Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 145 › Conversation 145-007
Nixon phone call with Colson on 1972 Presidential Campaign
Saturday, September 30, 1972 · 2:51 PM–2:59 PM ET · Camp David Study Table ·13 sec
AI Summary
President Nixon and Charles Colson review favorable polling data and the stagnant state of George McGovern's campaign as the 1972 election approaches. They discuss the effectiveness of advertising strategies targeting Democratic voters, specifically focusing on welfare and amnesty issues. The conversation concludes with an assessment of the campaign's momentum and coordination with H.R. Haldeman regarding regional ad placements.
- 1972 Presidential Campaign
- Public opinion polling
- George McGovern
- Political advertising
- Democrats for Nixon
- Campaign strategy
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
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NARA Description
On September 30, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at Camp David from 2:51 pm to 2:59 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 145-007 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 145-7
Date: September 30, 1972
Time: 2:51 pm - 2:59 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table
Charles W. Colson talked with the President.
[This is the original beginning of conversation No. 145-007, which has been merged with
conversation 145-006.]
*****************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 08/21/2018.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[145-007-w001]
[Duration: 7m 41s]
1972 campaign
-Polls
-Richard M. Scammon report
-Positive news for campaign
-Landslide
-Lyndon B. Johnson
(rev. Feb-24)
-Barry M. Goldwater
-George H. Gallup
-Thomas F. Eagleton
-Park Avenue apartment
-Thomas F. Eagleton
-George S. McGovern
-Watergate
-No movement for McGovern campaign
-Richard M. Scammon’s opinion
-Albert E. Sindlinger
-Louis Harris
-George H. Gallup
-Chicago
-Democrats for Richard M. Nixon
-Commercial
-George S. McGovern
-Welfare
-Democrats for Richard M. Nixon
-Effect on public
-Committee for the Reelection of the President
-Republican National Committee
-Democrats
-H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Ad strategy
-California
-Richard M. Scammon
-George S. McGovern
-Ad
-Welfare
-Amnesty
-Democratic convention
-George S. McGovern’s numbers
-The President's lead in polls
-Analysis
-The President’s opinion
-Ads
-H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-California
-Defense ad
(rev. Feb-24)
-Michigan
*****************************************************************Also recorded on September 30, 1972
- 145-002 2:05 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 2:05 pm and 2:32 pm.
- 145-003 2:32 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman talked on the telephone at Camp David from 2:32 pm to 2:36 pm.
- 214-003 2:32 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 2:32 pm to 2:36 pm.
- 145-004 2:36 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 2:36 pm and 2:42 pm.
- 145-005 2:42 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David from 2:42 pm to 2:45 pm.
- 214-004 2:42 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 2:42 pm to 2:45 pm.
- 145-006 2:45 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 2:45 pm and 2:51 pm.
- 214-005 2:51 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 2:51 pm to 2:59 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 145-007, September 30, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/145-007 (accessed September 18, 2026).