Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 30 › Conversation 030-024

Colson & Howard on Clark MacGregor and George McGovern

Monday, September 25, 1972 · 5:16 PM–6:10 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsColson, Charles W.; Howard, W. RickConversation030-024 on Tape 30StartMonday, September 25, 1972 at 5:16 PMEndMonday, September 25, 1972 at 6:10 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 030-024 ↗

AI Summary

Charles W. Colson and W. Richard Howard discuss the stalled release of a critical political statement targeting George S. McGovern, which was intended to be issued by Clark MacGregor and Robert J. Dole. Colson expresses frustration that MacGregor has failed to authorize the statement due to his preoccupation with upcoming debate preparations. Ultimately, Colson instructs Howard to involve Alexander Haig to push the release forward before the 6:00 p.m. deadline.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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).
Colson, would you give me Dick Howard, please?
Thank you.
When did they take a break?
It's only in L.A. or San Francisco?
L.A.
But they've been organizing out of L.A., the only place we've been.
Howard's office?
Let me have it, please.
Okay.
Hello?
Did those statements go out from Dolan McGregor calling on the telegrams to McGovern?
No.
Where are they?
No one can get McGregor to do it.
He's worrying about preparing for his debate, and he hasn't had a chance to clear the statement.
He hasn't cleared it yet?
Well, if he doesn't right now, it's going to be too late.
It's already too late.
Well, call right now.
Ask Al to be sure that that doesn't go past 6 o'clock without getting that out of there.
He's called me and said he's not going to be able to get it out.
McGregor won't clear anything.
I'll have to check Dole, though.
I don't know where he is.
Well, I talked to Dole myself before noon, and he was ready to go with it.
Okay, I'll tell him.
Yeah, I'd call Al Beck also, please.

NARA Description

On September 25, 1972, Charles W. Colson and W. Richard Howard talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:16 pm and 6:10 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 030-024 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 30-24

Date: September 25, 1972
Time: Unknown between 5:16 pm and 6:10 pm
Location: White House Telephone

Charles W. Colson talked with W. Richard Howard.

[See Conversation No. 356-15A]

       Los Angeles

       Robert J. Dole

       Clark MacGregor
              -George S. McGovern
              -Statement
                     -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
                     -Dole
                     -Haig

Also recorded on September 25, 1972

  • 356-011 2:30 PM · 58 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:30 pm to 3:01 pm.
  • 786-023 3:04 PM · 25 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Thomas W. Gleason, John Bowers, Lawrence G. Molloy, Charles W. Colson, Donald F. Rodgers, White House photographer, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:04 pm and 3:32 pm.
  • 786-024 3:33 PM · 24 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:33 pm to 3:35 pm.
  • 786-025 3:35 PM · 11 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:35 pm to 4:41 pm.
  • 356-012 4:43 PM · 12 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 4:43 pm and 5:16 pm.
  • 356-013 4:43 PM · 30 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 4:43 pm and 5:16 pm.
  • 356-014 4:43 PM · 17 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 4:43 pm and 5:16 pm.
  • 356-015 5:16 PM · 17 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, Patrick J. Buchanan, and W. Richard Howard met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:16 pm to 6:10 pm.

All 37 conversations from September 25, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 030-024, September 25, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/030-024 (accessed October 1, 2026).