Conversation: 438-022
Prev: 438-021 Next: 438-023Start Date: 17-May-1973 4:08 PM
End Date: 17-May-1973 4:34 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.; Woods, Rose Mary;Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
NARA Description:
On May 17, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and Rose Mary Woods met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:08 pm to 4:34 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 438-022 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 438-22
Date: May 17, 1973
Time: 4:08 pm - 4:34 pm
Location: Old Executive Office Building
The President met with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
Henry A. Kissinger’s report
Rose Mary Woods talked with the President between 4:08 pm and 4:09 pm.
[Conversation No. 438-22A]
[Begin telephone conversation]
[See Conversation No. 46-103]
[End telephone conversation]
Watergate
-Stewart Jo Alsop’s column
-Reaction to Joseph C. Kraft’s article
-President’s previous conversation with Ronald L. Ziegler
-16-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. October-2011)
Conversation No. 438-22 (cont’d)
-White Paper
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-War and peace issue
-Daniel Ellsberg
-Jacob K. Javits’s call to Kissinger
-Congressional support for President’s wiretaps
-Javits’s possible call to Haig
-President’s role in wiretaps
-Kissinger and Haig
-Leaks
-Effect on United States foreign policy
-Vietnam War, People’s Republic of China [PRC], and
Soviet Union
-Critics of wiretaps
-John W. Dean, III
-Documents
-J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr.
-Timing of release
-Richard M. Helms
-Forthcoming meeting with Haig, May 17
-Meeting with the President regarding Central Intelligence Agency [CIA]
involvement
-Ellsberg
-Leak investigation
William J. Casey
-Pressure on Haig
-Statement
-Trip with State Department
-Haig’s possible telephone call
-Loyalty of White House
-William P. Rogers
-William E. Simon’s telephone call to Haig
-Treasury Department
-Return of Casey
-Haig’s forthcoming conversation with [David] Kenneth Rush
-White House defense
-17-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. October-2011)
Conversation No. 438-22 (cont’d)
-Worthiness
President’s forthcoming speech
-John K. Andrews, Jr.
-Cambodia
-Congress
-President’s visit to Meridien, Mississippi
-John C. Stennis
-Speech
-Progress in foreign relations
-Soviet Union
-PRC
-Vietnam settlement
-Military strength of US
-Increased progress
-Negotiations
-Second place in World position
-Speechwriters
-Use of military strength to relate world position
-Public reaction
-US-Soviet negotiations
-Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
-Limits
-Mutual and Balanced Force Reductions
-Unilateral disarmament
-Vietnam settlement
-Peace agreement
-Enforcement
-Compliance by North Vietnam
-Missing in Action [MIAs] accountability
-Withdrawal from Cambodia
-Unilateral disarmament
-Peace
-Risk of war
-US world position
-David R. Gergen
-Issues to avoid
-18-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. October-2011)
Conversation No. 438-22 (cont’d)
-Cambodia
-Congress
Vietnam settlement
-Kissinger’s cable
-Optimism
-Negotiations
-Expectations
-Soviet Union [?]
-William P. Rogers [?]
-Equity
-South Vietnam
-Strength
Watergate
-Buzhardt
-Compared to Nixon Fund scandal
-Left-wing tactic
-Haig’s letter to unknown New York doctor
-Justice Department
-Cooperation
-[Unknown name]
-Firing
-Reporting
-Possible leak
-Jack N. Anderson
-Ellsberg case
-Haig’s forthcoming conversation with an unidentified man
-Buchanan
-Possible leak to Anderson
-Pentagon
-Buzhardt
-Buchanan
-Buzhardt
-Donald McI. Kendall
Clarence M. Kelly [?]
-19-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. October-2011)
Conversation No. 438-22 (cont’d)
-Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] directorship
-Association with Ethel Kennedy
-Role at Chappaquiddick
-Relationship to Kennedys
-Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy
-Robert F. (“Bobby”) Kennedy
-Ethel Kennedy
-Haig’s forthcoming conversation
-National security
-Special Prosecutor
-Elliot L. Richardson
Watergate
-Special Prosecutor
-Richardson
-Unknown doctor’s letter to Haig
-Buzhardt
-Ziegler
-Thomas G. Eagleton’s medical history
-Treatment
-Haig’s discussion
-White House staff activities
-Criticism by President
-Dean
-Lt. Gen. Vernon A. Walters’s memoranda of conversation [memcons]
-Possible leak
-Affidavit
-Haig’s forthcoming conversation with Spiro T. Agnew
-Executive privilege
-Contacts with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman
regarding grand jury investigations
-Maryland grand jury
-President’s knowledge
-Haldeman, Mitchell
-Haig’s telephone call to George Beall
-J. Glenn Beall, Jr.
-District Attorney
-20-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. October-2011)
Conversation No. 438-22 (cont’d)
-Influence over grand jury investigation
-Embarrassment for Agnew
-Contribution
-Agnew’s role as Vice President
-Compared to President as Vice President
under Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Haig’s opinion
-President’s plan
-Dean
-Papers
-Possible examination by White House staff
-Security risk
-Buzhardt
-Reactions to events
The President and Haig left at 4:34 pm.