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Conversation 277-008

TapeTape 277StartWednesday, September 15, 1971 at 12:37 PMEndWednesday, September 15, 1971 at 12:39 PMTape start time00:14:31Tape end time00:16:22ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Haig, Alexander M., Jr.Recording deviceOld Executive Office Building
AI Summary

President Nixon instructed Alexander Haig to broaden the criteria for evaluating foreign democratic processes beyond a limited focus on only two nations. Nixon emphasized that assessments of legitimate governance should center on whether a country holds truly contested elections rather than one-party systems or non-competitive processes. He specifically cited countries like Mexico, Colombia, and Ethiopia as examples of nations that fail to meet this standard of a contested, democratic election.

DemocracyForeign PolicyElectionsInternational RelationsNixon Administration
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 12:37 pm to 12:39 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 277-008 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 277-8

Date: September 15, 1971
Time: 12:37 pm - 12:39 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

[See Conversation No. 9-21]
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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

Now, one point that I may not make clear, I do not want this second exercise to be limited to two countries.
Two countries that we get A to C. Like Yugoslavia, Romania, Ethiopia, for example, there's one.
Ethiopia, Liberia, you call that an intensive election.
They only had one there since the slave model.
They just don't understand what I meant.
The thing I want them to understand, even the same, even if Vietnam can be described as a democratic process, but the question is, is the present leader there as a result of a contested election, a legitimately contested election?
Not a ten-to-one affair, but not a contested one.
You can't even describe Mexico as that.
Mexico is a one-party government.
You can't describe Colombia as a contested election.
You see my point?
Give those as examples.
Mexico is not contested.
I'm not going to put the countries out, but I'm going to get the number out.
Mexico is not contested.
Colombia is not contested.
Each party shifts it back and forth.
Okay.
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