Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 24 › Conversation 024-089

Nixon, Wallace & Haldeman on Assassination attempt and Medical status

Monday, May 15, 1972 · 5:38 PM–5:41 PM ET · White House Telephone · 3 min

ParticipantsWhite House operator; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Nixon, Richard M. (President); Wallace, CorneliaConversation024-089 on Tape 24 (tape position 01:36:59–01:39:45)StartMonday, May 15, 1972 at 5:38 PMEndMonday, May 15, 1972 at 5:41 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 024-089 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 646314494 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon called Cornelia Wallace to express his concern and offer prayers following the assassination attempt on her husband, George Wallace. Mrs. Wallace provided an update on the Governor's condition, noting the presence of a bullet near his spine and ongoing medical complications involving his liver. The President offered encouragement by comparing the resilience of politicians to Theodore Roosevelt's experience after being shot, emphasizing George Wallace's reputation as a fighter.

Audio

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NARA Description

On May 15, 1972, the White House operator, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, President Richard M. Nixon, and Cornelia Wallace talked on the telephone from 5:38 pm to 5:41 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 024-089 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 24-89

Date: May 15, 1972
Time: 5:38 pm - 5:41 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The White House operator talked with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman at 5:38 pm.

[See also Conversation No. 724-8F]

     Cornelia Wallace

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

     Assassination attempt on George C. Wallace
          -The President's concern
                -The President's visit to Alabama
          -George Wallace's condition
                -X-rays
                -Medical concerns
                -Psychological state
          -President and Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon's best wishes
          -Thanks for the President's call
          -The President’s view
          -Compared with attempt on Theodore Roosevelt
          -The President’s view

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I have Mrs. George Wallace for the president.
hello mr president mrs wallace yes the president hello yes sir mrs wallace i just wanted you to know that we were terribly concerned about uh this uh this uh shooting of your husband and we we just uh hope that uh and pray that everything goes well
I remember the time we had that nice visit down in Alabama.
Yes, I thought you'd get your white suit after that trip.
Yeah, that's right.
But how are things going?
Well, he's doing very well.
He's still conscious, and I wasn't too concerned, but he doesn't have much feeling, and he's not able to move from his waist down, so that's...
But they don't have the, they haven't a test on that yet.
Are they x-raying or what?
Yes, sir.
And the x-ray shows a bullet against his backbone.
I don't know whether it penetrated it or not.
But they're most concerned now about the liver involvement and bleeding from the liver.
He is conscious.
Yes, sir.
I told him I was coming in here to talk to you.
Yes, sir.
How's his spirit?
Well, that's what I'm... Well, you tell him to just keep his spirit and tell him that all of us people in politics have got to expect some dangers and that Mrs. Nixon and I both send our very best wishes and we'll...
You can be sure to remember him in our thoughts and our prayers.
Well, we appreciate it very much, and I appreciate you calling him.
It'll mean a lot to him.
And you'll tell him directly that I called.
Will you please?
I told him before I left that I was coming to talk to you, and so he knew it, and it means a lot to him, and we do appreciate you calling.
Well, you've got to say one thing for him.
He's a fighter.
Well, he's liable to be out there running against you in November.
That's right.
You remember, you can tell him a little history.
Theodore Roosevelt, you know, was shot when he was campaigning as a third-party candidate in the final election.
Yes, sir.
And he went on and finished his speech.
Of course, he wasn't shot down.
He was shot in the shoulder.
Yes, sir.
So tell them the politicians are too tough to, I mean, unless they hit him a little better than this guy was.
Yes, he didn't have the best name in the world, but he might have done him a little damage.
But I think he's going to be all right.
And I told him, I said, I tell you, he'd probably be out there running against you.
All right.
Thank you.
Okay.
Bye.
Thank you for calling.

Also recorded on May 15, 1972

  • 024-085 5:21 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 5:21 pm to 5:23 pm.
  • 024-086 5:24 PM · 10 sec — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:24 pm and 5:30 pm.
  • 024-087 5:24 PM · 2 min — the White House operator, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, John B. Connally, Eugene T. Rossides, and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:24 pm and 5:30 pm.
  • 024-088 5:30 PM · 7 sec — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:30 pm and 5:38 pm.
  • 024-090 5:41 PM · 11 sec — the White House operator and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:41 pm and 5:45 pm.
  • 024-091 5:41 PM · 3 min — the White House operator, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, John B. Connally, and Edward M. Kennedy talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:41 pm and 5:45 pm.
  • 024-092 5:52 PM · 7 sec — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:52 pm and 5:54 pm.
  • 024-093 5:52 PM · 3 min — the White House operator, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, John B. Connally, Eugene T. Rossides, and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:52 pm and 5:58 pm.

All 83 conversations from May 15, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 024-089, May 15, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 646314494). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/024-089 (accessed November 2, 2026).