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Conversation 324-034

TapeTape 324StartWednesday, March 22, 1972 at 3:24 PMEndWednesday, March 22, 1972 at 3:29 PMTape start time03:46:45Tape end time03:50:20ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Colson, Charles W.;  Sanchez, ManoloRecording deviceOld Executive Office Building
AI Summary

President Nixon and Charles W. Colson discussed a strategic media offensive intended to aggressively discredit political opponents regarding a perceived food crisis. The President instructed Colson to frame the administration's narrative using inflammatory language like "sabotage" to sway public opinion and deflect blame. The meeting focused on consolidating a unified, critical message to exploit the public's anxieties about market instability for political gain.

Political StrategyFood CrisisMedia ManipulationPublic RelationsCampaign Rhetoric
AudioNARA Description

On March 22, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:24 pm to 3:29 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 324-034 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 324-34

Date: March 22, 1972
Time: 3:24 pm - 3:29 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Charles W. Colson.

[See Conversation No. 21-133]

An unknown person [Manolo Sanchez?] entered and left at an unknown time after 3:24 pm.
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This 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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

Hello?
Well, the old man walked off.
The thing shows that the person is too blind.
We've got to hit him hard every day we can.
Use words like sabotage for men.
Food representing only a small percentage of the 80 million American workers.
We've got to get it.
Yeah.
We've got to get it now, quickly.
Yeah.
Right.
Got him.
Covered both.
Yeah.
Look.
Yeah.
Got him.
Got him.
We have to make it appear wrong.
But that's just an aberration of what we're going to do now.
We've got to have something to say about the food crisis.
We've got to breathe.
The person on this flight don't need it.
It's very much the public side of things.
People want food crisis control.
They don't need to go out and have fun with markets.
They don't need to be tied up.
They can't run.
They've got to do better than that side of things.
Before that, the show was a little insane.
All these people who want food crisis, they don't know how to do it.
Good, good.
Okay.
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