President Nixon and Charles Colson met to discuss campaign strategy and political messaging for the upcoming 1972 election. They reviewed polling data, economic issues, and strategies to counter George McGovern, while also addressing ongoing concerns regarding Watergate and the Vietnam War. A key outcome included the President instructing his speechwriters to develop more effective, aggressive responses to political attacks and allegations of a 'cover-up.'
On September 8, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:13 pm to 3:01 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 360-005 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 360-5
Date: September 8, 1972
Time: 2:13 pm - 3:01 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
(rev. Oct-06)
The President met with Charles W. Colson.
The President's schedule
-Meeting with Cabinet and Republican Congressional leaders, September 12, 1972
-H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Poll figures
-George P. Shultz
-Vietnam War
-Tone
-Economic issue
Michael J. Mansfield’s possible trip to the People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Henry A. Kissinger's conversation with Mansfield
-Administration position
-Administration statements
-Colson’s view
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-Demonstrators
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[Duration: 3m 10s ]
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Vietnam War
-Leak
-William J. Porter
-Colson’s efforts
-Joseph W. Alsop
-Abram Chayes
(rev. Oct-06)
-Possible statement
-Robert J. Dole
Economic issues
-Herbert Stein speech
-Network coverage
-Food prices
-Earl L. Butz
-Presentation
-Peter G. Peterson
-New York City
-Thomas R. Shepherd, Jr.
-Herbert G. Klein
-Robert H. Finch
-Richard A. Moore
-McGovern’s policies
-Taxes and spending
-Lifestyle
-Welfare proposal
-Congress
-Income levels
-Administration response
-The president’s instructions
-Richard Dougherty’s staement
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 2:13 pm.
The President's schedule
-Camp David
-Folder
-Forthcoming meeting
-Maurice H. Stans
Bull left at an unknown time before 3:01 pm.
Issues
-John G. Tower
-Charles H. Percy
-Polls
-Vietnam War
-Percy
(rev. Oct-06)
-McGovern
-Support by American people
-Poll
-Louis P. Harris profile
-The President's May 8, 1972 decision to mine Haiphong
harbor
-The president’s view
-Watergate
-The President’s view
-1701 Pennsylvania Avenue
-Surveillance
-Leak
-Dole’s forthcoming press conference
-Announcement
-Speechwriters
-The President’s instructions to Colson
-“Cover-up” charge
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-Style
US-Soviet Union grain deal
-Announcement
-Butz
-Forthcoming press conference
-McGovern
-1964
-George Meany
-Public relations
-McGovern
-Butz
-Colson’s view
-The President’s view
-Possible comments on Clarence D. Palmby
James R. (“Jimmy”) Hoffa
-Planned trip to Hanoi
-Passport
-[William L. Taub]
-Colson’s recent telephone conversation with Frank E. Fitzsimmons
-William P. Rogers’s recent telephone calls to Meany and Fitzsimmons
(rev. Oct-06)
1972 campaign finances
-McGovern
-Henry Kimmelman
-The President’s view
-John B. Connally
-Alleged violations
-Maurice Stans
-Media
-John Ehrlichman’s conversation with the President
-Butz
-Investigation
-General Accounting Office [GAO]
-International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT]
1972 New Hampshire campaign
-Vietnam War
-Wesley Powell
-Possible White House visit
-Thomas J. McIntyre
-Louis C. Wyman
-Thomas J. McIntyre
-McGovern
-Wyman
-William Loeb
-McIntyre
-McGovern
-Loeb
Edward M. Kennedy
-Amanda Burden
-Source of information
-Chappaquiddick
-R. Sargent Shriver
-Edmund S. Muskie
-National Inquirer magazine
Louis P. Harris poll
-Monday magazine
-Shriver
(rev. Oct-06)
1972 campaign practices
-Charges
-The President's conduct of the Vietnam War
-McGovern’s campaign
-Poll data
-Charts
-The President's campaign role
-Presidential candidates
-Minimum vote percentage
-Stans and John N. Mitchell
-Invitation to forthcoming meeting
-Powell
-Role
-Issues
-Vietnam
-Busing
-National defense
-Portsmouth, New Hampshire
-Military bases
-McGovern
-George H. Gallup
1972 New Hampshire campaign
-Robert C. Hill
The President's schedule
-1972 campaign
-The President’s view
-Colson’s view
-Media and press coverage
-National Broadcasting Company [NBC]
-Colson's conversation with an unknown person
-Congressional candidacy
Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-Press conference
-Surrogates
1972 campaign
-US-Israel policy
(rev. Oct-06)
-1972 campaign issue
-Jews
-McGovern campaign
-Organizational discussion
-Gordon Weil
-Pacifism
-Polls
-Gallup and Louis P. Harris polls
-Eugene J. McCarthy
Instructions
Colson left at 3:01 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.