President Nixon, Charles Colson, and H.R. Haldeman met to coordinate public relations and legislative strategy surrounding the Vietnam peace settlement and the associated cease-fire announcement. The discussion focused heavily on managing press coverage, shaping the public image of Nixon’s leadership, and ensuring favorable congressional reactions to the administration’s actions. Participants also strategized on the handling of returning prisoners of war and the logistics of the President’s upcoming speeches and scheduling.
On January 25, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:31 pm to 4:33 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 405-016 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 405-16
Date: January 25, 1973
Time: 3:31 pm - 4:33 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with Charles W. Colson and H. R. (“Bob”)Haldeman.
President's schedule
Vietnam settlement
-Cease-fire announcement
-Congressional resolution
-Frank F. Church
-Gerald R. Ford
-Phrasing
-Vote
-Content
-Church
-Content
-Hawks
-Press relations
-November 3, 1969 speech
-Potential stories
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Television [TV]
-John F. Kennedy
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-James C. Hagerty's work
-Dwight D. Eisenhower administration
-Ziegler
-Personal qualities of President's leadership
-Courage, steadfastness
-Editorials
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
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Conversation No. 405-16 (cont’d)
Leadership
-Kennedy
-Health
-Public opinion
-President’s image
-Personal qualities
-Public opinion
-Vietnam negotiations [?]
-Important decisions
-Daniel P. (“Pat”) Moynihan
-John B. Connally
-George P. Shultz and Spiro T. Agnew
-Purpose
-Public perception
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-May 8, 1972 decision and Cambodia decision
-Second term
-Middle East crisis
-Accomplishments
-Trips to PRC and Soviet Union
-Economy
-End of Vietnam War
-Kennedy
-Image
-Cuban Missile Crisis
-Kennedy's actions
-Soviet Union
-Book
-Manufactured crises
-Myth-making
-Haldeman’s view
Press relations
-Colson’s report
-Church
-Organization
-Watergate
-Focus
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. Feb-09)
Conversation No. 405-16 (cont’d)
Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 3:31 pm.
President's speech
-Delivery of draft
-Delay
Sanchez left at an unknown time before 4:33 pm.
Campus disturbances
-Firings [?]
-Vietnam War
-Columbia University
-Jews [?]
-University of California Los Angeles [UCLA]
-Student attitudes
-Teaching
-1972 election victory
-PRC trip, Chou En-lai
-Democrats, Republicans
-1968
-Republican President
-Students
-Misdirection
Vietnam settlement
-Bombing
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
Press relations
-“Today”
-Melvin R. Laird
Public relations [PR]
-William P. Rogers
-Henry M. (‘Scoop”) Jackson
-Republicans, Democrats
-Peter J. Brennan and hardhats
-Rogers
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
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Conversation No. 405-16 (cont’d)
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[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
Democratic candidates
-Press relations
-Johnson
-Joseph W. Alsop
[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
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President's possible press conferences
-Rogers
-Press requests
-President's role in Vietnam settlement
-Haig
-New York Times
-Kissinger's role in Vietnam settlement
Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 3:31 pm.
Delivery of draft of President's speech
Sanchez left at an unknown time before 4:33 pm.
Vietnam settlement
-Kissinger's role
-President's role
-Subtlety
-Johnson
Previous evening's event [?]
Congressional relations
-Letters
-Announcement
-Modifications
-William E. Timmons
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
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Conversation No. 405-16 (cont’d)
-President's supporters
-Charles H. Percy
-William B. Saxbe
-President's thanks to supporters
-Personal letters
-Timmons
-Reactions
-Republican Party
President's opposition
-Attitudes
-Hatred
-Democratic Party
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-Clark M. Clifford
Federal Communications Commission [FCC]
Press relations
Vietnam settlement
-TV
-Announcement
-Press relations [?]
-Kissinger
-Briefings [?]
-John A. Scali
-Wire service reports
-PR strategy
-TV
-Editorial comments
-Effect
-May 8, 1972 decision [?]
-Press relations [?]
-Haig
-1973 Inauguration
-“Bug out”
-“Doves”
-Public opinion
-President’s speech
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. Feb-09)
Conversation No. 405-16 (cont’d)
Johnson’s funeral
-Minister's message
-Johnson’s staffers
-President's relations
-Marvin Watson
-George Christian
-Kennedy
1973 Inauguration
-Johnson’s death
Vietnam settlement
-Signing
-Rogers
-Returning armed service members
-Publicity
-Crowd
-Prisoners of War [POWs]
-President’s schedule
-Signing
-Presidential proclamation
-Frank Stanton
-Schedule
-American Red Cross [?]
-Colson’s contact
-President’s schedule
-Radio speech
Colson left at 4:33 pm.
President's schedule
-Meeting
-Budget
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Haldeman's role
-Executive privilege
-John W. Dean's possible attendance
-Rogers
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. Feb-09)
Conversation No. 405-16 (cont’d)
Haldeman left at 4:33 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.