Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 440 › Conversation 440-023

Nixon & Haig on Watergate and Public relations

Tuesday, May 22, 1973 · 5:13 PM–5:22 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.Conversation440-023 on Tape 440StartTuesday, May 22, 1973 at 5:13 PMEndTuesday, May 22, 1973 at 5:22 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 440-023 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Alexander Haig met to coordinate the White House strategy regarding the escalating Watergate scandal and the administration's public relations response. The discussion centered on managing communications through Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler and preparing for a critical meeting with Republican congressmen. Haig also briefed the President on recent consultations with William J. Baroody and addressed concerns regarding national security implications of the unfolding investigation.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 1 minute of this recording (about 47% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I hope that Ron's standing up pretty well.
What was that, Kate?
You'll be here at 6 o'clock later for that meeting.
I think it's good that you're here.
It's not going to be long.

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 5:13 pm and 5:22 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 440-023 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 440-23

Date: May 22, 1973
Time: Unknown between 5:13 pm and 5:22 pm
Location: Old Executive Office Building

The President talked with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

       Haig’s schedule

       Watergate
             -White House response
             -National security
             -Ronald L. Ziegler
             -William J. Baroody’s conversation with Haig
             - President’s forthcoming meeting with Republican congressmen
                                               -11-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Also recorded on May 22, 1973

  • 046-156 4:46 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:46 pm and 5:10 pm.
  • 046-157 5:10 PM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 5:10 pm to 5:11 pm.
  • 440-021 5:10 PM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:10 pm to 5:11 pm.
  • 046-158 5:12 PM · 17 sec — Stephen B. Bull and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone from 5:12 pm to 5:13 pm.
  • 440-022 5:12 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:12 pm to 5:13 pm.
  • 440-024 5:13 PM · 25 sec — 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 5:13 pm and 5:22 pm.
  • 440-025 5:13 PM · 18 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 5:13 pm and 5:22 pm.
  • 440-026 5:13 PM · 31 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:13 pm and 5:22 pm.

All 80 conversations from May 22, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 440-023, 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/440-023 (accessed October 12, 2026).