Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 46 › Conversation 046-057

Nixon phone call with Haig on Watergate scandal and Vernon Walters

Tuesday, May 15, 1973 · 2:10 PM–2:15 PM ET · White House Telephone · 5 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.Conversation046-057 on Tape 46StartTuesday, May 15, 1973 at 2:10 PMEndTuesday, May 15, 1973 at 2:15 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 046-057 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Alexander Haig discuss the ongoing Watergate investigation, specifically focusing on the recent testimony of Vernon Walters regarding CIA involvement. The conversation centers on managing potential incriminating notes held by John Ehrlichman and the risks posed by John Dean's anticipated testimony, which may implicate Charles Colson. Nixon emphasizes the need for legal counsel J. Fred Buzhardt to consult with Colson immediately to coordinate a strategy for handling these developments.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Hi.
Yes, Mr. President.
Did you get the Helms thing yet?
Yes.
I talked to Walters.
Walters, he said that there won't be any difficulty there.
He's quite sure of.
And no surprises of any kind.
So that's somewhat encouraging.
He had just left.
He spent the morning with the committee prosecutor.
And they asked a lot of tough questions, including the one about his notes.
So they have that.
They had really asked it a little bit yesterday, but then they've explored it.
And that's all right.
It stays tight.
Yeah, exactly the way— And we stay tight on that.
That's right.
But that's now an issue.
Well, it's an issue, but I think we just, the issue we will fight on.
Don't you agree, Al?
We have to do that.
Yeah.
On notes.
I have no question about that.
That's right.
And we'll, men will testify, but we're not going to have any papers.
You're going to leave.
Walk out of here.
Yeah, we have a little problem with John.
John called me.
And he's been going over his notes.
And I think our best bet is to have Bazar get with Coulson fast.
He's got to talk to Coulson.
Oh.
Well, there's some reason to expect that Dean is going to lead to Coulson and not to Bob and John.
Who thinks that, John?
He's not sure.
He's not sure.
But it's something we have to be prepared for if it does.
What notes has John gone over?
I mean, his own notes of— Yeah, he mentioned notes prior to the meeting with Helms.
He had some material about McGregor out at San Clemente.
And I told him not to talk to me about it on the phone.
I want the details.
I think he's having a feeling of being probably hard-pressed by Walter's testimony.
Quite frankly, he is.
I'm sure he is.
He's been very badly damaged.
And what does he feel he should do?
Well, I think what he's thinking in his own mind is that what's the source of the CIA involvement and what was done.
You see, what it looks like is that he triggered Dean to do specifically what was mentioned in general in the meeting.
Yeah.
And I think he feels in his own mind probably, as he didn't say that, but I think there's probably a feeling in his mind that Colson may have been the one that was triggering Dean.
Well, the main thing is he certainly knows that he's not suggesting that I did it for Greg's sake.
Oh, God, no.
No, no, no.
Jesus, I don't think about it.
No, no, no, no.
I mean, that's as stupid as God had me go.
He thinks Colson may have triggered Dean.
He thinks, I think he's trying to think desperately as everybody would.
As to how it happened.
Yeah.
Because he would never have triggered Dean to do this.
Never.
No.
Never.
Never.
That's right.
So I think that...
But who, when did they, what was the, he said there was a talk with McGregor in San Clemente?
He said McGregor came out concerned about a Gray conversation to him.
I had to call Gray right away.
And McGregor did that, you know, came out and did that.
And, of course, it wasn't any of his damn business.
He should have kicked out of it.
But I did call Gray.
Is that what he meant?
Yes, yes.
You know, he just involved going over his notes and the sequences.
Did I call Gray from out there, too?
I don't think so.
I don't know what he did.
I don't know that.
But anyway, I don't see what the McGregor, anyway, okay.
But he hasn't, Bazzard hasn't seen Colson yet.
No, he has not.
He's been trying to.
Yeah.
Better get to him fast.
Better get to him.
Okay, sir.
Anything else?
No, that's everything for the moment.
Okay.
Okay, sir.

NARA Description

On May 15, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone from 2:10 pm to 2:15 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 046-057 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 46-57

Date: May 15, 1973
Time: 2:10 pm - 2:15 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

[See also Conversation No. 435-23B]

     Watergate
          -Haig’s conversation with Lt. Gen. Vernon A. Walters
                -Richard M. Helms
                -Walters’s statements to Committee prosecutor
          -John D. Ehrlichman
                -Conversation with Haig
                      -Ehrlichman’s notes
                      -J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. and Charles W. Colson
                -John W. Dean, III’s possible testimony
                      -Colson, H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman, and Ehrlichman
                -Ehrlichman’s notes
                      -Meeting with Helms
                                             -33-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                      -Meeting with Clark MacGregor in San Clemente
                -Effect of Walters’s testimony
                -Relationship with Dean
                      -Colson
                      -President
                -Conversation with Haig
                      -MacGregor’s conversation with L[ouis] Patrick Gray
                             -President’s conversation with Gray
           -Buzhardt’s forthcoming meeting with Colson

Also recorded on May 15, 1973

  • 046-053 1:00 PM · 30 sec — White House operator and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at 1:00 pm.
  • 918-027 1:00 PM · 29 sec — White House operator and President Richard M. Nixon met in the Oval Office of the White House at 1:00 pm.
  • 918-028 1:00 PM · 30 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:00 pm and 1:04 pm.
  • 046-054 1:04 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:04 pm and 1:07 pm.
  • 918-029 1:04 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and United States Secret Service agents met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:04 pm and 1:07 pm.
  • 046-055 1:07 PM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone from 1:07 pm to 1:08 pm.
  • 046-056 1:38 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:38 pm and 2:10 pm.
  • 046-058 2:45 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:45 pm and 3:36 pm.

All 67 conversations from May 15, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 046-057, May 15, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/046-057 (accessed October 1, 2026).