Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 24 › Conversation 024-140
Nixon, Lukash & Haig on George C. Wallace and Assassination attempt
Tuesday, May 16, 1972 · 8:10 AM–8:25 AM ET · White House Telephone
AI Summary
President Nixon consulted with his physician, Dr. William Lukash, regarding the medical status of Governor George Wallace following the recent assassination attempt. They discussed the extent of Wallace's injuries, including the risk of paralysis, his prognosis for recovery, and the logistics of potentially transferring the governor to Bethesda Naval Hospital. Additionally, the President inquired about the condition of the Secret Service agent wounded in the attack and reviewed public relations strategies with his staff to manage the dissemination of these sensitive updates.
- George C. Wallace
- Assassination attempt
- Medical status
- Public relations
- Bethesda Naval Hospital
Audio
Download MP3 (part 1) · 111.6 MB ·Download MP3 (part 2) · 28.2 MB
This conversation has not yet been cut into its own clip, so the player above contains the full tape segment shared with neighbouring conversations. It begins about 03:21:16 into the tape and ends around 03:27:19.
Transcript (AI-generated)
No transcript is available yet for this conversation. The recording may contain no audible speech, or it may not have been processed.
NARA Description
On May 16, 1972, William M. Lukash, President Richard M. Nixon, and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone from 8:10 am to 8:25 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 024-140 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 24-140
Date: May 16, 1972
Time: 8:19 am - 8:25 am
Location: White House Telephone
Dr. William M. Lukash talked with the President.
[See also Conversation No. 725-10A]
The President conferred with Alexander M. Haig, Jr. before the conversation began.
[See Conversation No. 725-10]
[End of conferral]
George C. Wallace shooting
-Lukash's report
-Surgery
-Tests and x-rays
-Paralysis possibility
-General condition
-Recovery prognosis
-Timing
-Campaigning
-Wallace family
-Brother-in-law
-Mother
-Wife
-The President's actions
-Publicity
-John D. Ehrlichman and H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
Manolo Sanchez
-Condition
-Fina Sanchez
-Forthcoming trip to Key Biscayne
-The President’s trip to the Soviet Union
-Medical care
-Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo
-The President’s view
Lukash's location
Wallace's location
-Holy Cross Hospital
-Cornelia Wallace
-Possible transfer to Bethesda Naval Hospital
-The President’s offer
Secret Service agent
-Condition
-Location
-Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital
George C. Wallace's location
-The President’s offer
-Publicity
-Ronald L. ZieglerAlso recorded on May 16, 1972
- 024-137 8:03 AM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:03 am and 8:11 am.
- 024-138 8:03 AM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:03 am and 8:11 am.
- 725-003 8:03 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:03 am and 8:11 am.
- 725-004 8:03 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:03 am and 8:11 am.
- 024-139 8:11 AM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone from 8:11 am to 8:12 am.
- 725-008 8:12 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Marjorie P. Acker met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:12 am and 8:14 am.
- 725-009 8:12 AM · 33 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Marjorie P. Acker met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:12 am and 8:14 am.
- 725-010 8:14 AM · 31 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and William M. Lukash met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:14 am to 8:43 am.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 024-140, May 16, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/024-140 (accessed October 9, 2026).