NIXON TAPES: LBJ, Pentagon Papers, & "Friendly" Juries (Colson)

Charles Colson
006-086
July 1, 1971
White House Telephone

President Richard Nixon talks with Chuck Colson about the leaked secret government documents about the Vietnam War, the Pentagon Papers. First, they discuss Vietnam War casualty figures and Nixon declares about the course of the war at that point that everything he predicted had happened. Colson tells Nixon about multiple conversations that he had with Bill White about what former president Lyndon Johnson might do over the Pentagon Papers, which implicated him. Nixon and Colson wanted Johnson to make a public speech in his own defense.

Colson tells Nixon that Johnson thought that Nixon should have gotten a "friendly" grand jury to convict Daniel Ellsberg, the man who leaked the documents. Johnson wanted Nixon to get Ellsberg and "all those other goddamned Jews."

Nixon and Colson also discuss unemployment levels.

(Photo: Presidents Richard Nixon and Lyndon Johnson.)

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• President
• Richard
• Nixon
• Tapes
• Pentagon
• Papers
• Leak
• Watergate
• Chuck
• Colson
• Lyndon
• Johnson
• LBJ
• Dean
• Rusk
• Jews
• Vietnam
• War

[michaeld5]

These tapes are all very interesting to listen to, however I've noticed that Nixon likes to cut people off and not let them finish their thought or sentence.

[bogglerful]

All these guys are murderers.

[mrblujet]

It's kind of irritating listening to this tape while Nixon chomping on ice from his cocktail.

[sufferfoolsnotgladly]

@chrisdenton01 To summarize, I said Nixon did improper things, I think they all do (i.e. Recent example Charlie Rangle, who incidentally voted to impeach Nixon), I could name a couple dozen more) You can be pretty sure most people don't achieve high office without bending or breaking some rule or law. Nixon did more to end the cold war than anyone, and he was totally dedicated to his job. You could argue any of these points but your crude analogy puts you beneath contempt in my book.

[sufferfoolsnotgladly]

@Jedimaster802 Actually, he was trying to get the goods on O'Brien, who was on Howard Hughes payroll, not the other way around. Your research is flawed. Also, Special prosecutor Cox was convinced, of one thing, the incredible venality of John Dean. Judge Sirica stated in his records that he sentenced John Dean the maximum penalty before the trials of the other defendants because he wanted Deans testimony to carry more weight against the other defendants. An odd move for an impartial judge.

[sufferfoolsnotgladly]

@chrisdenton01 You're following something, but it wouldn't be logic. In a way, the lifestyles of those of us in the western world ARE killing babies in other lands. Right now there are people in China, killing themselves just to avoid working 17 hour work days making our electronic goods. Do you still feel blameless yourself? Unless you just wired your comment via western union, your very lifestyle detracts from the wellbeing of third world peoples everyday.

[chrisdenton01]

@sufferfoolsnotgladly would it be ok for a person to kill a baby as long as they save a baby also? im just following your logic

[mikefan09]

@Jedimaster802 what did they have? and why didnt they release whatever they had?

[sufferfoolsnotgladly]

I too was a kid when Nixon resigned, I've read a great deal about him of late. I can't say he didn't do some improper things, I think they ALL do quite frankly, but I've come away very impressed with him. He did more to end the cold war than any president before or since. And he was totally dedicated to his job. More than you can say for most of them.

[emzyk]

calimar -

Nixon was many anythings: a war criminal, a felon, paranoid and anti-semitic lunatic. A great president was not one of them. You sir should read the Constitution.