Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 20 › Conversation 020-135
Nixon phone call with Colson on 1972 Election and Edmund Muskie
Wednesday, March 1, 1972 · 8:50 AM–9:08 AM ET · White House Telephone ·18 min
AI Summary
President Nixon and Charles Colson discuss the political implications of recent economic trends, specifically focusing on the upcoming January unemployment figures and stock market performance. The conversation also analyzes the volatility of the 1972 Democratic primaries, particularly the decline of Edmund Muskie's campaign and the potential impact of the busing issue on Democratic candidates. Nixon expresses satisfaction with the defeat of the Griffin Amendment, noting that it preserves his administration's flexibility to define its own legislative stance on the busing issue.
- 1972 Election
- Edmund Muskie
- Unemployment statistics
- Busing
- Griffin Amendment
- Economy
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
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Mr. Colson, Mr. President.
Good morning, sir.
What's new today before I take off?
Well, I think the market went up very well at the end of the day on some very heavy trading.
And I just had a fill-in from Herb Stein on the...
Economic report.
He was talking at our 815 meeting this morning.
He sent you a series of memos, but I think he's a little more bullish talking about it than he is in the...
Number one, the uninsured employment numbers have declined again in January, which indicates to me that when we get our figures tonight on the January unemployment, we may get a break.
They'll be announced this Friday.
This week should show us hopefully another good month.
If it does, I think maybe we're on a trend that we can sustain.
Politically... 5.9 now, aren't we?
5.9, yes, sir.
And we get a little bit of a seasonal adjustment break this month also.
And that may help us.
But I'll have that figured by between 5 and 6 tonight.
Yeah.
Well, they're in trouble on that one.
Let's see, yesterday in the Senate, they turned down the softer thing, huh?
Well, no, they turned down the Griffin Amendment, which was the hard... Oh, the other way around.
Yes, sir.
The Griffin Amendment got beaten yesterday, which passed last week by three votes.
By how much yesterday?
I think it was also three votes yesterday.
Well, Chris, the lovely part of it from our standpoint, I think, yes, it was three votes.
I'm delighted with it because had the Griffin Amendment stayed in the legislation, it would have preempted whatever you decide to announce and would have made it more difficult for you to come forward with a legislative posture.
So I'm glad from a political standpoint that Griffin was licked.
I'm glad from a second standpoint because the votes that defeated it
with the return of Muskie, Humphrey, and McGovern.
They all voted against it?
Oh, yes.
Humphrey did?
Yes, sir.
And Mansfield called them back.
As you know, they all missed the vote.
Well, if you get anything interesting, you pass it on to Alleman, will you?
Well, I'll get you the unemployment statistics as soon as I have them, and we'll pass those on to Bob tonight, and I hope you do get some rest, Mr. President.
I don't want to hear them.
They're bad.
We don't need them.
Okay.
We don't care.
Okay, thanks.
Have a good rest, sir.
Bye.
Thank you.
NARA Description
On March 1, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 8:50 am to 9:08 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 020-135 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 20-135
Date: March 1, 1972
Time: 8:50 am - 9:08 am
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with Charles W. Colson.
[See Conversation No. 676-9]
The President’s schedule
Economy
-Stock market
-Amount of trading
-Herbert Stein economic report
-Staff meeting
-Memoranda
-Employment
-Uninsured employment figures
-Prospects for January employment figure
-Timing of forthcoming figure
**********************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 05/01/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[020-135-w001]
[Duration: 11m 27s]
1972 election
-New Hampshire primary
-Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy write-in effort
-David S. Broder story in March 1, 1972 Washington Post
-Press conference by Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy supporters
-Edmund S. Muskie’s "Canuck" remark
-Perceived loss of self-control
-Charles W. Colson’s opinion
-George S. McGovern’s response to remark
-Vance Hartke’s response to remark
-Robert J. Dole’s response to remark
-French-Canadian alienation
-Shift of prominent Democrats away from Edmund S. Muskie
-Clark MacGregor’s talk with Wilbur D. Mills on February 29 1972
-Wilbur D. Mills's write in effort
-Wilbur D. Mills's prospects
-The President’s opinion
-Volatility of primary
-Collapse in Edmund S. Muskie support
-Prospects
-Samuel W. Yorty campaign
-William Loeb support
-Campaign effort
-Difficulty of primary
-Nashua
-Charles W. Colson’s opinion
-Demands on candidates
-The President’s opinion
-Paul N. (“Pete”) McCloskey Jr.–John N. Ashbrook prospects for primary
-Charles W. Colson’s opinion
-Becker poll
-President's strength
-Nature of Massachusetts electorate
-Paul N. (“Pete”) McCloskey, Jr.’s prospects in Massachusetts
-Edmund S. Muskie campaign
-Douglas L. Hallett reports
-Sources
-Edmund S. Muskie departure from event at high school
-William Loeb/Edmund S. Muskie battle
-Edmund S. Muskie temper
-Margaret Chase Smith's view
-Portrayal in press
-Ability to operate under pressure
-Louis Harris's view
-Public perception
-Pressure from right-wing of Democratic Party
-William Loeb
-Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
-George C. Wallace pressure
-Pressure from left-wing of Democratic Party
-Newspaper ads from George S. McGovern donors
-Campaign money
-Gallup poll
-Hubert H. Humphrey gains
-Popularity
-Edmund S. Muskie campaign
-Losing ground
-Prospects for Edmund S. Muskie race against the President
-Potential Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy presidential candidacy
-Extreme positions
-Charles W. Colson’s opinion
-Praise for People’s Republic of China [PRC] trip
-Potential reasons for praise
-Harris poll
-Timing
-People’s Republic of China [PRC] trip impact
-Public perception of Democratic Party
-Issues
-Negativity of Democratic proposals
-Political conflict
-Busing
**********************************************************************
Busing issue
-Senate action
-Robert P. Griffin amendment defeat
-Margin
-Benefits
-Political
-The President’s legislative posture
-Voting breakdown
-Edmund S. Muskie
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-George S. McGovern
-Michael J. Mansfield
**********************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 05/01/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[020-135-w002]
[Duration: 4m 3s]
Busing issue
-Edmund S. Muskie’s stance
-Reasons for stance
-Money
-Potential help in getting presidential nomination
-Arizona and Iowa caucuses
-Type of voters participating
-Richard M. Scammon’s view
-Democratic National Convention [DNC] delegates
-President's tactics
-Busing issues
-Democratic National Convention [DNC]
-Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy stance
-Similar to John V. Lindsay
-Appeal to black voters
-John V. Lindsay’s stance
-Hubert H. Humphrey’s stance
-Florida comments against
-Vote on February 29 against Robert P. Griffin amendment
-Senate vote
1972 election
-Hubert H. Humphrey campaign
-Effort
-Charles W. Colson’s visit to Florida
-Press coverage
-Compared to Edmund S. Muskie
-Jackson
-Miami
-Public perception of primaries
-Enthusiasm
-Apathy
-New Hampshire
-Florida
-Busing
-Compared to 1968 election
-Vietnam War issue
-Vietnam War
-Announcement of troop withdrawal
-Positive issue for the President
-Charles W. Colson’s opinion
-Public opinion
-Offensive as an issue
-Paul N. (“Pete”) McCloskey Jr. campaign
The President's schedule
-Rest
-Contact with Charles W. Colson
-March 6, 1972
**********************************************************************
Economy
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman's role
-Unemployment statisticsAlso recorded on March 1, 1972
- 676-003 8:32 AM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:32 am to 8:33 am.
- 676-004 8:33 AM · 27 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:33 am and 8:40 am.
- 676-005 8:33 AM · 22 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:33 am and 8:40 am.
- 676-006 8:40 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:40 am to 8:43 am.
- 676-007 8:43 AM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:43 am and 8:50 am.
- 676-008 8:43 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:43 am and 8:50 am.
- 676-009 8:50 AM · 17 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:50 am to 9:08 am.
- 676-010 9:08 AM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:08 am and 9:10 am.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 020-135, March 1, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/020-135 (accessed September 18, 2026).