Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 949 › Conversation 949-013

Nixon & Haig on Watergate and White House public relations

Thursday, July 12, 1973 · 8:22 PM–8:33 PM ET · Oval Office · 4 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.Conversation949-013 on Tape 949StartThursday, July 12, 1973 at 8:22 PMEndThursday, July 12, 1973 at 8:33 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 949-013 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Alexander Haig discussed managing the optics of the President’s recent hospitalization and the scheduling of his upcoming public appearances, including the announcement of Phase IV economic policies. They also touched upon the political challenges posed by the Ervin Committee's Watergate investigations and requests for access to White House files. The two agreed on a strategy to maintain a dignified public image while controlling the narrative surrounding the President's health and staff activities.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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We're going to have to make it to the time that I can go in.

I think that's step one.

You should not go in.

I'd love to.

We're going to run it after.

I'm just going to take all the time we have.

We've made it so reasonable today.

So before.

Before.

Yes.

Or it's possible that we could go back there as much as two weeks as possible.

I think the best way to handle Facebook or the part of the interview, I think it's wrong, could be even considered reading a speech in the hospital.

I think it's right.

It's been my choice all along.

But the other three, everybody looks at them, they're just waiting for them.

Right now, most of them have the same conclusion.

And it's the same with the visitors now.

Who told all these other clowns?

And Don can't hold them.

The family all see them.

And close to that, and the way they all see them, we just do this and dignify as much as we can.

Now you're going to have pictures sitting on them either.

I don't want pictures sitting in the hospital lit up.

We want to get here.

People want to hear you and know you're there.

They want to know that this is serious as far as being known is concerned.

Yeah.

There'll be applause and pressure when Ron announces his move.

It's just like they applauded when that Secret Service agent was told not to give credit.

Ron denies it, but I don't think they did.

Not all, but a few.

Terrible.

Well, do you want to start the commo scene?

Sir, all right, I'll let you go in there.

NARA Description

On July 12, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:22 pm and 8:33 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 949-013 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 949-13

Date: July 12, 1973
Time: Unknown between 8:22 pm and 8:33 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

       Watergate
             -President’s schedule
                    -Samuel J. Ervin, Jr.
                             -Ervin Committee
                                    -White House response
                                    -Demans
                             -Return to White House
                                    -Delay
             -Access to files

       President’s schedule
              -Announcement of Phase IV
                      -Speech
                      -Hospital
                      -Paper
                      -Briefing
              -State visits
                      -Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
              -Donald McI. Kendall
              -Family
              -White House staff
              -Hospital
                      -Photographs

       President’s health
              -Public’s concern
              -Ronald L. Ziegler’s forthcoming announcement
                      -Reaction by press
                      -United States Secret Service [USSS] agent
                                               -48-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                              Conversation No. 949-13 (cont’d)

              -Haig’s forthcoming telephone calls

       Recommendation from President

       Agreement

Haig left at an unknown time before 8:33 pm.

Also recorded on July 13, 1973

949-014 8:22 PM · 14 min — Henry A. Kissinger, unknown person(s), Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Ronald L. Ziegler, President Richard M. Nixon, and White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:22 pm and 8:44 pm.
949-015 8:22 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:22 pm and 8:44 pm.
949-016 8:22 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:22 pm and 8:44 pm.
041-068 8:33 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at 8:33 pm.
041-069 8:33 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:33 pm and 8:44 pm.
041-070 8:41 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods talked on the telephone from 8:41 pm to 8:46 pm.
949-017 8:44 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:44 pm to 8:46 pm.
949-018 8:46 PM · 33 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:46 pm and 8:48 pm.

Cite this conversation

Conversation 949-013, July 13, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/949-013 (accessed October 12, 2026).