35–3

Conversation No. 35-3

Date: December 26, 1972
Time: 4:58 pm - 5:12 pm
Location: White House Telephone

Charles W. Colson talked with the President.

Henry A. Kissinger
-Recent meeting with Charles H. Percy
-Duration
-The President’s view
-Kissinger’s schedule
-Congressmen, Senators, Republicans, Democrats
-Recent meeting with McGeorge Bundy
-Percy
 -6-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-07)

Conversation No. 35-3 (cont’d)

-Support for the President's Vietnam policy
-Recent statement
-Motivations
-Colson’s view
-Intellect
-Personality
-Thomas W. Braden
-John C. Stennis
-Louis P. Harris poll
-View of Kissinger
-US electorate
-1972 campaign
-Lifestyle
-Schedule
-Percy
-The President's instructions
-Recent conversation with Colson
-Duration

Public relations [PR]
-Kenneth W. Clawson
-Outlook
-The President’s first term
-Toughness
-US bombing of North Vietnam
-Prisoners of War [POWs]
-Harris Poll
-Result
-1972 election
-US bombing of North Vietnam
-William F. (“Billy”) Graham
-Reasons for bombing
-End of war
-Press reaction
-Time
-Newsweek

Press and media relations
-The President's memorandum to Colson and Patrick J. Buchanan
-Monographs
 -7-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-07)

Conversation No. 35-3 (cont’d)

-“Things They Would Like to Forget”
-Time
-Newsweek
-1972 campaign
` -Public relations efforts
-[George S. McGovern’s] alleged gains
-PR efforts
-Accuracy in Media campaign
-James Keogh
-[United States Information Agency] [USIA]
-Effect on press circulation
-Buchanan's article
-\"Legend of St. George McGovern\"
-McGovern
-Harriet Van Horne quote
-Press reaction
-The President’s view
-Liberal reaction
-Administration policy
-The President’s instructions
-Colson’s role
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.
-Press credibility
-Proposed curbs on television [TV] news bias
-Clay T. (“Tom”) Whitehead
-Right to protect sources
-First Amendment issue
-Double standard
-Pentagon Papers
-Conflicts with criminal cases
-Right to protect sources
-Press predictions from first term
-Cambodia
-The President's May 8, 1972 decision
-Economy
-1972 election
-Buchanan
-Buchanan
-“Things They Would Like to Forget”
-Article for Accuracy In Media newsletter
 -8-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-07)

Conversation No. 35-3 (cont’d)

-Effect on press bias
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-Criticisms of press
-Effect
-Public
-Media
-Colson's schedule
-Thomas W. Braden
-Opinion leaders’ views
-Frank W. Fitzsimmons
-US bombing of North Vietnam
-Public reaction
-Abbott McConnell Washburn
-Political effects
-Son
-Administration's criticisms of media
-Whitehead’s speech
-Whitehead speech
-Public reaction
-Washington and New York
-Miami
-News magazines’ response
-Compared to networks
-Time
-Television [TV] and radio station’s ownership
-Local station’s control
-Compared to networks’
-Newsweek article
-Public response
-Compared to US bombing of North Vietnam
-Cable television [TV]
-Administration proposals
-Effect on networks
-Network news coverage
-Howard K. Smith
-Harry Reasoner
-John W. Chancellor
-Walter L. Cronkite, Jr.
-Dan Rather
-[Arnold] Eric Sevareid
 -9-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-07)

Conversation No. 35-3 (cont’d)

-Daniel L. Schorr
-John Pierpoint
-Cable TV
-Public reaction
-The President’s view
-Advantages
-Local services
-TV picture reception
-Super Bowl coverage
-Colson’s forthcoming meeting with Whitehead
-Colson’s work outside the administration
-Whitehead
-Possible promotion
-Efforts
-Possible meeting with the President
-Colson’s conversation with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman

Public statements
-PR
-The President’s instructions
-Kissinger
-Palm Springs