{"conversationCode":"261-018","tapeNumber":261,"conversationNumber":18,"identifier":"37-wht-conversation-261-018","startDateTime":"1971-06-17T22:55:00.000Z","endDateTime":"1971-06-17T22:56:00.000Z","startDate":"17-Jun-1971","startTime":"6:55 PM","endDate":"17-Jun-1971","endTime":"6:56 PM","dateCertainty":"certain","timeCertainty":"certain","participants":"Nixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.;","description":"On June 17, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 6:55 pm to 6:56 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 261-018 of the White House Tapes.","locationCode":"EOB","recordingDevice":"Old Executive Office Building","latitudeEstimated":38.897567,"longitudeEstimated":-77.039147,"chronCode":1,"chronRelease":"First Chronological Release","chronReleaseDate":"5-Oct-1999","aogpRelease":null,"aogpSegment":null,"lastModified":"2015-07-27T17:04:10.235Z","findingAid":"Conversation No. 261-18\n\nDate: June 17, 1971\nTime: 6:55 pm - 6:56 pm\nLocation: Executive Office Building\n\nThe President talked with Charles W. Colson\n\n[See Conversation No. 5-115]","filename":["261-018-splice.mp3"],"tapeStart":"00:47:00","tapeEnd":"00:47:21","participantsList":["Nixon, Richard M. (President)","Colson, Charles W."],"prevCode":"261-017","nextCode":"261-019","tapeTranscriptFile":"261a.mp3,261b.mp3,261c.mp3,261d.mp3","transcript":[{"start":2828.31,"end":2834.69,"text":"Well, I'd want a straight ultimatum, let me be honest with you."},{"start":2834.71,"end":2841.3,"text":"I'd like an ultimatum that says, how is the project here going to happen?"},{"start":2841.36,"end":2841.54,"text":"Fair."},{"start":2841.7,"end":2845.82,"text":"And again, you know, the time, I already pressed the button."}],"transcriptBoundary":{"start":2820,"end":2845,"startMethod":"llm-alignment","endMethod":"llm-alignment"},"transcriptConfidence":"high","transcriptSource":"bigtape","originalFilename":["261a.mp3","261b.mp3","261c.mp3","261d.mp3"],"spliceSource":{"spliceType":"bigtape","sourceFiles":["261a.mp3"],"cutStart":2818.5,"cutEnd":2846.5,"adjustedStart":2818.5,"adjustedEnd":2846.5,"boundaryMethod":"llm-alignment","confidence":"high","splicedAt":"2026-09-18T14:10:26.820Z"},"aiSummary":{"text":"President Nixon and Charles Colson briefly discussed the implementation of an undisclosed project, with the President emphasizing the need for a direct ultimatum to ensure progress. Nixon confirmed that he had already initiated the necessary actions and demanded clarity regarding the project's execution. Colson acknowledged the President's instructions, signaling his understanding of the urgent directive.","topics":["Project oversight","Executive authority","Operational strategy","Internal communication"],"generatedAt":"2026-04-06T12:18:51.996Z"},"topicSlugs":["project-oversight","executive-authority","operational-strategy","internal-communication"],"audioDurationSec":28,"audioFiles":[{"file":"261-018-splice.mp3","bytes":448514,"durationSec":28,"bitrate":128131,"missing":false}],"audioIsShared":false,"audioProbedAt":"2026-09-18T14:10:26.820Z","transcriptPrev":{"segments":6,"replacedAt":"2026-09-18T14:11:47.823Z"},"audio":["https://nixon.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/audio/261-018-splice.mp3"],"url":"https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/261-018","nixonLibraryUrl":"https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/white-house-tapes/261/conversation-261-018","license":"Public domain (U.S. Government work). AI-generated fields (transcript, aiSummary) are provided as-is without warranty."}