Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 306 › Conversation 306-020

Nixon & Colson on Tax checkoff and Public relations

Monday, November 29, 1971 · 6:22 PM–6:28 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.Conversation306-020 on Tape 306 (tape position 02:54:11–02:55:57)StartMonday, November 29, 1971 at 6:22 PMEndMonday, November 29, 1971 at 6:28 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 306-020 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Charles Colson strategize on how to manage legislative opposition regarding the tax checkoff provision, emphasizing the need for a coordinated public relations campaign. Nixon urges the administration to leverage cabinet members, specifically suggesting the involvement of George Romney and Elliot Richardson, to pressure political opponents. The discussion focuses on executing a robust 'fight back' strategy to influence the legislative trade-off through increased political mobilization.

Audio

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Yeah.
On the tax checkoff, I think it's very important in the morning meeting area that somebody put in charge of that to be heard.
Obviously, they're really working on it.
It's all a business deal.
It's a whole trade-off.
Those Democrats, they've individually, of course, got to work on it.
They're here to pronounce it.
I don't know if Megan McGregor is on in New York and is working on it here, but then in addition on the PR side, somebody ought to be working on statements, on a fight back, get Agnes in on the trick.
Anybody, you know, use all the money you can.
And good God, why can't some of the Ken members sit on this one now?
Yeah, this is a purely...
I think you ought to get Romney in on this.
Both of you ought to get in on it.
They have both been in politics.
Maybe Fitz ought to get in on it.
But Romney and both of you.
Richardson, he's a good politician.
But let's be sure that the cabinet people really start pressing harder.
I don't know what he's talking about here.
Right.
Good.
Good.
Good.
Good.

NARA Description

On November 29, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 6:22 pm to 6:28 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 306-020 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 306-20

Date: November 29, 1971
Time: 6:22 pm - 6:28 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Charles W. Colson.

[See Conversation No. 15-173]

Also recorded on November 29, 1971

  • 015-171 6:15 PM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Julie Nixon Eisenhower talked on the telephone from 6:15 pm to 6:16 pm.
  • 306-016 6:15 PM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Julie Nixon Eisenhower met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 6:15 pm to 6:16 pm.
  • 015-172 6:16 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:16 pm and 6:22 pm.
  • 306-017 6:16 PM · 57 sec — 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 6:16 pm and 6:22 pm.
  • 306-018 6:16 PM · 6 sec — 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 6:16 pm and 6:22 pm.
  • 306-019 6:16 PM · 6 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 6:16 pm and 6:22 pm.
  • 015-173 6:22 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 6:22 pm to 6:28 pm.
  • 306-021 6:28 PM · 49 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:28 pm and 6:29 pm.

All 72 conversations from November 29, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 306-020, November 29, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/306-020 (accessed October 12, 2026).