President Richard Nixon and Charles Colson discuss communication strategy, focusing on how to frame economic performance in contrast to the Democratic administrations of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. They emphasize criticizing the historical link between Democratic policies, wartime spending, and unemployment. The conversation concludes with an agreement to push a narrative that attributes economic stability to the current administration while framing past prosperity under Democrats as tied to the Vietnam War.
On August 12, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:31 pm to 2:38 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 273-005 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 273-5
Date: August 12, 1971
Time: 2:31 pm - 2:38 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
Charles W. Colson talked with the President.
John D. Ehrlichman
-Press conference
Vietnam
-US policy
-Elections
Michael J. Mansfield
-Investigation
Unknown man
National economy
-Unknown man's possible statement
-Democrats
-Prosperity
-Lyndon B. Johnson's administration
-War
-John F. Kennedy's administration
-Unemployment rate
President's schedule
-George P. ShultzThis 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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.