Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 928 › Conversation 928-003

Nixon & Haig on POW dinner and National Security

Friday, May 25, 1973 · 10:10 AM–10:24 AM ET · Oval Office · 8 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.Conversation928-003 on Tape 928StartFriday, May 25, 1973 at 10:10 AMEndFriday, May 25, 1973 at 10:24 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 928-003 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Alexander Haig met to discuss the positive public reception of a recent dinner honoring returning prisoners of war (POWs), noting how the event helped frame the administration's stance on national security. The two men reviewed the favorable reactions from both attendees and celebrities, as well as the event's television coverage. Additionally, they briefly addressed personnel and logistical matters, including Haig’s upcoming travel to Florida and the potential role of Bryce Harlow as a White House advisor while navigating concerns regarding conflicts of interest.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yes, sir.
Yes, sir.
We're going to get a date here yesterday.
I guess these...
I don't think we're going to be able to make it back here.
They would be standing on...
and yellow room and white and so forth and I table hopped and did anything all night.
Well you were magnificent in this thing that was pressing there, really.
Well no, I did it with my job.
When I had the table hopping I had so much because I go over to the tables on the side and I sit, you know, so they said I was up there when I had tables there.
Well those kids are just beyond sight themselves.
They really were.
They really were.
They did.
It was something to behold.
You know, you start to think of that one event, what they said, the men, their wives and girlfriends and mothers, when you think of that one event, what people who observed the event, like Bob Hope and John Wayne, the victim and all, and Jimmy Stewart, what they said, it...
puts all this shit into some sort of perspective.
In other words, O'John Wayne said, thank you for everything.
Thank you, Mr. President, for everything.
Well, you know, it was quite a moving thing.
I really thought it was just every one of those men, in their own way, said things about their relationship with the people in the country that
I don't know if you see it or react at all.
It's a positive event.
And it was a good chance to make a good attack point, too, on this business of why we have to have national security.
It was.
And we could have had a better platform for that.
They had that damn thing on television a lot of the time.
I didn't realize that preempted that kind of show.
When I got home, the kids were all excited about it.
They read it.
It was great.
He did a great job with us on the stage, man.
This show was great.
You know, most of us guys did it.
They have so much stature that they don't do their homework anymore, by the way.
They used to as young hungry guys, but boy, that every one of them was disappointed.
Bob both knew their Indians were on the set.
It was really great.
Great show.
Got many audiences, I'm going to ask everybody about it.
I just saw a hunt.
It was in the air.
Did you see how they came out of their chairs when they said, he was December 8th?
No.
Brother, every kid I talked to was satisfied.
Signified that that wasn't the crucial thing.
And they all knew I was standing up to people in the Northern World.
They knew it was a tough thing to do here.
They knew it was a tough thing to do, but didn't you ever say what you did?
Yeah.
He said the North States of East...
all the way that you had drawn a square around the noise, and that you were going to come in, in, in.
And they said their guard's attitude changed immediately.
They were struggling, they were treated with efforts.
We ought to get Henry in a bit today to talk about some of that.
Yeah, good to have you, sir.
Well, I'm here.
I mean, if my hand was not moving forward, it would be fine.
Well, good.
Good night, your wife.
Yes, sir.
Good.
You'll have a great time.
It's 82 degrees down there.
You know, they've got a nice cabin over there.
It would be good if it was all up.
This would be a good time to be here.
We'll have a great, marvelous, simple beach.
Get a little rest from the ship.
Well, it's been about three weeks since we really had it, but three weeks.
It's been a hell of a lot longer.
It's the 30th of May, or the 30th of April, I guess, where he runs it.
It's been a long time.
Well, I thought he didn't breathe yesterday, and I thought he must have breathed today.
I don't know.
I had to go in with his lawyers.
He wasn't out of crack.
He was too young.
Too tough.
He was tired.
Yeah, he was tired.
He was tired.
He needed to wear it all.
Now, you know, we've got the economy team back, and he's right out the rear.
He told me he was coming to New York Sunday night, and then he heard there was a candidate meeting.
He came back, and I think we already approved it.
Oh, that's good.
Tomorrow, can I play with that?
Absolutely.
Did you talk to anyone else?
Well, I haven't talked to him today.
I've got to call him sometime.
I probably haven't got any time to see him today.
I wonder if he knows that.
I'll make it clear.
I'm not too anxious to see him right today because there isn't much.
You know, he can comment great, but all the politicians I see these days don't want to really come in and tell me the obvious about what we've got lots of problems.
I know all about that problem, you know what I mean?
I know more than they do, and I don't really want to hear about it.
I don't want to.
You see what I mean?
The way they do this and that.
The one thing I would tell a comment is that we're going to get harled.
You'll love that.
No, he can't say that.
I mean, I got horrible, but he got a terrible conflict with that person.
This is John calling in a lady who has a conflict with a Christian in the province.
That's your reason, John.
Yeah.
I know there's an attack there.
Yeah.
And we, you might say, you might tell him that, but we
I really think it's best for him to be an advisor and not believe in the law.
He can be an advisor, Christ Almighty, I can have a goddamn with the, you know, the King of Siam advice, but I can't have anybody
Thank you.

NARA Description

On May 25, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:10 am and 10:24 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 928-003 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 928-3

Date: May 25, 1973
Time: Unknown between 10:10 am and 10:24 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

      Florida

      Prisoners of war [POWs] dinner
            -POW release
            -POW wives
            -President’s performance
                  -Tables
                  -Autographs
            -Statements of POWs and families
            -Leslie T. (“Bob”) Hope, John Wayne, Vic Damone, and James (“Jimmy”) Stewart
                  -Statements on POW release
                  -Perspective on Watergate
            -Press reaction
                  -Positivity
            -President’s statement on national security
            -Television [TV] coverage
                  -Live coverage
                  -Children’s program
                                       -7-

             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                     Conversation No. 928-3 (cont’d)

           -Dick Cavett
     -Paul W. Keyes’s role
     -Stage presence
     -Preparedness or performers
           -Stature
           -Keyes
           -Hope
     -Audience
     -Reaction to statement regarding December 1972 bombing
           -Crucial moment
           -Response in US
                 -Difficulty
           -North Vietnam reaction
                 -Treaty of POWs
                       -Prison guards

President’s schedule
      -Henry A. Kissinger
            -Briefing

Haig’s schedule
     -Florida
           -Haig’s wife
           -Accommodations
                -Rest

Watergate
     -Haig’s appointment
           -Duration
     -Cabinet
     -Briefing
           -Ronald L. Ziegler

John B. Connally
     -Operator
     -Trip to New York
                                                -8-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                           Conversation No. 928-3 (cont’d)

     President’s schedule
           -Cabinet meeting
           -Politicians
                  -Relaying problems to the President
           -Forthcoming conversation with Haig
                  -Bryce N. Harlow
                        -Conflict of interest
                             -President’s reaction
           -Role on White House staff
                  -Advisor

Haig left at an unknown time before 10:24 am.

Also recorded on May 25, 1973

  • 124-002 9:41 AM · 1 hr 13 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, and Cabinet officers and staffers, including [David] Kenneth Rush, George P. Shultz, Elliot L. Richardson, Rogers C. B. Morton, Earl L. Butz, Frederick B. Dent, Peter J. Brennan, Caspar W. ("Cap") Weinberger, James T. Lynn, Claude S. Brinegar, Roy L. Ash, Anne L. Armstrong, John A. Scali, Dr. James R. Schlesinger, George H. W. Bush, Herbert Stein, John B. Connally, Gen. Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Henry A. Kissinger, Peter M. Flanigan, William E. Timmons, Herbert G. Klein, Ronald L. Ziegler, Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft, Leonard Garment, Raymond K. Price, Jr., David R. Gergen, David N. Parker, Frederic V. Malek, and the White House photographer, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 9:41 am and 11:59 pm.
  • 928-001 9:41 AM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:41 am and 9:50 am.
  • 928-002 9:50 AM · 20 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:50 am to 10:10 am.
  • 039-020 10:10 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:10 am and 10:24 am.
  • 928-004 10:10 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:10 am and 10:24 am.
  • 928-005 10:10 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:10 am and 10:24 am.
  • 928-006 10:10 AM · 37 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Henry A. Kissinger, White House operator, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:10 am and 10:44 am.
  • 039-021 10:26 AM · 12 sec — White House operator and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at 10:26 am.

All 25 conversations from May 25, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 928-003, May 25, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/928-003 (accessed October 12, 2026).