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Conversation 036-061

TapeTape 36StartMonday, January 22, 1973 at 8:47 PMEndMonday, January 22, 1973 at 8:50 PMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Colson, Charles W.Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AudioNARA Description

On January 22, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 8:47 pm to 8:50 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 036-061 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 36-61

Date: January 22, 1973
Time: 8:47 pm - 8:50 pm
Location: White House Telephone
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                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                        (rev. Jul-08)

The President talked with Charles Colson.

[See also Conversation No. 402-16]

       Colson’s lawsuit.
            -News coverage
                  -Washington Star, television [TV] networks

       Lyndon B. Johnson’s death
            -Vietnam settlement
            -Johnson’s image

       Colson’s lawsuit
            -Richard G. Kleindienst
            -Reporter’s telephone calls
            -Retraction
                  -Kenneth W. Clawson’s call to Henry A. Grunwald
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

Thank you.
Yes, sir, Mr. President.
Are your lawsuits coming?
Well, I've been giving it a lot of thought.
I sure as hell think I've got one.
Yeah, so too.
I haven't played much of the story, actually.
Tonight Star sort of buried it in there.
I think with the Johnson death that it probably did not make the networks, although I didn't watch that tonight.
really happen around here, don't they?
Yeah, I should say they do.
The irony of it, of course, is just that he should die before we've got something done there, yeah.
One day, maybe, or two.
Three or four, perhaps, but whatever the case may be.
Well, anyway, that's the strange turn that life takes.
I'm sure it would have given him a lot of satisfaction to see us finish that and send it down the craws of the critics.
Right.
Well, in any event, he'll make him look better in the end than he would have looked otherwise.
I often used to tell him when I talked to him over these years, and particularly the last couple of years, that how this game came out was going to have an enormous effect on his place in history, and he's aware of that.
Oh, I'm sure he's aware of that.
He would step up to it, unfortunately.
You know, he beat this just as well.
It probably wouldn't have helped us if he hadn't.
no that's right and uh we had everything that he could give us anyway right he came now that's uh that's something first time in 40 years or has been a former president i hadn't thought of that i completely forgot so you over lived through all the 40 years right okay but i'd uh i really think you ought to consider it what's what are the arguments against it well the only argument against it is one that uh i happen to be at a dinner party there
reception tonight with Dick Lindingston.
Oh yeah, what's he saying?
Well, Dick simply said, you know, don't put the damn story up.
Well, that may be true.
On the other hand, the case is a hell of a case.
I've had two of my prospective law partners looking at it.
What's the statute of limitations?
I've got three years.
But the real value of it, of course, is publicity.
And I could make a hell of a case because they've admitted and their reporter is calling me.
The reporter who wrote the story is calling me frantically tonight.
Take his call?
I haven't yet.
I've decided to make him sweat.
I was in Grunewald tonight, and...
I hope he reamed him out.
What he said is that we don't want it run as a letter to the editor, and an apology, we want it run on the news section.
And Grunewald said, I'll consider it.
Well, now we're there.
They're calling me tonight.
I think I've really gotten to them.
I'm sure.
Well, but you can't have them run it in a news section.
That doesn't do it.
They just say, well, we said this, but they say that, you see.
Oh, no, no.
They would do it with a statement of apology.
Attraction.
Okay.
They're calling it a regret, which is maybe a little different.
Okay.
I'd like to stick it to them.
All right.
Okay.
Thank you.
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