Former Secretary of State Alexander Haig Dies

Jillian Bandes | February 20, 2010 9:25 AM

Haig, a four-star general who advices three different presidents before running for office himself, passed away due to complications from an infection at the age of 85. He was close with

President Reagan, and helped President Nixon during the Watergate scandal — avoiding speculation that he was the famed "deep throat." A veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars, Haig attended West Point and served as chief of U.S. forces in Europe and supreme allied commander of NATO forces.

Haig was known for his unfortunate remark during the 1981 assassination attempt on Reagan, in which he tried to assume the Presidency since Vice President George H.W. Bush was on a plane. He later regretted his "poor choice of words."