Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 292 › Conversation 292-015

Nixon & Colson on Economic policy and Congressional relations

Tuesday, October 19, 1971 · 5:09 PM–5:27 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 9 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.Conversation292-015 on Tape 292 (tape position 02:17:45–02:26:20)StartTuesday, October 19, 1971 at 5:09 PMEndTuesday, October 19, 1971 at 5:27 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 292-015 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Charles Colson discuss recent legislative successes in the House of Representatives, specifically regarding efforts to reject Senate amendments. The conversation shifts to economic outlooks, where Nixon expresses frustration with cautious economic analysts and optimism for a strong consumer-driven Christmas season. They further address the need for disciplined control over inflation and economic messaging to foster positive public perception.

Audio

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Position in tape: 02:17:45 – 02:26:20

part A, 12:13

292a.mp3
292b.mp3

NARA Description

On October 19, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:09 pm to 5:27 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 292-015 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 292-15

Date: October 19, 1971
Time: 5:09 pm - 5:27 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Charles W. Colson.

[See Conversation No. 11-141]

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Any other things to report now?
I'm going to have to have one on Monday.
That would probably be a good time to do it.
We need about $2 more.
Yeah, yeah, I said that .
And he's coming back at his office yet.
What has he got, flu?
Is that what it is or something else?
Yeah.
Okay.
Our situation tomorrow is going to be clear.
Yes, sir.
Well, that was a good vote in the House, but, you know, particularly a tougher vote than the others because the way that Les nailed it down was flat out.
Yeah.
But I had made a vote up or down on which they said they would not accept the Senate.
Isn't that right?
We're glad that it's closed.
There was
I did vote for the leaders and then I went over and did the Democrats too this morning.
So I walked the boat and we had 40 Democrats in the House.
Right.
Right.
Right.
Yeah, I talked to Rumsfeld.
He didn't have a number.
I don't know why they're holding back on him, but he just said that Gallup said it was up, so it's a change.
But he wants that kept extremely apparently But it must be of some or he wouldn't say so because he said it called for himself to say he wanted to do that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So I don't know what those defensemen had at the end of the day.
That's what I always think.
He had the summit.
He also had the textile.
And also, I made an announcement at a good reception in North Carolina.
Yeah.
I talked to George Shultz a little when we were on budget.
He, of course, is a monitor for everybody.
I'll tell you a funny thing.
I am not just pessimistic about this economy somewhere.
God damn it.
You know, whether it's housing or cars or anything else, we just hear too many other things that people feel is better than the rent.
So I think frankly the people we talk to, the market and all that sort of thing, those people reflect that.
I think out in this country, there's going to be something.
You know, Harris and you, that we're going to have a hell of a Christmas.
You know what I mean?
We're going to get one with a consumer price this week.
Sure, sure.
I'd like to see the policy.
I don't know what the hell is going on.
It is going on.
I just think it's a hell of a lot further.
I think it's just the psychology.
So it's eight, seven, eight, seven, nine, 10, 11, 12.
I mean, they don't, every time I read McCracker's analysis, he was so cautious about it.
He said, well, it's mostly automobiles, and that's not very healthy.
Well, but when the goddamn automobiles come, when all those bills are down, they say, well, that's bad.
So they're good.
He really is, you know.
They have all this bullshit about their base truly being so uncertain.
And of course it's uncertain.
It's got to be heard.
You have to have absolute dictatorship.
And you've got to keep that.
But at least the rate of inflation has got to be medicated due to the fact that labor at least is taking some responsibility.
So rather than having the 15% of your degree, you'll have maybe 8 or maybe 6 or maybe 7.
That's a whole lot of money.
It's negative that, uh, that meeting said what he did, you know, that, what'd he say, the big man, you know, that, now that's, uh, that shows you he appreciated that involvement.

Also recorded on October 19, 1971

  • 011-139 5:08 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 5:08 pm.
  • 011-140 5:08 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:08 pm and 5:09 pm.
  • 292-012 5:08 PM · 53 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 5:08 pm.
  • 292-013 5:08 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:08 pm and 5:09 pm.
  • 292-014 5:08 PM · 17 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 5:08 pm and 5:09 pm.
  • 011-141 5:09 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 5:09 pm to 5:27 pm.
  • 011-142 5:27 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:27 pm and 5:38 pm.
  • 292-016 5:27 PM · 59 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:27 pm to 5:38 pm.

All 95 conversations from October 19, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 292-015, October 19, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/292-015 (accessed November 13, 2026).