Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 030-021
Date: Thursday, September 21, 1972 at 8:04 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/030-021

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:01] Hello.
[0:02] Yes, sir, Mr. President.
[0:13] I enjoyed reading Crosby Noyes had a marvelous column tonight in the story in which he says the reason the Watergate column hasn't aroused any feeling is why should it?
[0:22] The public didn't get very excited over Ellsberg, and what's the difference between that?
[0:28] a little bit of political espionage on the one hand, and Ellsberg stealing government documents.
[0:34] This is one that we've been waiting to use this one, frankly, until we could get Josh the right spokesman on this.
[0:42] McGovern started really chirping away on the... Yeah, he ought to say something about Ellsberg.
[0:47] Just say, well, how come you encouraged Ellsberg to publish stolen documents?
[0:50] What's the difference?
[0:52] That's right.
[0:53] That's good.
[0:54] Actually, it's kind of interesting the way
[0:58] McGovern has shut up on the Watergate, hasn't he?
[1:01] He hasn't talked about that this week.
[1:03] I wonder why.
[1:05] Yeah, I wonder why, too.
[1:07] Maybe he's found that his polls may indicate it isn't making all that much impact on the folks.
[1:15] I'm sure that's one reason.
[1:16] Maybe he figured his people were up to a little bit of chicanery that goes in the back there.
[1:23] Right.
[1:24] No, I think basically it is that he found that it hasn't...