Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 273 › Conversation 273-017

Nixon & Colson on Economic Policy and Unemployment

Thursday, August 12, 1971 · 5:16 PM–5:20 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.; [Unknown person(s)]Conversation273-017 on Tape 273 (tape position 01:56:40–01:58:49)StartThursday, August 12, 1971 at 5:16 PMEndThursday, August 12, 1971 at 5:20 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 273-017 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Charles W. Colson discussed economic strategies, specifically focusing on the goal of restoring national prosperity compared to previous administrations. The conversation touched upon the correlation between unemployment rates and the reduction in the size of the Armed Forces. The participants also briefly addressed the international monetary situation and preparations for an upcoming phone call by the President.

Audio

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Position in tape: 01:56:40 – 01:58:49

part A, 1:56:43

273a.mp3

273b.mp3

273c.mp3

NARA Description

On August 12, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:16 pm to 5:20 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 273-017 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 273-17

Date: August 12, 1971
Time: 5:16 pm - 5:20 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Charles W. Colson.

     Fact sheet
           -Contents
                -Prosperity
                     -Previous administrations
                -Unemployment
                     -Relationship to decline in size of Armed Forces

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 5:16 pm.
     Unknown activity

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 5:20 pm.

     International monetary situation

     President’s forthcoming call to unknown person

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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The one thing that I do think I would put up higher from the center and more comprehensive is the attack .

This line that we've said that they want to go back to the prosperity now, so-and-so said they want to go back to the prosperity of the previous administration.

What you're referring to is just a line that I need to hear.

And also use the line that if the two million people, and that's a good ground picture, the two million men who were in the arms portions and in defense lines at the time we came into office were still in the armed portions.

We would have wanted one that's below 4.5.

But at the present time, we have a different situation.

Did you see my question?

You want to look at that there.

There's an international mother bird.

I don't know if it's serious today, but.

Oh, I'm calling my mother bird.

I'm calling.

Hi.

Oh, I didn't think that would work.

Right.

OK.

Also recorded on August 12, 1971

273-010 4:51 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:51 pm and 5:05 pm.
273-011 4:51 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:51 pm and 5:05 pm.
273-014 5:05 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:05 pm to 5:07 pm.
273-015 5:07 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:07 pm and 5:16 pm.
273-016 5:07 PM · 28 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:07 pm and 5:16 pm.
273-018 5:20 PM · 48 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:20 pm and 5:27 pm.
273-019 5:27 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Peter M. Flanigan met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:27 pm to 5:30 pm.
273-020 5:30 PM · 1 hr 35 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, John B. Connally, George P. Shultz, Manolo Sanchez, and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm.

All 33 conversations from August 12, 1971 →

Nixon phone call with Haldeman on Lockheed and unemployment June 1, 1971 · 2 min
Nixon phone call with Ehrlichman on Economic Policy and Public Service Jobs June 4, 1971 · 6 min
Nixon phone call with Shultz on Economic policy and Inflation June 14, 1971 · 9 min
Nixon phone call with Colson on Unemployment and Economic policy July 3, 1971 · 1 min
Nixon phone call with Goldwater on Lockheed Corporation and Unemployment August 2, 1971 · 5 min
Agnew, Shultz & Stein on Federal Budget and 1974 Fiscal Year January 26, 1973 · 46 min

Cite this conversation

Conversation 273-017, August 12, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/273-017 (accessed November 2, 2026).