Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 852 › Conversation 852-012

Nixon, Howard & O'Donnell on Charles W. Colson and White House staff

Wednesday, February 7, 1973 · 12:33 PM–12:36 PM ET · Oval Office · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House photographer; Howard, W. Rick; O'Donnell, Patrick E.; O'Donnell, Patrick E. (Mrs.)Conversation852-012 on Tape 852StartWednesday, February 7, 1973 at 12:33 PMEndWednesday, February 7, 1973 at 12:36 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 852-012 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with Patrick and Mrs. O'Donnell, accompanied by photographer W. Richard Howard, for a brief social meeting and photo opportunity in the Oval Office. The discussion centered on Patrick O'Donnell's recent legal work with Charles Colson's staff and his positive experience serving in the administration. Nixon expressed appreciation for O'Donnell's service and exchanged pleasantries regarding the couple's personal life and future plans.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
It's true, in fact.
You're in Washington, aren't you?
Yes.
President of the President's Assembly.
There's the O'Donnells, huh?
Hi, how are you?
It's very nice to see you.
Hi, how are you?
Good to see you.
Good to have you here.
How much are you doing working with him?
Oh, I'll tell you.
We've got a tower strength over there.
We call it a posted shop.
And we've been really hungry.
Well, he's been, I've been a great person to work for.
I tell you that.
You, you, you, you came by on the 10th, I think.
Everybody, of course.
I hope you enjoyed it.
I, it's been the best two years of my life, really, yeah.
Oh, the best two years you've ever had.
Looking forward to Justin.
Yeah, Justin, well, you shouldn't do that.
I mean, you, I mean, after, because you, of course, are in the law, and going over there, you have a chance to push it.
Well, I hope they know you back again sometime.
Yeah, we'll be well.
We'll be well, believe me.
Can we get a break?
Yeah.
And you have no children?
We have one.
Oh.
And we will give you a... You're going away from us.
You can use it as glass, Edison.
Oh, okay.
Getting more heavily populated, but okay.
Keep it up.
Keep it up.
You're young.

NARA Description

On February 7, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, White House photographer, W. Richard Howard, Patrick E. O'Donnell, and Mrs. Patrick E. O'Donnell met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:33 pm to 12:36 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 852-012 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 852-12

Date: February 7, 1973
Time: 12:33 pm-12:36 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Mr. and Mrs. Patrick E. O'Donnell, and W. Richard Howard; the White
House photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting.

       Introductions

       O'Donnell's appreciation
             -Charles W. Colson's staff

       President's appreciation for work

       Legal work
              -Politics
                                             -38-

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                             Conversation No. 852-12 (cont’d)

               -Justice Department
               -Colson

       Children
              -Son

       Photographs

       Ashtray

       Native states
              -Connecticut
              -Washington, DC
              -Georgetown
              -American University
              -Martin Webster College

       Future plans
              -Children
              -Youth

       O'Donnell's appreciation

O'Donnell, et al., left at 12:36 pm.

Also recorded on February 7, 1973

  • 852-008 12:21 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:21 pm to 12:22 pm.
  • 852-009 12:22 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, White House photographer, Wallace B. Henley, Laurie Henley, and Travis Henley met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:22 pm to 12:26 pm.
  • 852-010 12:26 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, White House photographer, J. Roy Goodearle, Mrs. J. Roy Goodearle, Sarah Goodearle, Harold Goodearle, Ellen Good, and Doris Good met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:26 pm to 12:29 pm.
  • 852-019 12:26 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at 12:26 pm.
  • 852-011 12:29 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, White House photographer, E. Pendleton James, Julie James, and Rob James met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:29 pm to 12:33 pm.
  • 852-013 12:36 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:36 pm and 12:40 pm.
  • 852-020 12:40 PM · 1 min — unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:40 pm and 3:10 pm.
  • 043-037 12:41 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 12:41 pm.

All 28 conversations from February 7, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 852-012, February 7, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/852-012 (accessed October 12, 2026).