Word: haig
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...sure, nobody survives in the rough-and-tumble of White House politics-especially of the Nixon White House-without a good measure of ruthlessness. Haig was implacable in squeezing to the sidelines potential competitors for my attention. At the same time, I am sure, he was not above presenting himself to my subordinates as the good guy tempering my demanding, somewhat unbalanced, nature. He worked assiduously at establishing his own personal relationship first with Haldeman and Ehrlichman, then with Nixon. I did not doubt that they considered him more of a loyalist than me. I began to wonder whether Haig...
This is no more than saying that I recognized Haig as formidable. One of the most useful tools for a chief of staff is to present unpleasant orders as emanating from an implacable superior; it was a tactic I used in my relationship to Nixon. Nor had I strenuously objected when others had put me in the position of the good guy in the White House. In that sense Haig hoisted me with my own petard...
During the Viet Nam talks in 1972, Haig drew closer to Nixon-partly out of conviction (he probably would have preferred a military outcome), partly from the conflicting pulls of loyalty to me and duty to his Commander in Chief. This caused moments of exasperation. Yet in the end they were always superseded by my admiration for Haig's integrity, courage, intelligence and patriotism...
...start of Nixon's second term, Haig was made Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, a four-star rank culminating a spectacular rise from colonel in four years. When he was called back in May 1973 as White House chief of staff, his strength and discipline helped the Government traverse Watergate without disintegrating. Haig kept faith with his President, and he kept faith with the nation's institutions. It was a unique and indispensable service...
...President had returned to Washington on July 28. On July 31, Haig called me. The "smoking gun" had been found; one of the tapes given to the Special Prosecutor-conversations be tween Nixon and Haldeman less than a week after the Water gate break-in-left no doubt that Nixon was familiar with the coverup; he may in fact have ordered it. Impeachment was now certain, conviction highly probable. Haig's role now-and to some extent mine-was to ease Nixon's decision to resign, to give him the psychological support to do the necessary...