Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 32 › Conversation 032-057

Nixon phone call with Haig on Vietnam War and Henry Kissinger

Thursday, October 26, 1972 · 2:50 PM–2:51 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.Conversation032-057 on Tape 32StartThursday, October 26, 1972 at 2:50 PMEndThursday, October 26, 1972 at 2:51 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 032-057 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with Alexander M. Haig, Jr. regarding the messaging strategy for Henry Kissinger’s upcoming briefings on Vietnam. Nixon emphasized the importance of distinguishing his administration's pursuit of a lasting, generational peace from the flawed 1962 Laos settlement that failed to end conflict. He directed Haig to ensure Kissinger explicitly frames the administration's goals as securing long-term stability rather than short-term political gains for the 1972 election.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yeah.
Yes, sir.
As Henry's preparing, I don't want to bother him, but to put this thought to him, a major point that I know has to be covered is this thing about the election thing, you know.
Oh, absolutely.
And apparently that didn't get across.
No, well, there wasn't a good audience for that, but guys we can hit.
You had too mixed a group in there to make the point that they were all timetable working on them.
Yeah.
That's right.
That's the time.
But I would put it, you've got to put it in words people understand, say, our interest is the right kind of peace, a peace that will last.
Not the kind of peace we had after, we've been around this track in 1962 in the settlement on Laos.
Did he make that point?
Yes.
Well, he said yes, that you had given him instructions.
Yeah, but I mean, let me make the point to you.
In Laos, we had a settlement.
It was a, but however, it led to just a continued war.
time, we want a peace that will last.
In other words, and then you could say what the president says, our interest is not peace for the next election, but peace for the next generation.
Right.
I'm going to use that phrase.
Good.
Okay.
Fine, Mr. President.

NARA Description

On October 26, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone from 2:50 pm to 2:51 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 032-057 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 032-057

Date: October 26, 1972
Time: 2:50 pm - 2:51 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

[See Conversation No. 375-19]

       Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542

        Henry A. Kissinger's briefing
           -The President's suggestion
                -1972 election
                    -Audience at briefing
                    -US interest in lasting peace
                         -Laos settlement
           -Laos settlement
                -The President’s view
                    -Lasting peace
           -The President’s goals in Vietnam

Also recorded on October 26, 1972

  • 032-054 2:29 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:29 pm and 2:40 pm.
  • 375-015 2:29 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:29 pm and 2:40 pm.
  • 375-016 2:29 PM · 10 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 2:29 pm and 2:40 pm.
  • 032-055 2:40 PM · 24 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone from 2:40 pm to 2:41 pm.
  • 375-017 2:40 PM · 25 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:40 pm to 2:41 pm.
  • 032-056 2:41 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:41 pm and 2:50 pm.
  • 375-018 2:41 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:41 pm and 2:50 pm.
  • 375-019 2:50 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:50 pm to 2:51 pm.

All 47 conversations from October 26, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 032-057, October 26, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/032-057 (accessed October 24, 2026).