Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 40 › Conversation 040-041

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

Tuesday, June 12, 1973 · 9:28 PM–9:30 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.Conversation040-041 on Tape 40StartTuesday, June 12, 1973 at 9:28 PMEndTuesday, June 12, 1973 at 9:30 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 040-041 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Alexander Haig discuss the potential appointment of former Pennsylvania Governor William W. Scranton to lead the administration's energy initiatives. Nixon characterizes Scranton as a capable administrator who could benefit the administration by bringing an outside perspective to the complex energy challenge, potentially supported by Charles DiBona. The conversation concludes with Nixon instructing Haig to contact Scranton the following morning to gauge his interest.

Audio

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Hello.
Mr. President?
I just, uh, sitting here talking to Ray, and we've, uh, he worked on the draft.
It's coming along very well, as a matter of fact.
Good, sir.
Uh, he threw out a name here that, uh, way in from left field, but, uh, it, uh, he thinks we might take a run at Scranton on the energy thing.
Think about that a bit.
Scranton is a very capable administrator.
If you put him in something that involves ideology, not worth a darn.
But, you know, he knows all the big shots.
He's a good administrator, et cetera, et cetera.
I don't know.
That's right.
He's not bad.
He's run at it.
He's looking for a job.
I know that.
You see, the point is that it would bring...
be a great thing for the administration but he'd be willing because as governor he was a superb governor tough administrator and everything else then he ran for president and strong-willed wife practically ruined him and ever since he's been a disaster that's right and so forth but uh why don't you uh think about that a little i mean it's possible i know him well and he's worked with us a number of things he's he's a hell of a good man you might just have
Heck, you know, sometimes rather than thinking in traditional man, an oil man or an electricity man or something like that, getting a man that is from the outside who comes in and he could take it to Bona under him, you see.
He did a great job on that international communications business.
Yeah.
He can do it.
Right.
And this is an enormous challenge.
It's one of the great challenges.
But I think it's a good idea.
Yeah.
him a call in the morning.
Good.
All right.
Fine, sir.
All right.

NARA Description

On June 12, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone from 9:28 pm to 9:30 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 040-041 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 40-41

Date: June 12, 1973
Time: 9:28 pm - 9:30 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Alexander M. Haig.

[See also Conversation No. 444-23B]

     Energy
          -President’s forthcoming speech
                -Raymond K. Price, Jr.
          -William W. Scranton
                -Skill set
                -Possible job
                -Work as Governor of Pennsylvania
                -Candidacy for President
                -Mary Scranton
                -Qualifications
                       -Status as outsiders
                                                  -38-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                  -Charles DiBona
                        -Service as deputy
                  -International communications
                  -Haig’s telephone call

Also recorded on June 13, 1973

  • 040-040 8:21 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:21 pm and 9:28 pm.
  • 040-042 9:30 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:30 pm and 9:37 pm.
  • 444-025 9:30 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 9:30 pm and 9:37 pm.
  • 040-043 9:37 PM · 20 min — President Richard M. Nixon and J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. talked on the telephone from 9:37 pm to 9:56 pm.
  • 444-026 9:37 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 9:37 pm to 9:56 pm.
  • 040-044 9:56 PM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:56 pm and 10:18 pm.
  • 040-045 10:18 PM · 21 sec — White House operator and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at 10:18 pm.
  • 040-046 10:18 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:18 pm and 10:57 pm.

All 95 conversations from June 13, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 040-041, 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/040-041 (accessed October 25, 2026).