Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 43 › Conversation 043-036

Nixon phone call with Tkach on John C. Stennis and Medical prognosis

Tuesday, February 6, 1973 · 11:57 PM–11:58 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Tkach, Walter R.Conversation043-036 on Tape 43StartTuesday, February 6, 1973 at 11:57 PMEndTuesday, February 6, 1973 at 11:58 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 043-036 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with his physician, Dr. Walter R. Tkach, regarding the critical post-surgical condition of Senator John C. Stennis. Despite slight improvements in the Senator's lucidity and vital signs, Dr. Tkach offered a grim prognosis, suggesting that the Senator was unlikely to survive for more than a few days. Consequently, the President made plans to visit Stennis the following morning, pending medical clearance.

  • John C. Stennis
  • Medical prognosis
  • Presidential visit
  • White House medical staff
  • Health of public officials

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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 mr president dr takashi sir yes sir go ahead please hello mr president yeah he has improved slightly yeah uh actually he stopped bleeding through that opening that he's had through the ileostomy and he's more lucid now he recognizes people and the vital signs are good but it's better than the 430 report i guess and over
I see.
Have you heard something to the contrary?
Well, I heard he had another operation or something.
Yes, he did it yesterday.
Yeah?
Yeah.
But what's the prognosis, and do they think he's going to make it?
Well, the prognosis is very bad.
What do you mean?
I doubt if he will.
They let him down.
He'll live four or five days.
Really?
Yes.
You see, what's happened is that the venous blood in his intestinal system is slowing down.
Would it be possible for me to go out to see him in the morning?
I'll check through that, Mr. President.
I'll be in in the morning about 8 o'clock, 8.30, and you let me know, and I'll just slip out there and see him in the morning.
Okay.
Thank you, Mr. President.

NARA Description

On February 6, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Walter R. Tkach talked on the telephone from 11:57 pm to 11:58 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 043-036 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 43-36

Date: February 6, 1973
Time: 11:57 pm - 11:58 pm
Location: White House Telephone

Dr. Walter R. Tkach talked with the President

       John C. Stennis’s medical condition
            -Operation
            -Prognosis
            -The President’s possible visit

Also recorded on February 7, 1973

  • 043-035 11:50 PM · 25 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Walter R. Tkach talked on the telephone from 11:50 pm to 11:51 pm.
  • 852-001 9:46 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:46 am and 9:54 am.
  • 852-002 9:46 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:46 am and 9:54 am.
  • 852-003 9:46 AM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:46 am and 9:54 am.
  • 852-004 9:46 AM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:46 am and 9:54 am.
  • 852-005 9:54 AM · 15 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:54 am to 10:10 am.
  • 852-006 10:10 AM · 35 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:10 am and 10:23 am.
  • 852-007 10:23 AM · 1 hr 59 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, John D. Ehrlichman, unknown person(s), Stephen B. Bull, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:23 am to 12:21 pm.

All 28 conversations from February 7, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 043-036, February 7, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/043-036 (accessed October 1, 2026).