Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 43 › Conversation 043-018

Nixon phone call with Colson on Alexander Haig and Henry Kissinger

Saturday, February 3, 1973 · 12:15 PM–12:16 PM ET · White House Telephone · 31 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.Conversation043-018 on Tape 43StartSaturday, February 3, 1973 at 12:15 PMEndSaturday, February 3, 1973 at 12:16 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 043-018 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 417194751 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon instructed Charles Colson to brief Alexander Haig regarding recent developments and to coordinate with Rose Mary Woods concerning a telephone call to Senator John Stennis. Colson also informed the President that he had met with Henry Kissinger, noting that the National Security Advisor would likely appear unsettled during his upcoming meeting with Nixon. The President concluded by directing Colson to provide a follow-up report on these matters later in the day.

Audio

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NARA Description

On February 3, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 12:15 pm to 12:16 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 043-018 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 43-18

Date: February 3, 1973
Time: 12:15 pm - 12:16 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Charles W. Colson

[See Conversation No. 840-12A]

       Instructions on call to Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

       Henry A. Kissinger
            -Colson's schedule
            -Colson’s report

       Rose Mary Woods
            -Coy Stennis
                                              -11-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                          Conversation No. 43-18 (cont’d)

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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).

Yeah.

Yes, sir, Mr. President.

It occurred to me that you ought to give Al Haig a call and fill him in on this, too.

Right.

Okay.

I just talked to Henry, so when he comes in to see you, he'll be a little shaken.

Oh.

On the way back, I just dropped into his office.

Yeah, yeah.

Well, you give me a report later, if you will.

Fine, fine.

And I've told Rose who's going to call Mr. Stennis.

Okay.

Good.

Thank you, sir.

Also recorded on February 3, 1973

043-017 12:09 PM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:09 pm and 12:15 pm.
840-010 12:09 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at 12:09 pm.
840-011 12:09 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:09 pm and 12:12 pm.
840-012 12:12 PM · 1 hr 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, Rose Mary Woods, Charles W. Colson, Henry A. Kissinger, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:12 pm to 1:20 pm.
043-019 12:16 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 12:16 pm.
840-013 1:20 PM · 52 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at 1:20 pm.
840-014 1:20 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:20 pm to 1:21 pm.
840-015 1:20 PM · 23 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:20 pm to 1:21 pm.

All 41 conversations from February 3, 1973 →

Nixon, Ehrlichman & Butterfield on Henry Kissinger and Democratic Party April 11, 1972 · 5 min
Nixon & Kissinger on Pentagon Papers and Press relations August 12, 1971 · 1 min
Nixon phone call with Goldwater on F. Edward Hébert and John Stennis June 30, 1971 · 1 min
Nixon & Woods on Alexander M. Haig Jr. and Distinguished Service Medal January 3, 1973 · 1 min
Nixon & Bull on Council of the Americas and William P. Rogers June 7, 1973 · 1 min
Haldeman & MacGregor on Campaign strategy and Personnel July 1, 1972 · 1 min

Cite this conversation

Conversation 043-018, February 3, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417194751). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/043-018 (accessed November 15, 2026).