President Nixon met with Charles Colson to discuss political strategy regarding the upcoming election and media relations. The conversation covered attacks on Senator George McGovern’s economic policies, the administration's efforts to influence CBS News coverage, and complaints regarding *The Washington Post*. Colson reported on his interactions with media executives and provided updates on political maneuvering against the opposition.
On September 16, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, and Julie Nixon Eisenhower met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:15 pm and 1:32 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 359-018 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 359-18
Date: September 16, 1972
Time: Unknown between 1:15 pm and 1:32 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with Charles W. Colson.
Watergate break-in
-Cubans
-Press story
-George S. McGovern
Julie Nixon Eisenhower talked with the President between 1:23 pm and 1:24 pm.
[Conversation No. 359-18A]
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 3m 54s ]
[End of telephone conversation]
(rev. Oct-06)
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
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US foreign policies
-The President's conversation with Henry A. Kissinger
-Relations with the Soviet Union
-Trade
-Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT] II
-European Security Conference
-Timing of announcements
US economy
-Herbert Stein
-Wage and Price Commission
-McGovern
-Guidelines
Washington Post headline
-John F. Kennedy
-Pardon of Matthew J. Connelly
-Kenneth W. Clawson's recent conversation with Howard Simons
-Stephen Rosenfeld
-Connelly
-Background
-Massachusetts
-[Appointments] Secretary to Harry S. Truman
-Fund raising
-Photograph
-Allen J. Ellender[?]
-McGovern
-Lyndon B. Johnson's programs
-Donald H. Rumsfeld
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-Stein
-Johnson
-High food prices
-George P. Shultz
(rev. Oct-06)
McGovern's programs
-Increases
-Taxes
-Prices
-Welfare
-Telephone call to Colson from Albert E. Sindlinger
-George H. Gallup poll on wage and price controls
-Voluntary controls
-Pierre Rinfret
-Arthur F. Burns
-John B. Connally
Issues
-Knowledge of grain deal actions impact
-Export subsidy
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 6m 26s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
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CBS
-Colson's meeting
-Coverage
-Colson’s view
-Colson
-Train travel between New York and Washington
-Metroliner
-Comparison with air travel
-Fiorello H. LaGuardia airport
-Frank Stanton's comments
-CBS rating
-William S. Paley
(rev. Oct-06)
-News coverage
-Press conference by the President
-Vietnam, national security
-Telephone call to Colson
-Paley
-CBS coverage
-Effect of Colson's conversations with CBS officials
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 3m 51s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
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Colson and the President left at 1:32 pm.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.