Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 43 › Conversation 043-039

Colson & Howard on Richard Wilson and Vietnam War

Wednesday, February 7, 1973 · 12:45 PM–1:20 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsColson, Charles W.; White House operator; [Unknown person(s)]; Howard, W. RickConversation043-039 on Tape 43StartWednesday, February 7, 1973 at 12:45 PMEndWednesday, February 7, 1973 at 1:20 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 043-039 ↗

AI Summary

Charles W. Colson coordinates with his staff and W. Richard Howard to retrieve a specific newspaper column written by Richard Wilson for the Washington Star. The discussion centers on locating this piece, which highlights the conclusion of the Vietnam War and features commentary from Leslie C. Arends. Colson directs Howard to deliver the column to the President’s office immediately for review.

Audio

Download MP3 · 1.5 MB

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
This is Mr. Colson.
Could I have my office?
Surely, sir.
Thanks.
You're welcome.
It was good.
It wasn't really any better than a lot of things that have been written.
Mr. Colson's office.
Let me have Holly, please.
She sat down, Mr. Colson.
Let me have Dick.
Okay, just a second.
It's probably the one he happened, you know, Wes Aaron's... Well, it's all right.
It's a good column.
It was about two nights ago, I think, or three nights ago.
Yes, sir.
Dick, would you have sent in to me right away in the president's office, and he'll be the Dick Wilson column from either Monday night.
It would have to be Monday Star.
Yeah.
Remember, it was a good column.
It was Monday Star, right?
Yeah, it was a good column on the ending of the war.
Okay.
Yep.
Bring it right in.
All right.

NARA Description

On February 7, 1973, Charles W. Colson, White House operator, unknown person(s), and W. Richard Howard talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:45 pm and 1:20 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 043-039 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 43-39

Date: February 7, 1973
Time: Unknown between 12:45 pm and 1:20 pm
Location: White House Telephone

Charles W. Colson talked with the White House operator.

       Colson’s office
                                               -23-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                          Conversation No. 43-39 (cont’d)

Colson talked with an unknown member of his staff.

       Request for Holly Holm
            -W. Richard Howard

Colson talked with Howard.

       Richard Wilson column in Washington Star
            -Vietnam War
                  -Leslie C. Arends

Also recorded on February 7, 1973

  • 852-010 12:26 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, White House photographer, J. Roy Goodearle, Mrs. J. Roy Goodearle, Sarah Goodearle, Harold Goodearle, Ellen Good, and Doris Good met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:26 pm to 12:29 pm.
  • 852-019 12:26 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at 12:26 pm.
  • 852-011 12:29 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, White House photographer, E. Pendleton James, Julie James, and Rob James met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:29 pm to 12:33 pm.
  • 852-012 12:33 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House photographer, W. Richard Howard, Patrick E. O'Donnell, and Mrs. Patrick E. O'Donnell met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:33 pm to 12:36 pm.
  • 852-013 12:36 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:36 pm and 12:40 pm.
  • 852-020 12:40 PM · 1 min — unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:40 pm and 3:10 pm.
  • 043-037 12:41 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 12:41 pm.
  • 043-038 1:00 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 1:00 pm to 1:01 pm.

All 28 conversations from February 7, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 043-039, February 7, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/043-039 (accessed October 1, 2026).