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Conversation 009-021

TapeTape 9StartWednesday, September 15, 1971 at 12:37 PMEndWednesday, September 15, 1971 at 12:39 PMTape start time00:35:13Tape end time00:36:36ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Haig, Alexander M., Jr.Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

President Nixon instructed Alexander M. Haig, Jr. to expand a foreign aid report to include all recipient nations, ensuring the analysis reflects the actual nature of their political processes. Nixon expressed frustration that previous drafts failed to critically assess whether countries—including Vietnam, Mexico, and Colombia—maintained legitimately contested elections rather than one-party or authoritarian systems. He directed Haig to ensure the report provides an honest accounting of these political structures to inform administration policy.

Foreign AidElectoral ProcessesInternational RelationsPolitical AnalysisDemocratic Reform
AudioNARA Description

On September 15, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone from 12:37 pm to 12:39 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 009-021 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 9-21

Date: September 15, 1971
Time: 12:37 pm - 12:39 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

[See Conversation No. 277-8]

     Foreign aid report
          -President's request
                -Inclusion of all countries
                      -Yugoslavia
                      -Romania
                      -Ethiopia
                      -Liberia
                           -Question of a contested election
                           -Time
                -Democratic process
                      -Vietnam
                -Question of legitimate contested election
                      -Present leader
                -Mexico
                      -Type of government
                -Colombia
                      -Type of election
                -Contested Election
                      -Mexico
                      -Colombia
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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

One point that I may not have made clear, I do not want this second exercise I pointed out to be limited to new countries.
It's to include all countries, see, that we get aid to.
Like Yugoslavia, Romania, Ethiopia, for example, there's one.
Ethiopia, Liberia.
Did you call that a contested election?
No, sir.
Hell, they haven't had one there since the slaves went over.
No, I told them to expand it to all countries.
They just don't understand what I meant.
The thing I want them to understand, A, the same...
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.
You can't even describe Mexico as that.
No, that's correct, sir.
Mexico is a one-party government.
You can't describe Colombia as a contested election.
That's right.
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, see?
Mexico is not contested.
Colombia is not contested.
Each party ships it back and forth, see?
Fine, sir.
Okay.
Yes, sir.
Bye.
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