Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 24 › Conversation 024-081

Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on George C. Wallace

Monday, May 15, 1972 · 4:00 PM–5:10 PM ET · White House Telephone · 14 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); White House operatorConversation024-081 on Tape 24 (tape position 01:29:05–01:29:22)StartMonday, May 15, 1972 at 4:00 PMEndMonday, May 15, 1972 at 5:10 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 024-081 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon instructed the White House operator to place an urgent call to Cornelia Wallace following the attempted assassination of her husband, Governor George C. Wallace. The President sought to contact the First Lady of Alabama personally to offer his support during the unfolding crisis. This interaction highlights the immediate political and personal response by the White House to the violent attack on the presidential candidate.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Please.
Operator, as you probably know, Governor Wallace was shot today.
Yes, sir.
And you see if you could get Mrs. Wallace, his wife, on the phone, please.
His wife?
Yes, sir.

NARA Description

On May 15, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:00 pm and 5:10 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 024-081 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 24-81

Date: May 15, 1972
Time: Unknown between 4:00 pm and 5:10 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with the White House operator.

     George C. Wallace
         -Attempted assassination

     Request for a call to Cornelia Wallace

Also recorded on May 15, 1972

  • 724-003 3:32 PM · 33 min — President Richard M. Nixon, George P. Shultz, unknown person(s), Stephen B. Bull, and John B. Connally met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:32 pm to 4:06 pm.
  • 724-004 4:06 PM · 48 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Donald McI. Kendall, Peter M. Flanigan, unknown person(s), and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:06 pm to 4:54 pm.
  • 724-005 4:54 PM · 12 min — President Richard M. Nixon, George P. Shultz, Caspar W. ("Cap") Weinberger, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:54 pm to 5:05 pm.
  • 024-082 5:06 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:06 pm and 5:10 pm.
  • 724-006 5:06 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:06 pm to 5:14 pm.
  • 724-010 5:06 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at 5:06 pm.
  • 024-083 5:10 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 5:10 pm to 5:13 pm.
  • 724-007 5:14 PM · 52 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:14 pm and 5:16 pm.

All 44 conversations from May 15, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 024-081, May 15, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/024-081 (accessed October 9, 2026).