Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 46 › Conversation 046-009

Nixon phone call with Haig on Watergate and Legal strategy

Friday, May 11, 1973 · 2:51 PM–2:53 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.Conversation046-009 on Tape 46StartFriday, May 11, 1973 at 2:51 PMEndFriday, May 11, 1973 at 2:53 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 046-009 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon instructed Alexander Haig to direct J. Fred Buzhardt to adopt a more supportive and optimistic tone when communicating with H.R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman regarding their legal strategy. Nixon emphasized that Buzhardt must project confidence that the Watergate situation is manageable to counter the anxiety caused by Leonard Garment’s more alarming counsel. Additionally, the two discussed John Connally’s potential leave of absence from his law firm, with Nixon approving the move to address concerns regarding professional conflicts of interest.

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Transcript (AI-generated)

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General Hicks.
Yes, Mr. President.
Hi.
I wanted to say one thing that is a little advice to Buzzard, but you could tell him.
Yes, sir.
It's very important that he not talk to Bob and John in terms of the melodramatic terms that he did.
You know, when Mitchell came over the other day and talked about impeachment and resigning and all that crap.
And also, you must not talk in terms, this could indict you and the rest, because that will get them to lose confidence in themselves.
That's right.
He's got to be clear that he thinks this is all manageable.
Absolutely.
You tell him, by God, he's to follow that out to the line or otherwise.
not for the purpose of misleading him, but for the purpose of gaining their confidence, because that's Lynn's problem.
See, Lynn has scared them to death.
Exactly.
They don't trust him.
So Buzz Arch has got to be their friend.
And they're uptight, very understandably.
And we just can't add to that.
Right.
So you just say, by God, we're fighting their battle, and this can be worked out, and we're doing our very best, and so forth.
Right.
I had a call from Conley.
I talked to him earlier this morning to make sure he was in good shape, and he is.
He said that the press thing's playing, that he's doing this, and that the question of conflict came up, that he feels it's quite important if he's to go on with this, that he go and leave of absence from his firm.
That's fair enough.
I agree.
I think so.
I agree.
If he's willing, I can tell him, and just climb back and say, am I...
The president feels it's terrible for him to take this sacrifice, but he does appreciate it.
Good.
All right.
Okay, fine.
Right.

NARA Description

On May 11, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone from 2:51 pm to 2:53 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 046-009 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 46-9

Date: May 11, 1973
Time: 2:51 pm - 2:53 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

[See also Conversation No. 434-19]

     Watergate
                 -J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr.’s contacts with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman and John D.
            Ehrlichman
                 -Compared with Leonard Garment
           -John B. Connally’s telephone call to Haig
                 -Leave of absence
                                              -5-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Also recorded on May 11, 1973

  • 434-017 2:47 PM · 29 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:47 pm and 2:51 pm.
  • 434-018 2:47 PM · 10 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 2:47 pm and 2:51 pm.
  • 434-019 2:51 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:51 pm to 2:53 pm.
  • 046-010 2:53 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:53 pm and 2:56 pm.
  • 434-021 2:53 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 2:53 pm and 2:56 pm.
  • 434-022 2:53 PM · 26 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:53 pm and 2:56 pm.
  • 046-011 2:56 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 2:56 pm to 2:57 pm.
  • 434-023 2:56 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:56 pm to 2:57 pm.

All 78 conversations from May 11, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 046-009, May 11, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/046-009 (accessed October 5, 2026).