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Conversation: 919-021

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Start Date: 16-May-1973 11:49 AM

End Date: 16-May-1973 12:34 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Haig, Alexander M., Jr.

Recording Device: Oval Office

919-021.mp3

NARA Description:

On May 16, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:49 am and 12:34 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 919-021 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 919-21

Date: May 16, 1973
Time: Unknown between 11:49 am and 12:34 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

       Watergate
             -G. Bradford Cook
                    -President’s previous conversation with John B. Connally
                    -Testimony before Ervin Committee
                    -Resignation
                    -Robert L. Vesco
             -President’s reaction
             -William J. Casey
                    -Leonard Garment’s forthcoming investigation
                    -Vesco
                    -Possible resignation
                    -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman

       President’s previous meeting with Connally
              -Secretary of State appointment 

                      -Henry A. Kissinger           

                      -Connally         

                      -Timing         

                             -European summit           

                      -Possible target for Democrats         

              -Connally’s schedule          

                      -Leonid I. Brezhnev’s visit to US 

                             -Hunting trip           

                                      -Texas          

              -White House staff          

                      -Need for new faces           

                      -John C. Whitaker         

                      -Ronald H. Walker           

                      -Cook         

                                        -33-

            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                               Tape Subject Log
                             (rev. September-2012)

                                                       Conversation No. 919-21 (cont’d)

                      -Bernard J. (“Bunny”) Lasker
                      -Jerry H. Jones’s list

Personnel appointments and management
       -Haig’s schedule
              -Cook’s resignation
       -President’s previous meeting with Connally
              -Ronald L. Ziegler
                      -Possible role on White House staff
                              -Compared with Ehrlichman
                              -Scheduling and public relations [PR]
       -John A. Scali’s telephone call to Haig 

              -Ziegler        

                      -Possible replacement         

                              -Robert J. McCloskey
                                      -Service to William P. Rogers
                                      -Ambassadorship
       -Ziegler
              -Possible replacement          

                      -Robert B. Semple, Jr.         

                      -Kenneth W. Clawson           

              -Credibility        

                      -Scali’s view        

                      -John W. Dean, III          


President’s meeting with Connally
       -Cabinet
       -George P. Shultz
       -Import surcharge
       -Grain prices [?]

Presidency
       -Possible resignation
       -Impeachment
              -Public opinion       

              -Views of press corps            

              -Congress        

                                      -34-

            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                               Tape Subject Log
                             (rev. September-2012)

                                                         Conversation No. 919-21 (cont’d)

       -Resignation      

              -New York Times


Watergate
      -Dean
      -J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr.
      -White House response
      -Lt. Gen. Vernon A. Walters
              -Testimony
              -Memoranda of conversation [memcons]             

      -William E. Colby’s possible testimony 

      -Dr. James R. Schlesinger’s possible testimony 

      -Walters          

              -Testimony             

              -Memcons             

                       -National security      

      -Cook          

              -Replacement             

      -Press coverage          

      -Popular reaction          

              -Confidence in government          

              -Support for President        

              -Haig’s travels            

      -Lyndon B. Johnson’s leaving office 

      -President’s possible resignation       

              -Guilt         

                       -Vesco          

      -White House reaction               


Personnel management and appointments
       -Ziegler’s role on White House staff 

              -Haig’s role on White House staff 

              -President’s manager         

              -PR         

              -Spokesperson         

                       -Transition      

                              -Timing        

                                            -35-


                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM 


                                     Tape Subject Log 

                                   (rev. September-2012)

                                                           Conversation No. 919-21 (cont’d)

              -Scali
                     -Emotion
                     -Appointment
              -Ziegler
                     -Credibility
                            -Transition
                     -Replacement
              -Scali
                     -Contributions
                     -Loyalty

       Watergate
             -Elliot L. Richardson
                     -Connally’s opinion
                     -Conversation with Haig, May 15
                            -Special Prosecutor
                            -Confirmation
                            -Special Prosecutor
             -Special Prosecutor
                     -Warren M. Christopher
                            -Partisanship
                     -Possible White House actions
                     -Christopher
                            -“Kennedy Democrat”
                     -Possible actions
                     -Richardson’s selection process
                            -Ervin Committee’s input
             -Cook
                     -Dean’s documents
                            -Diplomatic cables
                                    -Ngo Dinh Diem
                                    -Bay of Pigs

Haig left at an unknown time before 12:34 pm.
                                             -36-


                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM 


                                       Tape Subject Log 

                                     (rev. September-2012)