Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 131 › Conversation 131-010

Nixon phone call with Haldeman on George C. Wallace and Walter Reed Hospital

Wednesday, May 17, 1972 · 2:42 PM–2:44 PM ET · Camp David Study Table · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation131-010 on Tape 131 (tape position 00:19:10–00:21:17)StartWednesday, May 17, 1972 at 2:42 PMEndWednesday, May 17, 1972 at 2:44 PMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 131-010 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H.R. Haldeman discuss the medical status of George C. Wallace following an infection that delayed his transfer to Walter Reed Hospital. Nixon considers the logistics and political implications of visiting Wallace, tasking Haldeman with consulting Dr. Lukash and the Secret Service regarding a potential helicopter arrival at the hospital. The conversation concludes with administrative arrangements to have a courier transport documents and the President's dog, King Timahoe, to Camp David.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yeah.

Yes, sir.

My information apparently is correct.

I just talked to Takash, and he's having some problems.

He's got a temperature today and some sort of infection, so he won't be going until certainly tomorrow, or not today, probably not tomorrow, until Friday.

But I told Takash he's going to try to find out when he goes.

Now, if he doesn't go, Bob, do you think I should still go out to see him?

I don't know.

At least, well, I don't know.

Let me talk to Lukasz about that hospital.

Yeah.

I'm kind of, I don't know.

I mean, yet there's the other, I suppose another possibility would be to still go from here and just drop by helicopter at that hospital.

Maybe so, yeah.

Just drop into the damn place.

Mm-hmm.

Well, that can be...

Still wouldn't do that till Friday, though.

Friday.

If you can have anybody that's trustworthy in the Secret Service, well, rather than, yeah, Secret Service, or could go out and just check to see whether there's a place for a helicopter landing near there or something.

Right.

Might be an idea.

Let me suggest another thing that... No, well, this thing I can give to Colson, so we'll let that go.

So we're all set.

Okay.

Would you mind seeing something else again?

Are they going to bring up any more papers or anything today?

Yeah, well, there'll be a car coming up with an agent shift.

I'm not sure if we've got anything for you, but we can send something you want.

Rather than the car.

I'd like for them to bring the big dog up, Manolo's in back.

Oh, sure.

Not all three because we don't have anybody to handle him here.

Right.

But it'd be good for him, and then I'd have a little, you know, when I go for a walk, I could take him.

Could they send him up?

Yep.

And, uh... We'll have him do that.

And, uh, in fact, if you're gonna bring the helicopter, you could put him on that.

Right.

Fine.

Okay.

NARA Description

On May 17, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David from 2:42 pm to 2:44 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 131-010 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 131-10

Date: May 17, 1972
Time: 2:42 pm - 2:44 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table

The President talked with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.

[See also Conversation No. 189-21]

     George C. Wallace
          -Condition
                -Dr. Walter R. Tkach's report
                -Effect on move to Walter Reed Hospital
                      -Date
                      -Tkach
          -President's possible visit
                -Haldeman’s view
                -Dr. William M. Lukash
                -Logistics
                -Day
                -Secret Service check

     Charles W. Colson
     Courier
          -Papers
          -Secret Service shift

**********************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 11/03/2017.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[131-010-w002]
[Duration: 24s]

     Courier
          -King Timahoe
               -Manolo Sanchez
                    -Location
               -Other dogs
               -Helicopter

**********************************************************************

Also recorded on May 17, 1972

131-008 2:36 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Walter R. Tkach talked on the telephone at Camp David from 2:36 pm to 2:40 pm.
131-009 2:40 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 2:40 pm and 2:42 pm.
189-020 2:40 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 2:40 pm and 2:42 pm.
189-021 2:42 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 2:42 pm to 2:44 pm.
131-011 2:44 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 2:44 pm and 2:46 pm.
189-022 2:44 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 2:44 pm and 2:46 pm.
131-012 2:46 PM · 15 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at Camp David from 2:46 pm to 3:01 pm.
189-023 2:46 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 2:46 pm to 3:01 pm.

All 63 conversations from May 17, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 131-010, May 17, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/131-010 (accessed October 10, 2026).