{"conversationCode":"031-145","tapeNumber":31,"conversationNumber":145,"identifier":"37-wht-conversation-031-145","startDateTime":"1972-10-19T21:06:00.000Z","endDateTime":"1972-10-19T21:08:00.000Z","startDate":"19-Oct-1972","startTime":"5:06 PM","endDate":"19-Oct-1972","endTime":"5:08 PM","dateCertainty":"certain","timeCertainty":"certain","participants":"Nixon, Richard M. (President); Tkach, Walter R.;","description":"On October 19, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Walter R. Tkach talked on the telephone from 5:06 pm to 5:08 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 031-145 of the White House Tapes.","locationCode":"WHT","recordingDevice":"White House Telephone","latitudeEstimated":38.89767,"longitudeEstimated":-77.03655,"chronCode":4,"chronRelease":"Fourth Chronological Release","chronReleaseDate":"10-Dec-2003","aogpRelease":null,"aogpSegment":null,"lastModified":"2015-07-27T17:04:10.235Z","findingAid":"Conversation No. 31-145\n\nDate: October 19, 1972\nTime: 5:06 pm - 5:08 pm\nLocation: White House Telephone\n\nThe President talked with Gen. Walter R. Tkach.\n\n[See Conversation No. 370-15]\n\n        Eleanor (Stegeberg) McGovern\n            -Doctor\n                 -Lon Thompson\n                     -Conveyance of President’s message on medical facilities\n                         -McGovern’s location\n                         -Private nature of message\n                         -Military or civilian\n                         -Transportation\n\n*****************************************************************\n\nBEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1\n[Privacy]\n[Duration: 26s ]\n\nEND WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1\n\n*****************************************************************\n\n            -Thompson\n\n                 -Relationships with McGovern\n                     -Tkach’s view","filename":["031-145.mp3"],"tapeStart":"","tapeEnd":"","participantsList":["Nixon, Richard M. (President)","Tkach, Walter R."],"prevCode":"031-144","nextCode":"031-146","transcript":[{"start":1.06,"end":6.25,"text":"I know the man."},{"start":7.25,"end":9.63,"text":"It's a civilian by the name of Lon Thompson."},{"start":10.39,"end":18.41,"text":"As a matter of fact, years ago here, I had him for lunch one day long before home started, and he was delighted to know this and that he would convey the message during wait."},{"start":18.43,"end":19.25,"text":"They're both out of town."},{"start":20.55,"end":21.33,"text":"There's no one with him."},{"start":21.41,"end":22.09,"text":"I'm surprised."},{"start":22.31,"end":29.77,"text":"the governor, and he was overwhelmed with this gesture, and he said he would immediately convey this to... You told him it was just a private thing?"},{"start":29.8,"end":30.1,"text":"Right, sir."},{"start":30.12,"end":37.6,"text":"I said it was between you, the other group, and he and I, so he wanted to know about it."},{"start":37.62,"end":39.23,"text":"And you told him that any facilities..."},{"start":39.25,"end":40.53,"text":"Right, sir."},{"start":40.69,"end":45.02,"text":"Anyone in military, civilian, that we could help on that."},{"start":45.17,"end":47,"text":"So I threw another thing in at you."},{"start":47.31,"end":48.9,"text":"I hope you didn't worry about transportation."},{"start":49.28,"end":49.54,"text":"Sure."},{"start":49.88,"end":50.72,"text":"All right, sir."},{"start":50.74,"end":51.48,"text":"Good, good."},{"start":51.86,"end":52.24,"text":"That's nice."},{"start":52.36,"end":52.96,"text":"He was overwhelmed."},{"start":52.98,"end":55.42,"text":"How was, uh, did he indicate what her problem was?"},{"start":55.44,"end":66.27,"text":"Yes, sir."},{"start":66.29,"end":67.29,"text":"But he was pleased, wasn't he?"},{"start":67.35,"end":67.83,"text":"Oh, he was."},{"start":67.85,"end":68.45,"text":"He was delighted."},{"start":69.31,"end":70.46,"text":"Actually, he's a hell of a fine man."},{"start":70.5,"end":72.82,"text":"I don't know what he's doing to help pick him from the government."},{"start":72.84,"end":73.66,"text":"That's all right."},{"start":73.7,"end":75.38,"text":"I think it's because it's his neighbor."},{"start":75.87,"end":76.73,"text":"Sure, sure."},{"start":76.75,"end":78.44,"text":"Well, let me just get the word to him."},{"start":78.46,"end":79.05,"text":"Okay."},{"start":79.07,"end":79.37,"text":"All right, sir."},{"start":79.39,"end":79.97,"text":"Good job."},{"start":80.03,"end":80.42,"text":"Thank you."},{"start":80.54,"end":81,"text":"All right, sir."}],"aiSummary":{"text":"President Nixon and General Walter Tkach discussed the delivery of a private offer of medical assistance for Eleanor McGovern, the wife of political opponent George McGovern. Tkach confirmed that he coordinated the message through Lon Thompson, ensuring that any necessary military or civilian medical facilities and transportation would be made available. Nixon expressed satisfaction with the gesture, emphasizing the private nature of the outreach and praising Thompson's cooperation.","topics":["Eleanor McGovern","Medical assistance","George McGovern","White House outreach","Lon Thompson"],"generatedAt":"2026-04-06T03:59:21.320Z"},"topicSlugs":["eleanor-mcgovern","medical-assistance","george-mcgovern","white-house-outreach","lon-thompson"],"audioDurationSec":86,"audioFiles":[{"file":"031-145.mp3","bytes":2055731,"durationSec":85.6,"bitrate":192124,"missing":false}],"audioIsShared":false,"audioProbedAt":"2026-09-18T02:19:28.233Z","findingAidSource":"nixonlibrary.gov subject log (2024-05), reslice-v2","findingAidUpdatedAt":"2026-09-18T08:42:40.113Z","audio":["https://nixon.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/audio/031-145.mp3"],"url":"https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/031-145","nixonLibraryUrl":"https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/white-house-tapes/31/conversation-031-145","license":"Public domain (U.S. Government work). AI-generated fields (transcript, aiSummary) are provided as-is without warranty."}