{"conversationCode":"405-016","tapeNumber":405,"conversationNumber":16,"identifier":"37-wht-conversation-405-016","startDateTime":"1973-01-25T20:31:00.000Z","endDateTime":"1973-01-25T21:33:00.000Z","startDate":"25-Jan-1973","startTime":"3:31 PM","endDate":"25-Jan-1973","endTime":"4:33 PM","dateCertainty":"certain","timeCertainty":"certain","participants":"Nixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.; Haldeman, H. R. (\"Bob\"); Sanchez, Manolo;","description":"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.","locationCode":"EOB","recordingDevice":"Old Executive Office Building","latitudeEstimated":38.897567,"longitudeEstimated":-77.039147,"chronCode":"5.3","chronRelease":"Fifth Chronological Release: Part III","chronReleaseDate":"23-Jun-2009","aogpRelease":null,"aogpSegment":null,"lastModified":"2015-07-27T17:04:10.235Z","findingAid":"Conversation No. 405-16\n\nDate: January 25, 1973\nTime: 3:31 pm - 4:33 pm\nLocation: Executive Office Building\n\nThe President met with Charles W. Colson and H. R. (“Bob”)Haldeman.\n\n       President's schedule\n\n       Vietnam settlement\n            -Cease-fire announcement\n            -Congressional resolution\n                  -Frank F. Church\n                  -Gerald R. Ford\n                  -Phrasing\n                  -Vote\n                  -Content\n                  -Church\n                  -Content\n            -Hawks\n            -Press relations\n                  -November 3, 1969 speech\n                  -Potential stories\n                  -Ronald L. Ziegler\n                  -Television [TV]\n                  -John F. Kennedy\n                         -Lyndon B. Johnson\n                  -James C. Hagerty's work\n                         -Dwight D. Eisenhower administration\n                  -Ziegler\n                  -Personal qualities of President's leadership\n                         -Courage, steadfastness\n                         -Editorials\n\f                                    -13-\n\n           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM\n\n                                                   Conversation No. 405-16 (cont’d)\n\nLeadership\n     -Kennedy\n           -Health\n           -Public opinion\n     -President’s image\n           -Personal qualities\n                 -Public opinion\n           -Vietnam negotiations [?]\n           -Important decisions\n           -Daniel P. (“Pat”) Moynihan\n           -John B. Connally\n           -George P. Shultz and Spiro T. Agnew\n           -Purpose\n           -Public perception\n           -People’s Republic of China [PRC]\n           -May 8, 1972 decision and Cambodia decision\n           -Second term\n                 -Middle East crisis\n           -Accomplishments\n                 -Trips to PRC and Soviet Union\n                 -Economy\n                 -End of Vietnam War\n     -Kennedy\n           -Image\n                 -Cuban Missile Crisis\n                 -Kennedy's actions\n                       -Soviet Union\n                       -Book\n                 -Manufactured crises\n                       -Myth-making\n                 -Haldeman’s view\n\nPress relations\n      -Colson’s report\n             -Church\n                  -Organization\n      -Watergate\n             -Focus\n\f                                              -14-\n\n                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM\n\n                                                           Conversation No. 405-16 (cont’d)\n\nManolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 3:31 pm.\n\n       President's speech\n             -Delivery of draft\n                    -Delay\n\nSanchez left at an unknown time before 4:33 pm.\n\n       Campus disturbances\n           -Firings [?]\n           -Vietnam War\n           -Columbia University\n                 -Jews [?]\n           -University of California Los Angeles [UCLA]\n           -Student attitudes\n           -Teaching\n           -1972 election victory\n           -PRC trip, Chou En-lai\n           -Democrats, Republicans\n           -1968\n           -Republican President\n           -Students\n                 -Misdirection\n\n       Vietnam settlement\n            -Bombing\n                  -Henry A. Kissinger\n                  -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.\n\n       Press relations\n             -“Today”\n                    -Melvin R. Laird\n\n       Public relations [PR]\n             -William P. Rogers\n             -Henry M. (‘Scoop”) Jackson\n             -Republicans, Democrats\n             -Peter J. Brennan and hardhats\n             -Rogers\n\f                                                 -15-\n\n                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM\n\n                                                              Conversation No. 405-16 (cont’d)\n\n*****************************************************************\n[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]\n\n       Democratic candidates\n           -Press relations\n           -Johnson\n           -Joseph W. Alsop\n\n[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]\n*****************************************************************\n\n       President's possible press conferences\n             -Rogers\n             -Press requests\n                    -President's role in Vietnam settlement\n             -Haig\n             -New York Times\n                    -Kissinger's role in Vietnam settlement\n\nSanchez entered at an unknown time after 3:31 pm.\n\n       Delivery of draft of President's speech\n\nSanchez left at an unknown time before 4:33 pm.\n\n       Vietnam settlement\n            -Kissinger's role\n            -President's role\n                  -Subtlety\n                  -Johnson\n\n       Previous evening's event [?]\n\n       Congressional relations\n            -Letters\n                  -Announcement\n                  -Modifications\n            -William E. Timmons\n\f                                          -16-\n\n            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM\n\n                                                   Conversation No. 405-16 (cont’d)\n\n      -President's supporters\n      -Charles H. Percy\n      -William B. Saxbe\n      -President's thanks to supporters\n            -Personal letters\n                   -Timmons\n            -Reactions\n      -Republican Party\n\nPresident's opposition\n      -Attitudes\n             -Hatred\n      -Democratic Party\n      -Hubert H. Humphrey\n      -Clark M. Clifford\n\nFederal Communications Commission [FCC]\n\nPress relations\n\nVietnam settlement\n     -TV\n     -Announcement\n     -Press relations [?]\n     -Kissinger\n     -Briefings [?]\n     -John A. Scali\n     -Wire service reports\n     -PR strategy\n     -TV\n     -Editorial comments\n           -Effect\n                  -May 8, 1972 decision [?]\n     -Press relations [?]\n     -Haig\n     -1973 Inauguration\n     -“Bug out”\n           -“Doves”\n     -Public opinion\n     -President’s speech\n\f                                             -17-\n\n                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM\n\n                                                          Conversation No. 405-16 (cont’d)\n\n       Johnson’s funeral\n            -Minister's message\n            -Johnson’s staffers\n                  -President's relations\n                  -Marvin Watson\n                  -George Christian\n            -Kennedy\n\n       1973 Inauguration\n            -Johnson’s death\n\n       Vietnam settlement\n            -Signing\n                  -Rogers\n            -Returning armed service members\n            -Publicity\n            -Crowd\n            -Prisoners of War [POWs]\n            -President’s schedule\n                  -Signing\n            -Presidential proclamation\n            -Frank Stanton\n                  -Schedule\n            -American Red Cross [?]\n                  -Colson’s contact\n            -President’s schedule\n                  -Radio speech\n\nColson left at 4:33 pm.\n\n       President's schedule\n             -Meeting\n                    -Budget\n                          -John D. Ehrlichman\n                    -Haldeman's role\n                    -Executive privilege\n                    -John W. Dean's possible attendance\n                    -Rogers\n\f                                    -18-\n\n                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM\n\n                                                 Conversation No. 405-16 (cont’d)\n\nHaldeman left at 4:33 pm.","filename":["405-016.mp3"],"tapeStart":"","tapeEnd":"","participantsList":["Nixon, Richard M. (President)","Colson, Charles W.","Haldeman, H. R. (\"Bob\")","Sanchez, Manolo"],"prevCode":"405-015","nextCode":"406-001","transcript":[{"start":283.01,"end":286.91,"text":"We really ought to be able to talk to them about that."},{"start":411.11,"end":412.9,"text":"I'm talking about courage."},{"start":412.92,"end":413.27,"text":"That's that."},{"start":454.04,"end":456.78,"text":"Second."},{"start":456.8,"end":456.92,"text":"Third."},{"start":456.94,"end":458.29,"text":"And an event like this, we've got to do it."},{"start":580.18,"end":584.35,"text":"about how they had a"},{"start":696.78,"end":699.55,"text":"One and a half."},{"start":776.33,"end":777.13,"text":"Got it."},{"start":856.74,"end":879,"text":"um by"},{"start":886.79,"end":891.79,"text":"The second one is a big job."},{"start":891.81,"end":893.29,"text":"It's going to be a better package than the way it was before the election."},{"start":948.71,"end":950.01,"text":"Now my head is on the word."},{"start":988.94,"end":989.72,"text":"He's at the right."},{"start":1085.65,"end":1087.53,"text":"This is everybody who's got their own deal."},{"start":1206.9,"end":1209.58,"text":"It's really nice."},{"start":1299.74,"end":1317.21,"text":"Yeah right."},{"start":1404.44,"end":1406.19,"text":"Very good point."},{"start":1406.21,"end":1407.02,"text":"We'll let that take its time to wrap up."},{"start":1708.44,"end":1736.84,"text":"That's definitely our timeline."},{"start":1736.86,"end":1737.37,"text":"And that'd be good to go."},{"start":1737.38,"end":1737.59,"text":"All right."},{"start":1737.61,"end":1737.81,"text":"Thank you."},{"start":1826.9,"end":1830.04,"text":"But if you do it, you'll be good."},{"start":1919.41,"end":1920.33,"text":"Thank you."},{"start":1981.16,"end":1983.57,"text":"I just must know that you are mine."},{"start":2101.66,"end":2103.2,"text":"I'm sorry."},{"start":2522.83,"end":2525.45,"text":"I don't know what to do."},{"start":2710.32,"end":2711.46,"text":"you're not gonna put it in."},{"start":2846.95,"end":2848.2,"text":"Pretty much free."},{"start":3001.45,"end":3017.28,"text":"Yeah."},{"start":3017.3,"end":3017.4,"text":"Yeah."},{"start":3084.21,"end":3087.03,"text":"I didn't have to go through these things."},{"start":3207.41,"end":3212.43,"text":"10 seven o'clock."},{"start":3311.58,"end":3313.14,"text":"That'd take probably six hours."},{"start":3347.03,"end":3372.42,"text":"that goes far beyond just"},{"start":3380.87,"end":3385.07,"text":"5, 6, 7, 8, 9"}],"aiSummary":{"text":"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.","topics":["Vietnam War","Press Relations","Public Opinion","Congressional Relations","Presidential Image","Prisoners of War"],"generatedAt":"2026-04-06T18:27:08.220Z"},"topicSlugs":["vietnam-war","press-relations","public-opinion","congressional-relations","presidential-image","prisoners-of-war"],"audioDurationSec":3390,"audioFiles":[{"file":"405-016.mp3","bytes":81354703,"durationSec":3389.63,"bitrate":192008,"missing":false}],"audioIsShared":false,"audioProbedAt":"2026-09-18T02:19:46.738Z","findingAidSource":"nixonlibrary.gov subject log (2024-05), reslice-v2","findingAidUpdatedAt":"2026-09-18T08:43:34.641Z","transcriptGapSeconds":109,"transcriptGapShare":0.03,"transcriptQuality":"incomplete","audio":["https://nixon.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/audio/405-016.mp3"],"url":"https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/405-016","nixonLibraryUrl":"https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/white-house-tapes/405/conversation-405-016","license":"Public domain (U.S. Government work). AI-generated fields (transcript, aiSummary) are provided as-is without warranty."}