Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 158 › Conversation 158-024
Nixon phone call with Colson on Vietnam War and US Bombing Campaign
Friday, December 29, 1972 · 5:20 PM–5:32 PM ET · Camp David Study Table · 11 min
AI Summary
President Nixon and Charles Colson discuss strategies for managing public and congressional opinion regarding the ongoing Vietnam War, specifically focusing on the recent US bombing campaigns against North Vietnam. They analyze the impact of media reporting and political opposition—including protests led by figures like George McGovern—while emphasizing the importance of maintaining U.S. credibility in the peace negotiations. The conversation also touches upon the need to coordinate with congressional leaders and frame the administration's actions to ensure public support for the war effort and the eventual peace settlement.
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 6 minutes of this recording (about 53% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.
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NARA Description
On December 29, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at Camp David from 5:20 pm to 5:32 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 158-024 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 158-24
Date: December 29, 1972
Time: 5:20 - 5:32 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table
The President talked with Charles W. Colson.
[See Conversation No. 237-30]
Vietnam War
-US bombing of North Vietnam
-Justification
-Settlement agreement
-Enforceability
-US commitments and credibility
-US allies
-Negotiations
-North Vietnam’s “filibuster”
-North Vietnam’s preparation to fight
-Colson’s conversation with John A. Scali
-Infiltration
-Settlement agreement
-US credibility
-30-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 158-24 (cont’d)
-Enforceability
-Pause
-Press reports
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-South Vietnam
-North Vietnam
-Scali
-View
-Compared to Colson’s view
-Report on public relations
-Role
-Media relations
-Wires
-United Press International [UPI]
-Associated Press [AP]
-Television [TV]
-The President’s decision
-Historical perspective
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Previous statements
-Congressional relations
-Consultations
-Leaders
-William E. Timmons
-Senate, House of Representatives
-Republicans
-William B. Saxbe’s statements
-Senate Armed Services Committee
-Response
-Ohio
-Donald E. Lukens
-Samuel L. Devine
-Lukens
-Republicans
-1972 election
-The President’s victory
-Margin
-Ohio
-Defeats
-31-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 158-24 (cont’d)
-Margaret Chase Smith
-J. Caleb Boggs
-Jack Miller
-Gordon L. Allott
-Robert C. (“Bob”) Wilson
-House of Representatives
-Democrats
-George S. McGovern
-William A. Rusher
-Yale University
-1970 campaign
-Contributions
-Murray M. Chotiner
-Cessation north of 20th Parallel
-Announcement
-Effect
-Scali’s view
-Liberals’ view
-Prisoners of War [POWs]
-Killing of civilians
-Responsibilty
-Honor
-Media relations
-Colson’s view
-Killing of civilians
-North Vietnamese rocket attack on Hue
-Demonstrations
-McGovern
-Dean Francis B. Sayre
-Response
-Washington National Cathedral
-Signs
-“Tell it to Hanoi”
-Tone
-Blind Vietnam veteran
-32-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUMAlso recorded on December 29, 1972
- 158-020 5:06 PM · 26 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at 5:06 pm.
- 158-021 5:06 PM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 5:06 pm and 5:12 pm.
- 158-022 5:12 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone at Camp David from 5:12 pm to 5:15 pm.
- 237-029 5:12 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 5:12 pm to 5:15 pm.
- 158-023 5:15 PM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 5:15 pm and 5:20 pm.
- 237-052 5:15 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 5:15 pm and 5:20 pm.
- 237-030 5:20 PM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 5:20 pm to 5:32 pm.
- 237-031 5:32 PM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 5:32 pm and 6:00 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 158-024, December 29, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/158-024 (accessed October 11, 2026).