Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 438 › Conversation 438-035

Nixon & Haig on Watergate and White Paper

Tuesday, May 22, 1973 · 12:38 PM–12:50 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.Conversation438-035 on Tape 438StartTuesday, May 22, 1973 at 12:38 PMEndTuesday, May 22, 1973 at 12:50 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 438-035 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Alexander Haig met to coordinate the development of a Watergate White Paper, specifically focusing on the drafting of a cover memorandum. They reviewed the collaborative contributions of Raymond K. Price, Jr. and J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr. regarding the document's structure. The discussion centered on finalizing the strategy for this formal response to ongoing political pressures.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Well, what I meant is I don't want to lose out.

Well, that is the main thing that you're going to do, right?

Good, good.

I can't remember any of them.

I'm trying to remember one.

Yes, that one is one.

You and Frank, your grandfather.

Do you think so?

Yes.

Well, Frank and you.

Do you think so?

All right, what are you on?

All right, if you don't want me to do, you're on for 30 minutes.

All right, as far as that change was concerned, it was all right.

I think it's better, what does that mean right now?

All right, thank you.

NARA Description

On May 22, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:38 pm and 12:50 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 438-035 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 438-35

Date: May 22, 1973
Time: Unknown between 12:38 pm and 12:50 pm
Location: Old Executive Office Building

The President talked with an unknown person [Alexander M. Haig, Jr. ?].

       Watergate
             -Forthcoming White Paper
                    -Cover memorandum
                           -Raymond K. Price, Jr.
                           -J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr.

Also recorded on May 22, 1973

046-144 12:27 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:27 pm and 12:35 pm.
438-033 12:27 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:27 pm and 12:35 pm.
046-145 12:35 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 12:35 pm to 12:38 pm.
438-034 12:35 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 12:35 pm to 12:38 pm.
438-036 12:50 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 12:50 pm to 12:55 pm.
438-037 12:55 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:55 pm and 2:31 pm.
440-001 12:55 PM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:55 pm and 2:31 pm.
440-002 12:55 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:55 pm and 2:31 pm.

All 80 conversations from May 22, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 438-035, May 22, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/438-035 (accessed October 12, 2026).