Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 24 › Conversation 024-100

Nixon, Kelley & Haldeman on Arthur H. Bremer and George C. Wallace

Monday, May 15, 1972 · 7:07 PM–7:37 PM ET · White House Telephone ·3 min

ParticipantsKelley, Thomas J.;  Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob");  Nixon, Richard M. (President)Conversation024-100 onTape 24 (tape position 01:57:11–01:59:45)StartMonday, May 15, 1972 at 7:07 PMEndMonday, May 15, 1972 at 7:37 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 024-100 ↗

AI Summary

Secret Service official Thomas J. Kelley briefs H. R. Haldeman and President Nixon on the identification of Arthur Herman Bremer as the suspect in the assassination attempt on Governor George Wallace. Kelley details Bremer’s background, including his purchase of the weapon and prior arrest record, while confirming that no other conspirators are currently suspected. The participants discuss security measures to ensure the suspect’s safety while in custody at the hospital to prevent a situation similar to the murder of Lee Harvey Oswald by Jack Ruby.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Hello?
Yep.
Yes, Tom Kelly's on the line.
Okay.
Ready?
Hello?
Mr. Hardeman?
Yeah, Tom.
The director wanted me to call you and tell you that we've identified the fellow who had this gun and the assailant, apparently, as Arthur Herman Bremer, B-R-E-M-E-R.
He's from West Michigan Street in Milwaukee.
He bought this gun from a gun shop in Milwaukee on January 13 of this year.
He was previously arrested by the Bureau for carrying a concealed weapon in November of 71 at Fox Point out near Milwaukee.
And we are beginning an interview with him now out at the Prince George's County Hospital.
Who is?
The Secret Service and the Prince George's Police and I'm sure the Bureau is there too.
Yeah.
And as soon as we get the results of the interview, we'll call you.
He is described by the doctors out there.
He had to be treated for a head wound.
One of our agents hit him on the head with a gun.
and he had to be treated with a head wound first, and now they're getting ready to interview him.
Okay.
Now, his name has not been released to the press by anybody, including the Prince George's County... Is he the guy they've been describing, though, that's the white male, about 30?
As a matter of fact, CBS had a picture of him.
They pinpointed him in the crowd.
I see.
And he's the man.
All right, now what's the story about three teenagers that were supposedly involved?
Oh, I don't think there's, so far as we're concerned, there's nobody else involved.
I see.
The agents who were there are certain of that, and they have a couple of other people in custody, but they were really people that they picked up because they were running from the crowd in all the confusion.
They made a couple of arrests, but so far as we are concerned now, there's no one else involved.
Okay.
And we'll keep you posted if that changes, but that's the situation.
Now, what precautions are you taking so that he doesn't get assassinated like last time?
We have people at the, you know, at Prince George's Hospital.
We're going to put a, we're going to, so that there's any other Ruby thing.
We have people at the hospital.
The Secret Service is participating in it.
How it will end up is, you know, a prime responsibility, but we'll iron that out when the thing gets settled.
Okay, well, let's not
No, we're going to see if that's taken care of.
All right.
Yes.
Okay.
Okay.

NARA Description

On May 15, 1972, Thomas J. Kelley, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:07 pm and 7:37 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 024-100 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 24-100

Date: May 15, 1972
Time: Unknown between 7:07 pm and 7:37 pm
Location: White House Telephone

Thomas J. Kelley talked with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman; the President can be heard in the
background.

[See also Conversation No. 339-3J]

     Attack on George C. Wallace
          -Arthur H. Bremer
               -Identification
               -Residence
               -Purchase of gun
                     -Date
               -Previous arrest record
                     -Location
                     -Date
                     -Charge
               -Interview
                     -Location
                     -Participants
                            -Secret Service
                            -Prince George's County police
                            -Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
                     -Results
                            -Report
               -Treatment
               -Interview
               -Press reports
                     -Name
                     -Physical description
                     -Photograph
          -Other assailants
               -Reports
                     -Validity
               -Other arrests
                     -Reasons
          -Bremer
               -Protection

                      -Compared with Jack Ruby
                      -Responsibility

Also recorded on May 15, 1972

  • 024-095 6:45 PM · 6 min — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, and James J. Rowley talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:45 pm and 7:07 pm.
  • 024-096 6:45 PM · 2 min — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, President Richard M. Nixon, and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:45 pm and 7:07 pm.
  • 024-099 7:07 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 7:07 pm.
  • 024-101 7:07 PM · 36 sec — Charles W. Colson, White House operator, and Holly Holm talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:07 pm and 7:37 pm.
  • 024-102 7:07 PM · 56 sec — Charles W. Colson, White House operator, unknown person(s), and Kenneth W. Clawson talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:07 pm and 7:37 pm.
  • 024-104 7:07 PM · 11 sec — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:07 pm and 7:37 pm.
  • 024-105 7:07 PM · 13 sec — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:07 pm and 7:37 pm.
  • 024-106 7:07 PM · 18 sec — Richard G. Kleindienst, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, President Richard M. Nixon, and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:07 pm and 7:37 pm.

All 44 conversations from May 15, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 024-100, 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/024-100 (accessed September 18, 2026).