Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 45 › Conversation 045-196

Nixon phone call with Haig on Watergate and J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr.

Thursday, May 10, 1973 · 3:34 PM–3:35 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsHaig, Alexander M., Jr.; Nixon, Richard M. (President)Conversation045-196 on Tape 45StartThursday, May 10, 1973 at 3:34 PMEndThursday, May 10, 1973 at 3:35 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 045-196 ↗

AI Summary

Alexander M. Haig, Jr. updates President Nixon on his discussions with J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. regarding recent legal meetings involving H.R. Haldeman’s counsel and Horace "Chappie" Rose. The conversation centers on clarifying Rose’s level of involvement in these meetings and addressing internal anxieties regarding potential misinformation conveyed by Leonard Garment. Nixon and Haig conclude by reaffirming their trust in Rose’s integrity while seeking to minimize staff tensions regarding the handling of sensitive information.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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General Haig calling you.
Hello, Mr. President.
I talked to Bazzard.
He said that that is correct, that they had been meeting together.
When the two lawyers came, Chappie said, I want to go upstairs and I want to sit in this.
He went up and they brought Parker in.
There were three of them.
Then as soon as the two lawyers left, Chappie came back and joined them.
When they came over to me, they conveyed the impression that they had all been in on it.
Didn't do it intentionally.
They heard that Chappie was not in the meeting.
No, he was not.
Well, that's the only good thing that concerned Bob a little bit.
Right.
Now, I think there's little nerves here and mistrust should not be.
I know, I know, because we know Chappie's honest.
He's totally honest.
I don't think Bob was in front of him, but he just thought that Garment had indicated that Chappie was there and Garment shouldn't have.
Yeah, well, I, you know, you couldn't have drawn any other impression because they had a consensus view on this problem.
Sure, sure, but he shouldn't have told you the chap he was on a meeting if he did tell you that.
Well, I'm not even sure that he did.
Oh, I see.
They said that they conveyed that impression they didn't mean to.
Okay.
Right, sir.

NARA Description

On May 10, 1973, Alexander M. Haig, Jr. and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone from 3:34 pm to 3:35 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 045-196 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 45-196

Date: May 10, 1973
Time: 3:34 pm - 3:35 pm
Location: White House Telephone

Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked with President.

[See also Conversation No. 435-20]

     Watergate
          -Haig’s conversation with J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr.
               -Buzhardt’s meeting with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman’s lawyers
               -[Horace] Chapman (“Chappie”) Rose
               -David N. Parker
               -Information conveyed to Haig by Leonard Garment and Buzhardt

Also recorded on May 10, 1973

  • 045-193 3:24 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 3:24 pm to 3:26 pm.
  • 435-016 3:24 PM · 2 min — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:24 pm to 3:26 pm.
  • 045-194 3:26 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:26 pm and 3:30 pm.
  • 435-017 3:26 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:26 pm and 3:30 pm.
  • 435-018 3:26 PM · 11 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 3:26 pm and 3:30 pm.
  • 045-195 3:30 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William E. Timmons talked on the telephone from 3:30 pm to 3:32 pm.
  • 435-019 3:30 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William E. Timmons met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:30 pm to 3:32 pm.
  • 435-020 3:34 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 3:34 pm to 3:35 pm.

All 86 conversations from May 10, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 045-196, May 10, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/045-196 (accessed October 1, 2026).