Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 324 › Conversation 324-025

Nixon & Colson on 1972 Presidential Campaign and Media bias

Wednesday, March 22, 1972 · 1:12 PM–1:30 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 8 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.Conversation324-025 on Tape 324 (tape position 03:20:24–03:29:00)StartWednesday, March 22, 1972 at 1:12 PMEndWednesday, March 22, 1972 at 1:30 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 324-025 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Charles Colson discuss campaign strategy, polling data, and the importance of monitoring media coverage leading up to the 1972 election. They evaluate political vulnerabilities and the potential for unfair bias from news organizations regarding the administration. Nixon emphasizes the necessity of closely tracking opposition activities and maintaining an effective, controlled campaign operation to mitigate perceived media hostility.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 5 minutes of this recording (about 55% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Anything I've heard on the waves, think I understand what George says.
There's no bad for us.
I think it means probably still
We've got to get somebody else in the deal to get Colin involved in this event.
There's a lawyer that worked with the, uh, uh, but then he worked the mill knife on him.
He's a bad man, right?
Everybody says he's very attractive.
Liberals.
62, 38, or 63, 37, something like that.
Yeah.
My God, that's a...
It doesn't, it doesn't help him, it doesn't hurt him much.
It's about the same.
Pretty large, but he did not have a great comeback at Washington until it was reversed at this point.
He apparently got the same as the young committed.
I see the double one.
60, uncommitted, 86.
Am I wrong or not?
Am I wrong or not?
Am I wrong or not?
I don't think he's a very good cutting hedger, but I may be wrong.
Well, it's a waste of time, isn't it?
Why don't we go on that goddamn program?
Okay.
Could be.
It's not America.
I saw that, uh, net poll, uh, educational television said I had a loss of 8%.
Good God.
He's gonna do better than that.
I'll let you know when it comes.
I'm glad to have Ron DeRito on our back.
That's something that should honor his career.
He's, uh, he's better than ever.
Uh, he could never win his nomination, but he did.
They are going to be able to dictate this.
Work up there now.
I would like them to stay welcome.
As a member of the conservative state, plus the whole black population, because it's very, very heavily, you know, on the part of the voters here.
Just recently, somebody, I don't know if you can't hear that, but I know this is the Dukes,
comment on the chancellor program.
He was very discreet.
He didn't say one word about the basic problem, the basic question.
What kind of a settlement was it?
You know, he didn't quote McClure.
You know, he didn't say anything about how they dropped McClure.
I don't know.
I'm curious.
But did you see much of it in the press releases?
I think it's an indication of what we're going to be up against in the campaign, and the voter bias, and the president, and that's why this messy operation is so important.
You know, we really ought to take and monitor the things that are going to happen in the campaign.
I think that it's going to go away.
I'm still with the Congressional Party.
It's the government.
Well, I'm confident.
Plus, I have a double standard.
And, uh, every guy who's been in contact with me, I'm sure you have, uh, experience.
I mean, that's an ultimate service.
And it gets old with it.
You know, I look back and I don't want to fuck up.
Our people should look up the editorials and the things that we suggest.
We're written about getting the committee on our activities.
I'm sure that all of our procedures have been close to Janice's procedures.
Now we'll have a look at what this committee has received.
I can't do this smart enough.
Okay.
Well, good luck.

NARA Description

On March 22, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:12 pm to 1:30 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 324-025 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 324-25

Date: March 22, 1972
Time: 1:12 pm - 1:30 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Charles W. Colson.

******************************************************************************

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 10/11/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[324-025-w001]
[Duration: 4m 34s]

[See Conversation No. 021-131]
******************************************************************************

Also recorded on March 22, 1972

  • 324-023 12:47 PM · 34 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:47 pm and 1:12 pm.
  • 324-024 12:47 PM · 7 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 12:47 pm and 1:12 pm.
  • 021-131 1:12 PM · 18 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 1:12 pm to 1:30 pm.
  • 021-132 1:30 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:30 pm and 3:24 pm.
  • 324-026 1:30 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:30 pm and 2:55 pm.
  • 324-027 1:30 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:30 pm and 2:55 pm.
  • 324-028 1:30 PM · 8 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 1:30 pm and 2:55 pm.
  • 324-029 1:30 PM · 33 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 1:30 pm and 2:55 pm.

All 41 conversations from March 22, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 324-025, March 22, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/324-025 (accessed October 3, 2026).