Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 199 › Conversation 199-015

Nixon phone call with Colson on Public Relations and Frank Carlucci

Sunday, August 13, 1972 · 10:45 AM–11:23 AM ET · Camp David Hard Wire · 4 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.Conversation199-015 on Tape 199StartSunday, August 13, 1972 at 10:45 AMEndSunday, August 13, 1972 at 11:23 AMRecording deviceCamp David Hard WireSourceNixon Library record for 199-015 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Charles Colson discuss public relations strategies regarding Office of Management and Budget official Frank Carlucci and the necessity of proactively managing media narratives. The two emphasize the importance of providing robust PR support for administration officials to counter accusations and maintain credibility. They agree on a cautious, strategic approach to releasing information to ensure that public charges are effectively addressed without prematurely spoiling their messaging.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Hello.
Well, how's your morale today?
Well, I don't know.
It's just, I think the problem is more the case that you have the ordinary PIO involved.
I can solve this arrest and just earn up to a job and I'll need to get a job press release.
What's the comment then?
And what happened?
Well, with Carlucci there, we definitely have to give him the backup on the PR side.
He'll do a hell of a job, but somebody's got to be there to give him the backup on the PR side.
Good, good.
Well, well, well, well, I'm sure.
Good.
That, that is going to get the, we will not get the credibility that he doesn't
All of them.
That's the way it's going to be.
So I don't encourage you too much to say anything.
You know what I mean?
No, I'll take it from them.
We're going to spoil it before we get to it.
I think it's going to be a pretty long version.
It would be 75 for a bear and the rest.
That would be something along the lines of a photograph.
He wasn't in.
He had a PR plan.
It's too early.
No, no, no.
He's great.
They're all, and Roger's great.
Well, the point is that they continue to debate it.
charge counter charge.
I understand that.
The only point is you couldn't let it lie there without Hayden.
And otherwise then the charge is never answered.
Now the charge has been answered.
Well, there I don't think they have all that much trouble.
I've got on it according to Al Hayden from the reading over television show last night or something.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's good.

NARA Description

On August 13, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 10:45 am to 11:23 am. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 199-015 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 199-15

Date: August 13, 1972
Time: 10:45 am - 11:23 am
Location: Camp David Hard Wire

The President talked with Charles W. Colson.

[See Conversation No. 137-20; two items have been withdrawn]

Also recorded on August 13, 1972

  • 137-015 10:15 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at 10:15 am.
  • 137-016 10:15 AM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at 10:15 am.
  • 137-018 10:19 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone at Camp David from 10:19 am to 10:22 am.
  • 199-012 10:19 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 10:19 am to 10:22 am.
  • 137-019 10:22 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:22 am and 10:45 am.
  • 199-013 10:22 AM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Tricia Nixon Cox met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:22 am and 10:45 am.
  • 199-014 10:22 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:22 am and 10:45 am.
  • 137-020 10:45 AM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at Camp David from 10:45 am to 11:23 am.

All 29 conversations from August 13, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 199-015, August 13, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/199-015 (accessed October 12, 2026).