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Conversation 188-011

TapeTape 188StartThursday, May 18, 1972 at 5:56 PMEndThursday, May 18, 1972 at 8:22 PMTape start time00:39:48Tape end time00:41:56ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Colson, Charles W.Recording deviceCamp David Hard Wire
AI Summary

President Nixon directed Charles Colson to reorganize administration lobbying efforts to better mirror the aggressive, direct-action tactics used by anti-war radicals. Nixon argued that congressional members were increasingly susceptible to pressure and instructed Colson to coordinate with Clark MacGregor to deploy proactive delegations to secure legislative commitments. The President emphasized that this shift from traditional mail and phone campaigns to face-to-face, intensive lobbying was essential to influence members of Congress effectively.

Lobbying tacticsCongressional relationsPolitical strategyCharles ColsonLegislative influence
AudioNARA Description

On May 18, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 5:56 pm and 8:22 pm. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 188-011 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 188-011

Date: May 18, 1972
Time: Unknown between 5:56 pm and 8:22 pm
Location: Camp David Hard Wire

The President dictated a memorandum to Charles W. Colson.

     Congress
         -Administration lobbying of Senate and House
              -The President’s view
         -Radicals' and peaceniks' lobbying
              -Methods
                     -Mail
                     -Telephone calls
                     -Delegations

                            -President's experience
           -Administration lobbying
                -Colson's office
                -Clark MacGregor's office
                -Delegations to Senators and Congressmen
                      -Purposes
           -The President’s view
           -Reaction to delegations
           -Administration lobbying
                -Methods
Transcript (AI-Generated)

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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

the way we work on members of the Senate and how it may not be as effective as it can be, period.
It is quite clear that the opposition, the fiendics, the radicals, et cetera, primarily concentrate not on mail, telephone calls, but on sending delegations and who insist on seeing
and then proceed to work him over and get a commitment from him, period.
Having been in this spot myself on many occasions, I now know how hard it is to turn one of these groups off without saying something that is favorable to their cause, period.
I think you ought to have a discussion in your own shop and also with McGregor.
Okay.
we can get delegations to the system calling on senators and congressmen so that they can hammer home what we want and get commitments from them.
Period.
You have to remember that there are many, there are very, very few people with any backbone in the Senator House anymore and that they are really patsies for a group that comes in and
What we need are some strong, vigorous people who will act just as effectively as our opponents do in going office to office in groups and trying to get commitments from our point of view.
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