Conversation 223-020

TapeTape 223StartSunday, October 22, 1972 at 10:10 AMEndSunday, October 22, 1972 at 10:16 AMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Haig, Alexander M., Jr.Recording deviceCamp David Hard Wire

On October 22, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 10:10 am to 10:16 am. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 223-020 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 223-20

Date: October 22, 1972
Time: 10:10 am - 10:16 am
Location: Camp David Hard Wire

The President talked with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

[See Conversation No. 151-11]

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

Cool.
Now, I will be back about 12 o'clock or 12.
I can't believe it.
I'm just coming back anyway.
And I thought that we could get together.
We'll meet and sort of talk this thing out a bit.
If you agree, that's fine.
Okay.
And I didn't use that any further.
Thank you.
Have you talked to Green again or not?
Sure.
Now, the only thing that I was thinking there, if you want to play at a higher level, I almost think I might have to talk to him at this point.
My answer is, I think we just have to tell him.
You could expect a negative, but we had it all set, because they're going to have a big resolution to play it as you put it on.
On the basis that you try to...
You need not be concerned about the election deadline.
That'd be the best thing you know, is that the next election season, that's on.
Well, I see your point.
I mean, that'd be confident.
Yeah, totally.
We will say, basically, on all the military sites and so forth and so on, that's a deal.
We're ready.
And we'll see.
We'll work with you to see what we can work out.
We may have to go our own way.
We understand we're going to go our own way.
But we haven't given up on you.
We're still working on it.
We're still working on it.
But we've got to put the lid on this thing and hold it.
And we need to just say that our relationship
two great powers must not be affected by the fact that these two bits which are acting the way they are.
And then now let's keep our heads, if you keep theirs down, we'll keep theirs down.
That's the responsibility.
I really feel that I have, if I told you that, that could have quite an impact on you.
And I'll be there at 1215.
And if we think well, I'll call an ambulance.
just lay it out like that, but we'll talk it through first.
The other thing is that I just have a good little morning email, and I am just really adamant on not going to the office at this point in time, because the book is a complete surrender.
You know, I mean, it'll be played that way, and also it'll look like Ramsey required to go in on all I had, and making sure we're going to get the prisoners back, and sure,
You know, but they'll say, what in the hell have we fought for in the prisoners?
He's going to the Naui, you know, now.
He's like, I think another part of the game, he can make a commitment to go to the Naui later.
Yeah, and I'll say, all right, let's meet in Paris and keep talking in the Naui later.
Or he must, it must not be.
The point is this.
I strongly feel that Vietnam, in some particular
I think that we are doing the wrong thing because of the election.
And I just think we ought to say no.
There's not going to be a good election.
The main point is we've come a long way.
In other words, they haven't got all the cards either.
And we're still buying.
And that's the way it's going to be.
So therefore, we'll have to.
The sad part of it is that I just don't know how to sell Vietnam.
I don't see any leadership other than the Jews.
I don't see any other course.
But then what happens?
I'm going to be strong if we cut off at the system center.