Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 394 › Conversation 394-020
Nixon & Sanchez on Charles W. Colson and White House logistics
Monday, January 8, 1973 · 4:04 PM–4:05 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 10 sec
AI Summary
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Old Executive Office Building. The primary focus of the brief encounter was to coordinate the President's upcoming schedule, specifically regarding a planned meeting with Charles W. Colson. Sanchez departed immediately following this administrative check-in.
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
No transcript is available yet for this conversation. The recording may contain no audible speech, or it may not have been processed.
NARA Description
On January 8, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:04 pm and 4:05 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 394-020 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 394-20
Date: January 8, 1973
Time: Unknown between 4:04 pm and 4:05 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with Manolo Sanchez.
The President's schedule
-Meeting with Charles W. Colson
Sanchez left at an unknown time before 4:05 pm.
Conversation No. 394-21/395-1
Date: January 8, 1973
Time: Between 4:05 pm and 5:32 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with Charles W. Colson and Ronald L. Ziegler.
The President's interview with Helen Thomas and Fran Lewine
-Comments on age
-Publication date
The President's schedule
-Stephen B. Bull
-Meetings
-George P. Shultz
-Kenneth R. Cole, Jr.
-Frederic V. Malek
-Shultz
-Publicity
-Possible photograph opportunity
-Timing
-25-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 394-21/395-1 (cont’d)
-Chart
-Ziegler's call to Shultz
Wholesale price index
-Briefing
-Ahalt Dawson [?]
-Meeting
-Purpose
-Publicity
-Quadriad
-Camp David
-Photograph
-Shultz's briefing
Ziegler left at 4:10 pm.
Vietnam negotiations
-Jay Lovestone
-Democrats
-Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
-Statement
-Opposition to the President
-Lovestone analysis
-Value to the President
-The President’s critics
-Irresponsibility
-Democrats, Republicans
-Prolonging the war
-Press relations
-Herbert G. Klein
-W. Ramsey Clark
-Civilian casualties
-Double standard
-Kidnappings, hospitals
-Atrocities
-Chronology
-The President’s schedule
[A transcript of the following portion of this conversation appears in RG 460, Box 172 (1-6)]
-26-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 394-21/395-1 (cont’d)
[End of transcript]
The President's birthday
-Interview
-Wire services
-Saul Pett
-Release
-Comments on age
-Congress
-Konrad Adenauer, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Winston S. Churchill, Gen.
Charles A.J.M deGaulle
-John B. Connally
-Spiro T. Agnew
-Eisenhower
Book [?]
-Evaluation
-Medicines
-Will to live
-Heart disease, cancer
-Christian Science
Colson's White House responsibilities
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-1972 election
-Plans for future
-Running an operation
-Kenneth E. BeLieu
-Congressional relations
-Kenneth W. Clawson
-Al Abrams
-Counsellors
-Task force
-BeLieu
-Staffing
-Issues
-Frank L. Rizzo
-Busing
-27-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 394-21/395-1 (cont’d)
*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
1972 election
-Opposition to the President
-Establishment, press
-The President’s standing
-Compared to George S. McGovern in polls
-Pierre Salinger
-The President’s strategy
-Use of surrogates
-McGovern’s campaign
-May 8, 1972 decision
[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************
The President's second term
-Goals
-Number
-Legislation
-Labor management
-Establishment
-Opposition
-Republican Party base
-Political goals
-McGovern
-Fundraising
-Committee for a Democratic Majority
-Beliefs
-Robert S. Strauss
-Connally
-McGovern
-Conservative Democrats
-Connally and Lyndon B. Johnson
-Money
*****************************************************************
-28-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 394-21/395-1 (cont’d)
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
-Compared to the President
[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************
Government spending
-David S. Broder
-View of spending
-Conservatives
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-Colson’s theory
-Busing
-Congressional relations
-Republican majority
-Taxes
-Compared to administration position
-Less bureaucracy
-State interests
-Vietnam settlement
-Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty [SALT]
-Mutual and Balanced Force Reductions [MBFR]
-Exports
-Government’s role
-Revenue sharing
Second term
-Compared to first term
-New prosperity
-Overspending by Congress
-Inflation
-Taxes
-William E. Timmons
-Colson's role
-George H.W. Bush
-Access to Haldeman, Ehrlichman, Shultz
-William J. Baroody, Jr.
-Recognition
-29-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 394-21/395-1 (cont’d)
-Clawson
-Abilities
-Colson's conversation with Haldeman
-Colson’s schedule
Bombing of North Vietnam
-Louis P. Harris
-Public reaction
-Past presidents
-Public opinion
-1964
-1956
-Perspective
-Support for the President
-Opposition
-Erosion
-Congress
-Opposition reaction
-Criticism of targets
-Hospital
-Carpet bombing
-Marshalling yards
-Military installations
-Airplane losses
Press relations
-Press conference
-Klein
-Ehrlichman
Supreme Court
-Ehrlichman
-Possible future position
-Potter Stewart
-William H. Rehnquist
-Stewart
-"Georgetown Set"
-Possible vacancies
-William O. Douglas
-Possibility of resignation
-30-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 394-21/395-1 (cont’d)
-Optimum age for appointment
-Lewis F. Powell, Jr.
-Resignation
-Harry A. Blackmun
-Warren E. Burger
-Resignation
-Earl Warren
-Optimum age
-The President's previous interview
-Rehnquist
-Hugo Black
-Powell
-Congress
-Bush
-William E. Brock III
-Clarence J. (“Bud”) Brown, Jr.
-Robert C. (“Bob”) Wilson
-Safe Republican districts
-Nelson A. Rockefeller
-Ronald W. Reagan
Rockefeller
-Proposed drug program
-Mandatory life sentences
-Polling
-Harris
-Taxes
-Proposed drug and crime program
*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
-Republican party in New York state
-Spiro T. Agnew
-Jacob K. Javits
-Effect of the President’s victory in 1972 election
-Compared to California
-Reagan
-31-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 394-21/395-1 (cont’d)
1972 election
-New York
-Final results
-Certification
-New Majority
-Illinois
-Gains in Republican Congressman
-Ohio
-Michigan
-Fred Schwengel
-Daughter’s work for the President
-Personality
[End of segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************
The President's Cabinet
-Eisenhower’s Cabinet
-Peter J. Brennan
-Elliot L. Richardson
-Earl L. Butz
-Rogers C. B. Morton
-Claude S. Brinegar
-William P. Rogers
-Richard G. Kleindienst
-James T. Lynn
-Abilities
-Caspar (“Cap”) W. Weinberger
-Evaluation
-Intelligence
-Kleindienst
-Compared to Richardson, Melvin R. Laird
-Class standing at Harvard University
-Rogers
-[David] Kenneth Rush
-Morton
-Lynn
-Brennan
-Education
-32-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 394-21/395-1 (cont’d)
*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
Intelligence Quotient [IQ] tests
-The President’s test in service
-Score
-Law school grades
-Colson’s test in service
-Score
-Law school
[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************
Broadcasting licensing standards
-The President's meeting with Ehrlichman
-Domestic Council
-Clay (“Tom”) Whitehead
-Statements
-Television [TV] license renewals
-Charles Crutchfield
-Presentation
-Support for bill
-Speech
-Approval
-Colson, Klein, Ehrlichman
-TV content
-Responsibility of broadcasters
-Meeting with Whitehead, Klein, Ziegler
-Congressional action
-Bill
-Purpose
-Chance of passage
-Stability
-Responsibility
-John W. Chancellor
-Broadcaster’s program selection
-33-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 394-21/395-1 (cont’d)
-Klein
-Ziegler
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-Klein
-Ziegler
-Cole
-Robert A.Griffin
-Brown
-Neighborhood councils
-Privacy considerations
-Public opinion
-Administration position
[A transcript of the following portion of this conversation appears in RG 460, Box 172 (6-13).]
[End of transcript]
John F. Kennedy
-Length of time since death
-Reputation
-Harris
-Ratings of Presidents
-Abraham Lincoln
-Martyrdom
***************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
1976 election
-Agnew
-Connally
-Rockefeller
-South
-Primaries
-Conservatives
-1972 election
-Delegates
[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
-34-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 394-21/395-1 (cont’d)
*****************************************************************
The President talked with the White House operator at 5:25 pm.
[Conversation No. 394-21/395-1A]
[See Conversation No. 35-100]
[End of telephone conversation]
White House operators
[A transcript of the following portion of this conversation appears in RG 460, Box 172 (13-15)]
[End of transcript]
The President's birthday
Col. Richard T. Kennedy entered at 5:30 pm.
The President's age
-Service as Vice President
An unknown person entered at 5:30 pm.
Food order
The unknown person left at an unknown time after 5:30 pm.
Colson's age
Colson left at 5:32 pm.
Reply to the President's letter to Chou En-Lai
-Tone
Henry A. Kissinger
-Report on Vietnam negotiations
-Tone
-35-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 394-21/395-1 (cont’d)
-Mood
-Camp David
-The President’s warning
Vietnam negotiations
-North Vietnamese position
-Timing of statements
-Kissinger
-Events of previous week
-The President's expectations
-North Vietnam
-Tough stance
-Delaying tactics
-Le Duc Tho
-Statement
An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 5:32 pm.
Food delivery
The unknown person left at an unknown time before 5:34 pm.
Vietnam negotiations
-Kissinger
-The President's expectations
-U.S. position
-Liberal critics
-Effect
-Kissinger’s view
-Bombing of North Vietnam
-Critics reaction
-Narrowing of issues
-Protocol
-William H. Sullivan
-Kissinger
-Last meeting
-South Vietnamese position
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-Possible action
-Signing
-36-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 394-21/395-1 (cont’d)
-North Vietnamese position
-Cease-fire
-Aid program
-Rebuilding
-US sincerity
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
*****************************************************************
[The conversation was cut off at an unknown time before 5:34 pm.]
[See Conversation No. 395-1 for continuation.]Also recorded on January 8, 1973
- 035-098 3:00 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:00 pm and 3:04 pm.
- 394-015 3:00 PM · 9 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 3:00 pm and 3:04 pm.
- 035-099 3:04 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 3:04 pm to 3:11 pm.
- 394-016 3:04 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:04 pm to 3:11 pm.
- 394-017 3:11 PM · 10 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 3:11 pm and 3:26 pm.
- 394-018 3:26 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:26 pm to 3:28 pm.
- 394-019 3:29 PM · 34 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Helen A. Thomas, Frances Lewine, Ronald L. Ziegler, Manolo Sanchez, and Oliver F. ("Ollie") Atkins met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:29 pm to 4:04 pm.
- 394-021 4:05 PM · 1 hr 37 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, Ronald L. Ziegler, Col. Richard T. Kennedy, and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:05 pm to 5:32 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 394-020, January 8, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/394-020 (accessed October 11, 2026).