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Conversation 339-015

TapeTape 339StartMonday, May 15, 1972 at 9:29 PMEndMonday, May 15, 1972 at 9:35 PMTape start time02:44:31Tape end time02:49:17ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Kissinger, Henry A.Recording deviceOld Executive Office Building
AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger discuss the security assessment and handling of the individual responsible for the attempted assassination of Governor George Wallace, who had occurred earlier that day. Nixon expresses concern regarding the potential for leaks and mismanagement, explicitly instructing Kissinger to withhold related information from Secretary of State William Rogers. The conversation focuses on ensuring the matter is handled securely and that the assailant’s radical background is contained without triggering the public scrutiny experienced during previous political assassinations.

George WallaceAssassination attemptSecurity protocolsWilliam RogersInformation control
AudioNARA Description

On May 15, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 9:29 pm to 9:35 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 339-015 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 339-15
Date: May 15, 1972
Time: 9:29-9:35 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Henry A. Kissinger.

[See Conversation No. 24-126]
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

It's not the older one who I get to work.
You call Lukash and tell him to call me to report to you.
Tell him to call Lukash, the doctor, and I want to report to him and tell him what's going on all the time.
But keep right on.
Bye.
Yeah.
John, let me tell you my concern, which I'm sure you're keenly aware of.
The Kennedy thing was handled so badly, and everybody's doing more.
I don't want us to do this.
I want everybody to know that you get this online.
Get the best attorney you can get.
Get a good attorney, Tom.
You will.
Try it today.
Okay, we're going to judge tonight, Tom.
Just be on top of it, Tom.
Bye.
Yeah.
Henry, where are you?
At dinner.
Yeah, fine.
Well, this is one of those damn things, isn't it?
Well, he's a 22-year-old fellow from Milwaukee.
He's got strange information, you know, on all the things they can do.
I'm sure he's a radical, but what I mean is he's just a confused, just a happy-after-case, and all of these stuff.
He's crazy.
I think I did a very good thing when I ordered him to come.
He was a good protection for Kennedy.
I ordered, I said, the protection, and also to that woman at the, yeah, the boat, and I said, I'll get the protection.
In fact, they were Russian.
You take care of that.
I'm not worried about that.
Just don't submit it to Rogers.
Yeah, don't submit it to Rogers.
You don't mind.
All right, hold on.
Hold on.
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