Conversation No. 724-8

Date: May 15, 1972
Time: 5:16-6:06 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.

     President's schedule
          -Cancellation of meeting with John N. Mitchell
          -Meeting with John B. Connally
          -Blue Room reception
                 -Press coverage
                 -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon's presence
                 -President's presence
                       -Disadvantages
                 -Mrs. Nixon's presence
                 -Press coverage
                 -President's presence

The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 5:16 and 5:21
pm.

[Conversation No. 724-8A]

[See Conversation No. 24-84]

[End of telephone conversation]

     George C. Wallace
         -Shooting
               -News story
                    -Cornelia Wallace

     President's schedule
          -Blue Room reception
                 -Effect of Wallace shooting
          -Connally announcement
                 -Possible postponement
                      -Pros and cons
                                             37

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. Jan-02)                  Conv. No. 724-8 (cont.)


     Wallace
          -Shooting
               -Press coverage
                    -Effect on Vietnam coverage
               -Bulletproofing
               -Events
               -Location
                    -Laurel, Maryland
                          -Bowie [Maryland] racetrack
               -Secret Service protection
                    -Possible complaints
                    -Edward M. Kennedy
                          -Connally's decision

     Connally
         -Tenure
              -George P. Shultz confirmation
         -Future plans
              -President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board [PFIAB]
              -Latin America trip
                    -Henry A. Kissinger
                    -Brazil
              -Support for the President
                    -Announcement
                          -Timing
                    -Democratic candidates
                          -Hubert H. Humphrey

The President talked with Mrs. Nixon between 5:21 pm and 5:23 pm.

[Conversation No. 724-8B]

[See Conversation No. 24-85]

The President conferred with Haldeman during the telephone conversation.

     Connally's arrival

[End of conferral]

[End of telephone conversation]
                                                 38

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. Jan-02)              Conv. No. 724-8 (cont.)

     President's schedule
          -Blue Room reception
                 -President's presence
                       -Mrs. Nixon's advice
                             -Connally's views

Connally entered at 5:24 pm.

     Greetings

     Secret Service protection
          -Edward M. Kennedy
                -Connally's decision
                -Announcement
                      -Ronald L. Ziegler
                -Reasons
                -Connally's opinion
                -Eugene T. Rossides

Haldeman talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 5:24 and 5:30 pm.

[Conversation No. 724-8C]

[See Conversation No. 24-86]

[End of telephone conversation]

     Secret Service protection
          -Edward Kennedy
                -Reasons

     Wallace
          -Condition
               -Press reports

     Connally
         -Wounding in John F. Kennedy assassination
              -Condition
              -Location
                    -Connally
                    -Idanell Brill (“Nellie”) Connally
                    -Jacqueline (Bouvier) Kennedy
              -Nellie Connally's view
                                               39

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                         Tape Subject Log
                                           (rev. Jan-02)                Conv. No. 724-8 (cont.)

                -Location
                     -Connally
                     -John Kennedy
                -Connally's actions

The White House operator talked with Haldeman at an unknown time between 5:24 and 5:30 pm.

[Conversation No. 724-8D]

[See Conversation No. 24-87]

Connally talked with Rossides at an unknown time between 5:24 and 5:30 pm.

[The following portion of the office conversation took place simultaneously with Conversation
No. 724-8D]

     President's schedule
          -Blue Room reception
                 -President's presence

Connally conferred with the President and Haldeman during the telephone conversation.

     Secret Service protection
          -Shirley Chisholm request
                -Duration
          -Edward Kennedy
                -Priority
          -Candidates
                -Wilbur D. Mills
                -John N. Ashbrook
                -Chisholm
                -Edward Kennedy
                      -Request

[End of conferral]

[The following portion of the office conversation took place simultaneously with Conversation
No. 724-8D]

     President's schedule
          -Blue Room reception
                 -President's presence
                                             40

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Jan-02)    Conv. No. 724-8 (cont.)

[End of telephone conversation]

     Secret Service protection
          -President's anticipation
          -President's decision
          -Duration
          -Edmund S. Muskie
          -Reduced coverage
          -President's coverage while Vice President
                -Caracas, Venezuela incident
          -Wallace's coverage

     President's schedule
          -Blue Room reception
                 -Connally's advice

Ziegler entered at 5:30 pm.

     Secret Service protection
          -Announcement
                -Ziegler
                -Connally
          -Edward Kennedy
          -Chisholm
          -Offer to others
                -Reduced coverage
          -Kennedy
                -Debate
          -Chisholm
                -Request
          -Announcement
                -Ziegler
                -Connally
                -Ziegler
                      -Wording
                            -Edward Kennedy
                            -Chisholm
                            -Mills
          -Analogy to Robert F. Kennedy shooting
          -Presidential order
                -Edward Kennedy
                -Chisholm
          -Possible questions
                                            41

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. Jan-02)                 Conv. No. 724-8 (cont.)

          -Possible answers
          -Need
                -Edward Kennedy
                -John W. Gardner
                -Edward Kennedy
                -Wallace
          -Notification of Edward Kennedy's office
                -Rossides
                -James J. Rowley
          -Advisory committee
                -Members
                      -Hugh Scott
                      -Michael J. Mansfield
                      -Thomas Kuchel
                      -Carl B. Albert
                      -Gerald R. Ford
                -Criteria
                      -Edward Kennedy's inclusion
          -Legal opinion
                -Judge Allin Hugh Pierce’s view
                -Copies to Mansfield and other committee members
          -Presidential decision
                -Legal basis
                -Precedents
                      -John Foster Dulles
                      -Lyndon B. Johnson
                -Edward Kennedy
          -Notification of Edward Kennedy
                -Call from Connally
          -Notification of unknown person [Chisholm?]
                -Call from Rowley

Haldeman talked with with White House operator at an unknown time between 5:30 and 5:38
pm.

[Conversation No. 724-8E]

[See Conversation No. 24-88]

[End of telephone conversation]

          -Senate action
               -Mansfield
                                                  42

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. Jan-02)                  Conv. No. 724-8 (cont.)

                 -Resolution
                       -Decision-making authority
                       -Purpose
                             -Edward Kennedy protection
                 -House action
           -Instructions for Rossides

The White House operator talked with Haldeman at 5:38 pm.

The President talked with Cornelia Wallace between 5:38 and 5:41 pm.

[Conversation No. 724-8F]

[See Conversation No. 24-89]

[The following portion of the office conversation took place simultaneously with Conversation
No. 724-8F]

     President's statement

     Mrs. Nixon

     Wallace shooting

[End of telephone conversation]

     Wallace
          -Shooting
               -Call from Cornelia Wallace
               -Effect on forthcoming election
               -Condition
               -Effect on Maryland primary
               -Effect on Michigan primary

     President's schedule
          -Blue Room reception
                 -President's attendance
                 -Mrs. Nixon's attendance
                 -Clement E. Conger's role
                 -Effect of Wallace's condition
                 -Conversation with guests
                 -President's remarks
                 -Press coverage
                                               43

                       NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Jan-02)               Conv. No. 724-8 (cont.)

                 -President's remarks
                       -Call from Cornelia Wallace
                       -Change in plans
                 -Press coverage

The White House operator talked with Haldeman at an unknown time between 5:41 and 5:45 pm.

[Conversation No. 724-8G]

[See Conversation No. 24-90]

[End of telephone conversation]

     Edward Kennedy
         -Location
              -Georgetown
         -Delay in protection
         -Connally’s view
         -Location
         -New car

     President's schedule
          -Blue Room reception
                 -Press coverage
                 -President's remarks
                       -President's and Mrs. Nixon's attendance
                       -Appreciation to donors

     Wallace
          -Shooting
               -President's statement for press
                     -Preparation
                           -Raymond K. Price, Jr.

Ziegler left at 5:45 pm.

     Connally
         -Resignation
              -Announcement
                    -Timing
                    -Effect of Wallace condition

     Wallace
                                               44

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Jan-02)                   Conv. No. 724-8 (cont.)

           -Condition
                -Reports
                      -Problems
                            -Dr. William M. Lukash
                            -Location
                -Offer of services
                      -Bethesda Naval Hospital

     President's schedule
          -Blue Room reception
                 -President's remarks
                       -Call from Cornelia Wallace
                       -President's and Mrs. Nixon's attendance
                             -Receiving line

     Wallace
          -Condition
               -Length of hospital stay
          -The President’s view
          -Cornelia Wallace
               -The President’s view
               -[Ruby ("Big Ruby") Folsom Ellis Austin]
                     -Connally’s view
               -Call from the President
                     -Theodore Roosevelt assassination attempt
                           -Outcome of election

The White House operator talked with Haldeman at an unknown time between 5:45 pm and 5:52
pm.

Connally talked with Edward Kennedy at an unknown time between 5:45 pm and 5:52 pm.

[Conversation No. 724-8H]

[See Conversation No. 24-91]

[The following portion of the office conversation took place simultaneously with Conversation
No. 724-8H]

     Secret Service protection
          -Edward Kennedy
                -White House announcement
                                              45

                        NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. Jan-02)                  Conv. No. 724-8 (cont.)

Ziegler entered at 5:52 pm.

[End of telephone conversation]

                 -Acceptance
                 -Duration
                 -White House announcement
                      -Connally's call to Edward Kennedy

Haldeman talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 5:52 pm and 5:54
pm.

[Conversation No. 724-8I]

[See Conversation No. 24-92]

[End of telephone conversation]

                        -Duration
                        -President's orders
                        -Edward Kennedy's acceptance
           -Necessity

The White House operator talked with Haldeman at an unknown time between 5:52 pm and 5:54
pm.

Connally talked with Rossides at an unknown time between 5:52 pm and 5:58 pm.

[Conversation No. 724-8J]

[See Conversation No. 24-93]

[The following portion of the office conversation took place simultaneously with Conversation
No. 724-8J]

                 -Number of agents assigned
                 -Statement for the press

Ziegler left at 5:54 pm.

     Wallace's condition [?]

     Donald McI. Kendall
                                                46

                       NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                          Tape Subject Log
                                            (rev. Jan-02)       Conv. No. 724-8 (cont.)


     President's schedule
          -Call from Haldeman

[End of telephone conversation]

     Wallace
          -Shooting
               -Visit from Humphrey
               -Visit from George S. McGovern
               -Possible visit from the President
                     -Time
                     -Call
                     -Disadvantages
               -Services offered by the President
                     -Lukash
               -Condition
                     -Location of wounds
               -Other victims
                     -Secret Service agent
                           -Wounds
          -The President’s view
          -Assassination attempt
               -Compared with Robert F. Kennedy assassination
                     -Causes
               -Compared with Abraham Lincoln assassination
               -Effect on other victims
                     -Secret Service agent
                           -Condition
               -Visit from Humphrey
                     -Time
               -Visit from McGovern
                     -Location
               -Condition

Alexander P. Butterfield entered at 5:58 pm.

                       -Lukash's report

Butterfield left at 5:59 pm.

     Connally's wounding
         -Bleeding
                                                47

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. Jan-02)    Conv. No. 724-8 (cont.)

          -President's reading of reports
          -Nellie Connally
          -Location
          -Care
          -Details
          -Surgeon
                -Background
                -Location
                -Operation
          -John Kennedy's condition
                -Connally's awareness
                -Nellie Connally
          -Condition
          -Surgeon
                -Background
                -Wound
                      -Severity
                      -Consequences

     President's schedule
          -Blue Room reception
                 -President's attendance
                       -Mrs. Nixon's knowledge

     Connally's schedule
         -Nellie Connally
                -Arrangements to meet
                -Location

     President's schedule
          -Blue Room reception
                 -President's attendance
                       -Time

Connally left at an unknown time after 5:58 pm.

     Connally
         -The President’s view
              -Domestic Council

     President's schedule
          -Blue Room
                 -President's preparation for reception
                                                48

                       NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Jan-02)    Conv. No. 724-8 (cont.)


Connally entered at an unknown time before 6:06 pm.

     Blue Room
          -Described
          -Mrs. Nixon's role

     Dining room
          -Light fixture
               -Change
               -Described
               -Tricia Nixon Cox
          -Redecoration
          -Light fixture
               -Problem

     Office
          -Panelling

     Dining Room
          -Light fixture
               -Change
                      -Time needed
               -Alternative

The President, Haldeman, and Connally left at 6:06 pm.