Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 498 › Conversation 498-016

Nixon & Haig on Dean Acheson and William P. Rogers

Thursday, May 13, 1971 · 4:28 PM–4:31 PM ET · Oval Office · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.Conversation498-016 on Tape 498 (tape position 05:11:15–05:13:11)StartThursday, May 13, 1971 at 4:28 PMEndThursday, May 13, 1971 at 4:31 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 498-016 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Alexander Haig discussed a strategic plan to secure public support for a forthcoming presidential statement by utilizing endorsements from former Cabinet members. The discussion focused on coordinating these endorsements, specifically involving Dean Acheson and William P. Rogers, to bolster the administration's position. Haig outlined the procedure for staging these endorsements to ensure maximum political impact for the President's signature.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Are they in there?
Yes, sir.
Everyone's in there.
Now what we intend to do is for you to table this.
We intend to put out this statement
And Dean Acheson will say that he would like to go around and support that statement.
And when he has concluded them, then we would push the statement under your signature with the endorsing individuals.
And that will be a host of the former secretaries of state, former secretaries of state, by you, to be signed by you.
Beware.
Don't let any of these save your boss.

NARA Description

On May 13, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:28 pm to 4:31 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 498-016 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 498-016

Date: May 13, 1971
Time: 4:28 pm - 4:31 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with General Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
     Henry A. Kissinger's conversation with Anatoliy F. Dobrynin

       Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542

     The President's schedule
          -Forthcoming statement
                -Dean G. Acheson, William P. Rogers
                      -Possible statement by the President endorsed by former Cabinet officers

     [Unintelligible]

The President and Haig left at 4:31 pm

Also recorded on May 13, 1971

  • 003-044 3:38 PM — President Richard M. Nixon and Dwight L. Chapin talked on the telephone from 3:38 pm to 3:39 pm.
  • 498-015 3:40 PM · 43 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, J. Glenn Beall, Jr., White House operator, Clark MacGregor, John D. Ehrlichman, and John B. Connally met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:40 pm to 4:27 pm.
  • 003-045 3:43 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and J. Glenn Beall, Jr. talked on the telephone from 3:43 pm to 3:44 pm.
  • 003-046 3:46 PM · 31 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at 3:46 pm.
  • 003-047 3:46 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:46 pm and 3:47 pm.
  • 003-048 3:47 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Clark MacGregor talked on the telephone from 3:47 pm to 3:48 pm.
  • 003-049 3:52 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John B. Connally talked on the telephone from 3:52 pm to 3:53 pm.
  • 057-003 4:31 PM · 1 hr 22 min — President Richard M. Nixon and military and diplomatic officials, including Gen. Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Henry A. Kissinger, John J. McCloy, George W. Ball, Dean G. Acheson, Henry Cabot Lodge, Nicholas deB. Katzenbach, Gen. Alfred Gruenther, Gen. Lucius DuB. Clay, Jr., Gen. Lauris Norstad, Gen. Lyman L. Lemnitzer, Cyrus R. Vance, William P. Rogers, Melvin R. Laird, Adm. Thomas H. Moorer, James M. Roche, Gen. Andrew J. Goodpaster, Brig. Gen. Adrian St. John, II, and Capt. William H. Read, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House from 4:31 pm to 6:03 pm.

All 31 conversations from May 13, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 498-016, May 13, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/498-016 (accessed October 23, 2026).