Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 46 › Conversation 046-032

Nixon phone call with Haig on Watergate scandal and Vernon A. Walters

Monday, May 14, 1973 · 7:12 PM–7:13 PM ET · White House Telephone · 59 sec

ParticipantsHaig, Alexander M., Jr.; Nixon, Richard M. (President)Conversation046-032 on Tape 46StartMonday, May 14, 1973 at 7:12 PMEndMonday, May 14, 1973 at 7:13 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 046-032 ↗

AI Summary

Alexander Haig briefed President Nixon on the handling of sensitive documents and the impending testimony of Lieutenant General Vernon Walters regarding the Watergate scandal. Haig coordinated a meeting with J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. to prepare for Walters’s appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee, aiming to manage the committee’s growing desire to distance themselves from the controversy. The participants agreed to discuss further details in person to avoid continued exposure over the telephone.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Mr. President, it looks like the judge is not going to open the box tonight, so it may be the first thing in the morning.
I've got Walters here, and I'm bringing Bazzard over because we want to get a complete picture of what was said.
You don't want me there, do you?
No, sir.
No, sir.
Touching with the committee, they said that he painted a very bleak picture.
The committee now really wants to get the hell out of it.
Yeah.
And they do not—Raswell said, God, don't have fun with anybody else.
No, sir.
Don't do it.
But with—drop in just a minute.
I'd rather not keep talking on the phone.
Right.

NARA Description

On May 14, 1973, Alexander M. Haig, Jr. and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone from 7:12 pm to 7:13 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 046-032 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 46-32

Date: May 14, 1973
Time: 7:12 pm - 7:13 pm
Location: White House Telephone

Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked with the President.

[See also Conversation No. 917-44A]

     Watergate
          -John W. Dean, III’s documents
          - Lt. Gen. Vernon A. Walters
                 -Forthcoming meeting with Haig and J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr.
                 -Senate Armed Services Committee testimony
                       -T. Edward Braswell, Jr. [Chief Counsel]

     Haig’s schedule

Also recorded on May 14, 1973

  • 435-042 6:57 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Raymond K. Price, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 6:57 pm to 7:01 pm.
  • 435-043 7:01 PM · 25 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 7:01 pm and 7:06 pm.
  • 046-033 7:19 PM · 2 min — Ronald L. Ziegler, White House operator, President Richard M. Nixon, and Leonard Garment talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:19 pm and 7:26 pm.
  • 046-034 7:27 PM · 44 sec — Ronald L. Ziegler and Leonard Garment talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:27 pm and 8:15 pm.
  • 046-035 7:27 PM · 2 min — Leonard Garment and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:27 pm and 8:15 pm.
  • 046-036 7:27 PM · 11 sec — Ronald L. Ziegler and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:27 pm and 8:15 pm.
  • 046-037 7:27 PM · 2 min — Ronald L. Ziegler and Lawrence M. Higby talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:27 pm and 8:15 pm.
  • 046-038 7:27 PM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:27 pm and 8:15 pm.

All 102 conversations from May 14, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 046-032, May 14, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/046-032 (accessed October 1, 2026).