Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 40 › Conversation 040-075

Nixon phone call with Haig on William W. Scranton and Energy policy

Wednesday, June 13, 1973 · 1:59 PM–2:00 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsHaig, Alexander M., Jr.; Nixon, Richard M. (President)Conversation040-075 on Tape 40StartWednesday, June 13, 1973 at 1:59 PMEndWednesday, June 13, 1973 at 2:00 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 040-075 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Alexander Haig discuss the recruitment of William W. Scranton for an energy-related appointment, noting that minor legal issues regarding Scranton's corporate involvement should not impact his candidacy. Nixon decides to meet with Scranton the following day at the White House rather than in Florida to finalize the plans. They agree to delay the public announcement until Saturday to avoid competing with other ongoing news stories.

Audio

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NARA Description

On June 13, 1973, Alexander M. Haig, Jr. and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone from 1:59 pm to 2:00 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 040-075 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 40-75

Date: June 13, 1973
Time: 1:59 pm - 2:00 pm
Location: White House Telephone

Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked with the President.

[See also Conversation No. 445-16]

     Energy appointment
          -William W. Scranton
                -Acceptance
                                                -64-

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                          -Conversation with Haig
                                -Litigation in Pennsylvania
                                -Integrity
                    -President’s schedule
                          -Florida
                    -Timing of announcement
                    -Meeting with President

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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).

Hello?
Mr. President, General Haig calling.
Yeah.
Okay.
Hello?
He hung up, sir.
He's coming to the phone.
All right.
Hello?
Hello, Al.
Yes, sir.
I just talked to Scranton.
And he's going to do this.
He's got a couple of minor legal problems, which I think are minutia.
He's part of a corporation that's being sued, a small Pennsylvania outlaw.
Oh, good God, that's nothing.
Nobody's got to question his integrity.
No.
So he wants to come down and talk to me tomorrow at 11.
And maybe we could... All right, I'll talk to him there, then.
I won't have to have him in Florida.
That's right.
Maybe we can do it just that way.
And have the announcement Saturday, though?
Yes, we can do it Saturday.
Or do you want it tomorrow?
No, I think it would be better to wait.
Saturday.
Let's let this other story ride out.
Yeah, I think it's much better to let it out.
Fine.
I'll be available tomorrow, anytime you say.
Okay, sir.
Fine.

Also recorded on June 13, 1973

  • 040-073 1:48 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 1:48 pm to 1:50 pm.
  • 445-014 1:50 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:50 pm and 1:55 pm.
  • 040-074 1:55 PM · 2 min — George P. Shultz and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone from 1:55 pm to 1:57 pm.
  • 445-015 1:55 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and George P. Shultz met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:55 pm to 1:57 pm.
  • 445-016 1:59 PM · 1 min — Alexander M. Haig, Jr. and President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:59 pm to 2:00 pm.
  • 040-076 2:00 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and unknown person(s) talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:00 pm and 3:20 pm.
  • 445-017 2:00 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:00 pm and 3:20 pm.
  • 445-018 2:00 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Manolo Sanchez, and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:00 pm and 3:20 pm.

All 93 conversations from June 13, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 040-075, June 13, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/040-075 (accessed November 9, 2026).