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
(rev. Feb-09)
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
(rev. Feb-09)
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
(rev. Feb-09)
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.