Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 210 › Conversation 210-009

Nixon phone call with Colson on Public relations and Political strategy

Tuesday, September 12, 1972 · 9:04 PM–9:15 PM ET · Camp David Hard Wire · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.Conversation210-009 on Tape 210StartTuesday, September 12, 1972 at 9:04 PMEndTuesday, September 12, 1972 at 9:15 PMRecording deviceCamp David Hard WireSourceNixon Library record for 210-009 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Charles Colson briefly discuss the political implications of public outbursts, specifically referencing an individual named Lutz. Nixon posits that such negative displays can ironically serve the administration's interests by highlighting the dissatisfaction of opponents in contrast to the public's general perception that the country is doing well. The conversation remains speculative and concludes without any formal policy directives or significant operational decisions.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Now, I was thinking a little bit about the Lutz thing.
And one thing that occurred to me is that perhaps when outbursts like that may not be just bad in the sense that, in one sense, that a lot of people really think that everything is fine.
You see what I mean?
And I mean, it's just one of those things.
I don't want to repeat the question.
Yeah.
Okay, fine.
Thank you.

NARA Description

On September 12, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 9:04 pm to 9:15 pm. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 210-009 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 210-9

Date: September 12, 1972
Time: 9:04 pm - 9:15 pm
Location: Camp David Hard Wire

The President talked with Charles W. Colson.

[See Conversation no. 142-7; one item has been withdrawn from this conversation]

Also recorded on September 13, 1972

  • 142-004 8:53 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at 8:53 pm.
  • 210-006 8:53 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at 8:53 pm.
  • 142-005 8:58 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Tricia Nixon Cox talked on the telephone at Camp David from 8:58 pm to 9:00 pm.
  • 210-007 8:58 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Tricia Nixon Cox met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 8:58 pm to 9:00 pm.
  • 142-006 9:03 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at 9:03 pm.
  • 210-008 9:03 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at 9:03 pm.
  • 142-007 9:04 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at Camp David from 9:04 pm to 9:15 pm.
  • 210-010 9:15 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:15 pm and 9:50 pm.

All 20 conversations from September 13, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 210-009, September 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/210-009 (accessed October 23, 2026).