Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 137 › Conversation 137-003

Nixon phone call with Colson on Vietnam War and Ramsey Clark

Friday, August 11, 1972 · 6:14 PM–6:35 PM ET · Camp David Study Table · 56 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.Conversation137-003 on Tape 137StartFriday, August 11, 1972 at 6:14 PMEndFriday, August 11, 1972 at 6:35 PMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 137-003 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Charles Colson strategized on how to politically weaponize former Attorney General Ramsey Clark’s recent criticisms of the administration’s Vietnam policies. They viewed Clark’s public opposition as hypocritical given his own role in escalating the conflict, and planned to use these remarks to shock the public. As a follow-up action, they agreed to task John Mitchell with pressuring George McGovern to either address or repudiate Clark’s controversial statements.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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What he said about Clark was just beautiful.
He said, to hear the voice of a former U.S. Attorney General, a man involved in the decisions which sent a half a million men to North Vietnam, now criticizing Nixon's policies while American airmen are still being killed in action, to me is contemptible.
To me it is beyond belief.
I would think the American people would be shocked.
He was really very good.
He didn't attack McGovern, but of course that's understandable.
We'll get Mitchell to do that tomorrow.
demand that mcgovern repudiate the uh right the statements

NARA Description

On August 11, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at Camp David from 6:14 pm to 6:35 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 137-003 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 137-3

Date: August 11, 1972
Time: 6:14 pm - 6:35 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table

The President talked with the Charles W. Colson.

[See Conversation No. 201-1]

     [Unintelligible]

     William P. Rogers
          -W. Ramsey Clark
                -Remarks concerning the President’s Vietnam policies
                     -US casualties
          -George S. McGovern
                -John N. Mitchell

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 17m 29s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

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Also recorded on August 11, 1972

  • 201-001 6:14 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 6:14 pm to 6:35 pm.
  • 137-004 6:35 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 6:35 pm and 7:33 pm.
  • 201-002 7:24 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Tricia Nixon Cox met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 7:24 pm and 7:31 pm.
  • 201-003 7:31 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 7:31 pm and 7:33 pm.
  • 137-005 7:33 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David from 7:33 pm to 7:42 pm.
  • 201-004 7:33 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 7:33 pm to 7:42 pm.
  • 201-005 7:42 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Tricia Nixon Cox met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 7:42 pm and 8:30 pm.
  • 201-006 7:42 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Donald McI. Kendall, Mrs. Donald McI. Kendall, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 7:42 pm and 8:30 pm.

All 41 conversations from August 11, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 137-003, August 11, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/137-003 (accessed October 12, 2026).