However, Haig denied the allegation that he played a key role in arbitrating Nixon's resignation by offering Ford's pardon to Nixon. One of the most crucial moments was, a day before Haig's departure to Europe to begin his tenure as NATO Supreme Allied Commander, when Haig was phoned by J. Fred Buzhardt who once served as special White House counsel for Watergate matters. On the phone, Buzhardt told Haig about President Ford's upcoming speech to address the nation about pardoning former President Richard Nixon and Buzhardt told that the speech contain something that indicated Haig's role in Nixon's resignation and Ford's pardoning of Richard Nixon. According to his autobiography ("Inner Circles: How America Changed the World"), Haig who was furious after learning this fact from J. Fred Buzhardt and immediately got into his car and drove straight to the White House in order to determine the veracity of Buzhardt's claims. This was due to his concern that Ford's speech on the Nixon pardon would expose his role in negotiating Nixon's resignation in exchange for a pardon issued by the newly sworn in President.