding the Vietnam War. Impressed by Laird’s intensity and effectiveness, the President directs Colson to coordinate a follow-up meeting with H. R. Haldeman. The brief call serves to facilitate immediate staff consultation on how to leverage the momentum from the press conference.
Audio
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
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NARA Description
On May 10, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 3:59 pm to 4:00 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 024-067 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 24-67
Date: May 10, 1972
Time: 3:59 pm - 4:00 pm
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with Charles W. Colson.
[See also Conversation No. 337-27]
Vietnam
-Melvin R. Laird's press conference
-Colson’s view
-Length
Forthcoming meeting with the President
-Colson
-H. R. (“Bob”) HaldemanAlso recorded on May 10, 1972
- 337-024 3:35 PM · 16 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:35 pm to 3:55 pm.
- 024-066 3:55 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:55 pm and 3:59 pm.
- 337-025 3:55 PM · 2 min — 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 3:55 pm and 3:59 pm.
- 337-026 3:55 PM · 36 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 3:55 pm and 3:59 pm.
- 337-027 3:59 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:59 pm and 4:00 pm.
- 024-068 4:04 PM · 27 sec — Charles W. Colson, White House operator, and unknown person(s) talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:04 pm and 4:25 pm.
- 337-028 4:04 PM · 1 hr 14 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, unknown person(s), H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Henry A. Kissinger, White House operator, and Arthur F. Burns met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:04 pm and 5:45 pm.
- 339-001 4:04 PM · 24 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:04 pm to 5:45 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 024-067, May 10, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/024-067 (accessed October 9, 2026).