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Conversation 027-055

TapeTape 27StartTuesday, July 25, 1972 at 5:23 PMEndTuesday, July 25, 1972 at 5:25 PMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Colson, Charles W.Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

President Nixon and Charles Colson discussed the morale and management of the White House communications staff, specifically regarding potential meetings with Kenneth Clawson’s group. Colson explained that he excluded Clawson’s team from a recent session to keep the meeting size manageable and to avoid offending Herb Klein. They agreed that the administration should meet with staff in specialized project groups to ensure productivity while maintaining sensitive internal hierarchies and professional relations.

White House StaffCharles ColsonHerb KleinStaff ManagementKenneth ClawsonCommunication Strategy
AudioNARA Description

On July 25, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 5:23 pm to 5:25 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 027-055 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 27-55

Date: July 25, 1972
Time: 5:23 pm - 5:25 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Charles W. Colson.

[See Conversation No. 753-7]

     The President's schedule
          -Meeting with Kenneth W. Clawson's staff
                 -Carlos D. Conde, Stanley S. Scott, Alvin Snyder, James Schurz
                 -Herbert G. Klein
                 -Inter-staff relationship
          -July 25, 1972 meeting with Colson's staff
                 -Meeting with speechwriters
                 -Staff reaction
                 -Staff work
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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

Yeah.
I was wondering about, about Clawson, whether or not we shouldn't get his group in, because I don't want them to feel that they're left out.
Well, I was thinking about bringing them in today, and then I decided it would just make it really kind of too large, but they won't feel left out, Mr. President.
How many are there?
Let's see, there's Clawson, Condie, Scott, there's three, Snyder, I'm sure it's five in all, but let's see it.
Most of them take their, of course, it would have been a huge inspiration.
Well, let him come in for, do you want to get him in for a few minutes now?
I don't think I would right now, Mr. President.
Well, you can wait.
Just tell them that we're working in various groups from time to time, and then when they're in a certain project, we'll bring them in.
I think that's the way to do it.
Basically, they ought to come in with Klein, too, shouldn't they?
That's right.
That's part of the difficulty.
I run them, but... Yeah, right.
We'll have them come in then when they're...
That's a very good idea.
I hadn't thought of that, because we don't want Herb to feel we're... That's why I didn't bring them today.
My job is to make them work, but we don't want to upset Herb's feelings.
We've always walked sort of that fine line.
That was marvelous of you to do that today.
I felt terrible taking that much of your time.
That's right.
I took a lot of time with the speechwriters, and I felt that the...
they won't i won't have another chance to do this but they've got to have the feeling that they've had the word from on high well and they do they all walked out of there just floating on a cloud you know these these fellas it it really is it's heartwarming because they they all work six days a week i rarely find that i don't have molly here on saturdays they work
They're always available to me up until 7.30 or 8 when I get home.
And they're in the mornings.
They're a great, hardworking bunch of fellas.
So it was marvelous of you to do it, sir.
Okay, Chuck.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. President.
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