Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 921 › Conversation 921-013

Nixon & Haig on Watergate and Huston Plan

Thursday, May 17, 1973 · 11:57 AM–12:02 PM ET · Oval Office · 5 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.Conversation921-013 on Tape 921StartThursday, May 17, 1973 at 11:57 AMEndThursday, May 17, 1973 at 12:02 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 921-013 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Alexander Haig met to discuss managing the escalating fallout from the Watergate scandal, specifically focusing on reports linking White House staff to negative stories about Thomas Eagleton. They reviewed personnel moves, including relocating Lawrence Higby and Tod Hullin to the Old Executive Office Building to protect them from public scrutiny. Nixon explored the potential for a national security-focused speech regarding the Huston Plan and requested a thorough Department of Justice investigation into suspicious claims involving a doctor's letter and alleged government interference.

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Transcript (AI-generated)

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Here we get Bob.
Yes, sir.
I talked to him.
He said absolutely not.
And John was very upset.
He told me when he read the post, he allegedly had information on him only two weeks before it surfaced.
He said he never can conceive of where it came from.
We did nothing.
Nothing.
Nothing.
Except, except, the newspaper story from St. Louis.
Which was in the public business, you know.
Their finances was all gone.
See Buchanan is from St. Louis.
And he said there were newspaper stories about Eagleton's drinking and about his having been put away about a month.
That's the funniest thing we ever heard about each other.
Well, I'm gonna thank God.
I think this doctor's saying it'd be a funny.
So what?
It was so carefully written.
I could have it investigated and have it put under a lot of telecom that I could imagine the previous investigator would use it.
I think so.
I've had certain instances.
And this is one that we all knocked our brains out on when they started to pull this.
Thank God.
Yeah, I talked about it with Matthew on the problem too.
to cut off a week and the same thing.
And I told him I was gonna move Larry and Todd home across the street, just for their own protection, or in a long-term viability.
And I talked to Larry, he understands that.
I didn't, you know, if a young guy like that surfaces, and suddenly he comes into the shoot, then he's got to be cut out.
And this way,
There's a funny thing about these things.
We've had it on two of these.
We have the crazy thing on the house.
We have this thing on this doctor saying it's government agents.
You see, that sounds like a strange thing to think.
So somebody who is government agents.
I wonder if the decedents, a lot of the psychiatrists are letting them break their students.
Well, I think it's a damn near conspiracy.
I really do.
That's why I say we can't discount the possibility of having to do it.
These men are desperate.
They've been losing, losing, losing.
Well, let me tell you, I'm prepared to do it.
Now, I'm ready to fight, but I don't want to fight at the wrong time.
And, uh, my God, if they, if they, if they go out on this national security issue, and we've got this thing nailed down, and I hope Fred can nail it down with affidavits and so forth, my God, I could make one hell of a speech on that.
I mean, to the country, if I had to make a speech.
I mean, but I would wait.
I would wait until the committee gets out.
Let them... Let them do it.
Let them...
You know, at the end of the day, you gotta check out everything.
Check out interesting things.
Like a thing like this.
You know, things like this.
Move along.
In fact, I...
I wrote this letter to me.
I just called him.
Called him?
I sure did.
I wanted to see...
Yes, sir.
Sam's letter has referred to the Department of Justice for a thorough investigation.
Thorough investigation?
Thorough investigation.
There is absolutely no involvement here.
Meaning, thorough investigation.
And that he must be prepared, of course, to turn over all evidence that he has.
And also, you asked him, did he report the burglary to the police?
Asked him that on the phone.
And she said, we've determined to the Department of Justice, and they want to know whether or not he reported the burglary to the police at the time.
Do you get that?
Get my point?
I don't correct, because I'm not a big child.
Go on.
You're going to find something interesting there.
No way.

NARA Description

On May 17, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:57 am to 12:02 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 921-013 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 921-13

Date: May 17, 1973
Time: 11:57 am - 12:02 pm
Location: Oval Office
                                            -28-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

The President met with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

       Watergate
             -Thomas Eagleton
                    -Haig’s call to H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
                    -Washington Post story regarding John D. Ehrlichman
                    -Patrick J. Buchanan
                    -Doctor’s letter to Haig
                             -Possible investigation by Henry E. Petersen
             -Haldeman’s conversation with Haig
                    -Removal of Haldeman and Ehrlichman from White House staff
                                    -Move of Lawrence M. Higby and Tod Hullin to Old
                     Executive Office Building [EOB]
             -Higby
                    -Conversation with Haig
             -Allegations
                    -President’s San Clemente property
                    -Doctor’s letter
                             -Psychiatrists
             -Huston Plan
                    -National security
                    -President’s possible speech
                    -Ervin Committee
             -Doctor’s letter
                    -Haig’s forthcoming call to doctor

Haig left at 12:02 pm.

Also recorded on May 17, 1973

  • 921-009 11:30 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:30 am and 11:45 am.
  • 921-010 11:30 AM · 42 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:30 am and 11:45 am.
  • 921-012 11:45 AM · 23 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Mustafizur Rahman Siddiqui, Hossain Ali, Roger E. Johnson, Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:45 am to 11:57 am.
  • 921-014 12:03 PM · 10 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Mrs. Mrs. Cleo Noel, Mrs. Mrs. G. Curtis Moore, Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:03 pm to 12:13 pm.
  • 921-015 12:13 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:13 pm and 12:21 pm.
  • 921-016 12:13 PM · 59 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:13 pm and 12:21 pm.
  • 921-017 12:13 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:13 pm and 12:21 pm.
  • 921-018 12:21 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Donald D. Clancy, Chester Cornett, Thomas Donovan, Mrs. Thomas Donovan, Danny Donovan, Betsy Donovan, Shawn Donovan, Max L. Friedersdorf, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:21 pm to 12:25 pm.

All 70 conversations from May 17, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 921-013, May 17, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/921-013 (accessed October 12, 2026).