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Conversation 277-006

TapeTape 277StartWednesday, September 15, 1971 at 12:18 PMEndWednesday, September 15, 1971 at 12:20 PMTape start time00:11:44Tape end time00:13:19ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Haig, Alexander M., Jr.Recording deviceOld Executive Office Building
AI Summary

President Nixon and Alexander Haig discuss the need for a briefing regarding the democratic legitimacy and election histories of various foreign nations receiving U.S. aid. Nixon expresses frustration with the pace of the administrative staff, directing Haig to ensure the State Department produces a concise fifteen-minute report. The President intends to use this data to evaluate the political background of current foreign leaders in relation to American democratic standards.

Foreign AidDemocratic StandardsElectionsState DepartmentForeign Policy
AudioNARA Description

On September 15, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 12:18 pm to 12:20 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 277-006 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 277-6

Date: September 15, 1971
Time: 12:18 pm - 12:20 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

[See Conversation No. 9-17]
Transcript (AI-Generated)

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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

Second, in his last election, did he have a contested election?
which meets U.S. standards.
All right, I'm going to go over that, and I'll tell them I wanted 15 minutes of state.
Tell those assholes to get going, and I expect it to be 15 minutes.
They know who the president is, and I know some of these countries.
They didn't have an election last time.
The last time, they may have had another democratic president, something altogether different.
I want to know how many of the present leaders of the countries that they've got,
I want that too.
That's something else.
The one on aid.
That's a better question.
It'll come later.
But I want on this particular list that they already have, the ones that have become independent.
Some of them have given aid or something else.
But I want them to say, now look here, how many of these types of present leaders in his last election had a contested election, meaning American standards.
All right.
I'm telling you, they're off their butts.
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