Nixon White House TapesTape 36 › Conversation 036-050

Haldeman & Tkach on Lyndon B. Johnson and Health crisis

Monday, January 22, 1973 · 5:55 PM–6:19 PM ET · White House Telephone ·51 sec

ParticipantsTkach, Walter R.;  Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation036-050 onTape 36StartMonday, January 22, 1973 at 5:55 PMEndMonday, January 22, 1973 at 6:19 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 036-050 ↗

Dr. Walter R. Tkach updates H. R. Haldeman on the medical emergency involving former President Lyndon B. Johnson, who is currently being transported by ambulance to a hospital. Tkach reports that Lady Bird Johnson has already arrived at the facility and confirms that he is in direct contact with General Vogel for further status updates. The participants discuss the logistics of the transport while awaiting confirmation of Johnson's condition.

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Hello.
Dr. Takash.
Bob?
Yes, Mark.
I just talked to General Vogel at the hospital.
Mrs. Johnson's already there.
And the former President Johnson's in an ambulance between the airport and the hospital.
He has no communications in the ambulance, so he can't tell me anything about whether he's alive or dead.
Very good.
So he's going to call me immediately as soon as he sees me.
Okay.
Have you got anything more than that?
Mrs. Johnson's at the hospital?
Right, sir.
How'd she get there ahead of him?
I don't know.
She may have been in the area.
Because he came on fixed wing from Johnson City to the International in an ambulance.
He's in the ambulance now.
Right, sir.
We'll call you as soon as he knows.
Yes, sir.
Okay.
He's already gone.

On January 22, 1973, Walter R. Tkach and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:55 pm and 6:19 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 036-050 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 36-50

Date: January 22, 1973
Time: Unknown between 5:55 pm and 6:19 pm
Location: White House Telephone

Dr. Walter R. Tkach talked with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.

[See also Conversation No. 400-14B]

       Lyndon B. Johnson’s death
            -Reports
            -Tkach’s conversation with General Vogel [first name unknown]
            -Claudia A. (“Lady Bird”) Johnson
                                             -35-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Jul-08)
  • 036-047 4:51 PM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 4:51 pm.
  • 400-014 5:00 PM · 1 hr 29 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Raymond K. Price, Jr., Manolo Sanchez, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Stephen B. Bull, Walter R. Tkach, White House operator, and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm.
  • 036-048 5:55 PM · 10 sec — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and Walter R. Tkach talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:55 pm and 6:19 pm.
  • 036-049 5:55 PM · 2 min — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and Walter R. Tkach talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:55 pm and 6:19 pm.
  • 036-051 5:55 PM · 47 sec — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and Walter R. Tkach talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:55 pm and 6:19 pm.
  • 036-052 5:55 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:55 pm and 6:19 pm.
  • 036-053 6:19 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone from 6:19 pm to 6:22 pm.
  • 036-054 6:22 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:22 pm and 7:14 pm.

Conversation 036-050, January 22, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/036-050 (accessed September 18, 2026).