President Nixon and Charles Colson evaluated the evening news coverage provided by major television networks, specifically focusing on the biased reporting regarding Vice President Spiro Agnew and Democratic challenger George McGovern. Colson critiqued the perceived hostility of CBS toward the administration while highlighting the relative coverage of news editors and networks. The conversation also touched upon the political implications of AFL-CIO polling in Connecticut and included mention of a meeting with Andrei Gromyko at Camp David.
On October 2, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at Camp David from 8:39 pm to 8:43 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 145-021 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 145-21
Date: October 2, 1972
Time: 8:39 pm - 8:45 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table
The President talked with Charles W. Colson.
*****************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 08/21/2018.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[145-021-w001]
[Duration: 3m 35s]
Charles W. Colson's assessment of evening television news coverage
-National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC]
-Negative coverage
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-Hatred towards Spiro T. Agnew
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-American Broadcasting Corporation [ABC]
-George S. McGovern
-Charles W. Colson’s opinion
-Audience Response
-Spiro T. Agnew
-Charles W. Colson’s opinion
-National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC]
(rev. Feb-24)
-George S. McGovern
-Spiro T. Agnew
-John W. Chancellor
-News editors
-Reuven Frank
-Camp David
-Andrei A. Gromyko meeting
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
American Broadcasting Corporation [ABC]
-Spiro T. Agnew
-George S. McGovern
-Camp David
-Andrei A. Gromyko meeting
Henry Kissinger entered at an unknown time after 8:39 p.m.
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-American Broadcasting Corporation [ABC]
-Spiro T. Agnew
-George S. McGovern
-National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC]
-Camp David
-Spiro T. Agnew
-Positive reception
Jay Lovestone
-American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations [AFL-CIO]
-Polls
-Connecticut
*****************************************************************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.