Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 031-043
Date: Friday, October 13, 1972 at 7:24 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/031-043

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] We're continuing to get out to the stories of what they've done to us.
[0:19] I've just gone through it.
[0:21] I just finished going through it.
[0:22] We've got some good white papers on what they've done to our headquarters.
[0:26] I didn't realize they'd done so much.
[0:27] Now that you see it all written out, it's
[0:30] Really they've raised a lot of hell with this Molotov cocktail at the door of one of our headquarters in California.
[0:37] And a number of threats, a number of phone threats have got in.
[0:45] A couple of headquarters burned.
[0:50] And of course we know the organizing of the anti-war demonstrators.
[0:53] Sure, sure.
[0:55] people marching through our state headquarters in Boston.
[0:59] Did they do that?
[1:00] Yes, sir.
[1:01] We've got that there in Arlington, Massachusetts.
[1:04] They broke our storefront operation apart.
[1:08] So we've got all of these, and we'll put it out.
[1:10] They're engaging in violence.
[1:11] Oh, yeah.
[1:12] That's the point that I want to get Bill and McGregor Monday to make as an answer to this fellow, that, goddammit, they can accuse us of pranks, and they're not true, but...
[1:24] That's one thing, but my God, these are violent activities.
[1:27] And the thing is, for Dole and McGregor to attack the press on this, I think they have to attack the press for its double standard.
[1:34] I think it's the only way to say it.
[1:36] And by making it an all-out assault on the press for their double standard and the rest that say, now, come on, you're going to report this campaign, let's report what's happening.
[1:47] I think it can be done in a way, Mr. President, that is not...
[1:50] anti-meteor, I think it can be done in a way that is...
[1:53] Some segments of the press.
[1:54] Yeah, well, I think we can say that the press seems to have become obsessed with what would normally be regarded as gossip column humor.
[2:03] And my God, there are serious things going on in this campaign that aren't being reported.
[2:09] And just go through this whole litany.
[2:11] I think we can make some points on it.
[2:14] Maybe that's just what will be needed to...