Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 191 › Conversation 191-003
Nixon phone call with Colson on George Wallace and Assassination attempt
Thursday, May 18, 1972 · 10:10 AM–10:33 AM ET · Camp David Hard Wire ·12 min
AI Summary
President Nixon and Charles Colson discuss the political fallout and public relations surrounding the recent assassination attempt on George Wallace. They evaluate the administration’s response to Wallace’s injury, the impact of busing as a political issue, and strategies for maintaining a strong stance on the ongoing bombing campaign in Indochina. Nixon emphasizes his intent to avoid appearing to back down in the face of international criticism, reinforcing a firm diplomatic line regarding the Soviet Union.
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
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Oh, all right.
Well, I was just taking a look at the morning papers, and I probably couldn't believe my eyes, where the Washington Post has some sort of a headline that says, Nixon's big winner in Maryland.
Oh, it was Michigan you were referring to.
Hart, I guess, some way you said Hart.
I have Michigan in mind.
Senator Hart.
to do a sin with their readership by saying Wallace people are Nixon people, Nixon.
Wallace is a racist, ergo Nixon is a racist.
That's really, you see, they're too subtle, though.
Well, particularly in view of the fact that, you know, you do have some people around, I mean, Don Rumsfeld,
To a certain extent, Bob Bench and certainly Ed Harker and the domestic council staff who said that busing is not an issue.
In the states in which it matters, it is critical.
Decisive.
And also, we're on the right side of it.
We just want to get more right on it.
I suppose this wheelchair thing, Chuck, will obsess them all and they won't be looking back at it.
He's a damn fool to do it.
I mean, it's, it's, it's always going to be a wish to, frankly, help his enemies.
I'm sure, when I say I'm sure, I'm not, I'm not, the press reports indicating paralysis are correct.
What I mean is, it's, it's, it's grim.
It's at least, at least three months.
At least three.
before he ever started campaigning, Chuck.
So, you know, let's face it.
It just means that we've got to do our best, that's all.
Be that as it may, I must say that it's got to have shaken the Democrats a little bit.
What do they say, Chuck?
I saw one of the press things indicated that.
How are the television jackasses playing, the same way?
Okay.
It's a general feeling, coming back to less important things for them, more important for us.
It's a general feeling that...
my call to her, sending the doctor out, offering Walter Reed, going across the street and so forth, and of course checking daily.
Is that about the right level with him, don't you think?
Strong and pushing.
I wouldn't let it go out.
I just kind of stopped the helicopter.
I understand.
And I didn't agree with anybody.
I considered stopping the helicopter in the way and just dropping in and wishing to go before I leave.
I reckon he might die while I'm there.
I don't know.
Friday, I clicked up.
Can't date a Friday.
But with no press, if you will, the press will be there.
I wouldn't build it up at all.
Just fly from camp date and get on the helicopter and just drop down.
Everything should be surprised.
Nothing should be contrived.
But you think up to this point we've done it right, huh?
I might just, that might be the second thing, is to just call and tell him, you know, we'll see.
which may be the best thing to do.
We did say that the doctors figured it would be better not to.
But anyway, we'll see.
We'll see.
That's right.
And also, Albert, I'm glad that I didn't stay battened down in the White House.
I mean, you know, that's the right thing to do.
I don't care what people fear.
I mean, he's always said that.
That's all right.
A lot of people think by going right.
It's a good thing he did.
He'll get active.
He's closer to them than I am, so what the hell.
Some of your people have been surprised to find that about the other shootings we've had in our time.
it's really quite something well particularly there are nuts running around we don't when we have somebody this fellow would have been locked up in another country as being a moron now are we say let nuts run around when you let nuts run around also it's the price of permissiveness oswald would have been in a jail in another country
I like a little of that.
Sure, he's been out threatening people before.
For your information, it will probably be publicized, but I've just spent an hour and a half at the arena.
Here, he's going back.
It's afternoon.
It's on.
We'll let those bastards riddle on that a little bit.
Hopefully, hopefully.
Particularly, didn't you find that interesting, though, their World War III confrontation, risk of peace, the whole Nixon generation of peace, huh?
All right.
Well, I could even call him to appreciate what he said about the ceasefire, that that strengthens our hand as we go to the sun.
I don't know anything.
Because I had talked to both Griffin and Berg yesterday, so I might as well give Carl a call.
On one hand, they say peace for the United States, and we're saying peace for Indochina.
Why not?
Stop the killing.
But right now, though, it's pretty hard on him because you may have some bad tomorrow because those guys are going to have a high point tomorrow, you know, again, because of his birthday.
But it's all right, too.
what they say
Right now, the main thing is to keep the heat on it.
I mean, I'm speaking out, but we're going to continue to bomb those factories every time in Moscow.
Every day.
It's the same thing as me.
because we don't want to have them feel that they backed down.
We're going to let them because we've got to say that we're doing it for our new children.
We're not going to let one small country poison the relations between two large countries.
That's the line I made from the Soviet.
It just takes a cold turkey if they understand that.
and the most dramatic made since World War II.
Okay, bye.
NARA Description
On May 18, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 10:10 am to 10:33 am. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 191-003 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 191-3 Date: May 18, 1972 Time: 10:10-10:33 am Location: Camp David Hard Wire The President talked with Charles W. Colson. [See Conversation No. 131-25] ****************************************************************************** [Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 11/06/2017. Segment cleared for release] [Personal Returnable] [191-003-w001] [Duration: 5m 2s] [See Conversation No. 131-25-w001] ****************************************************************************** [End of telephone conversation]
Also recorded on May 18, 1972
- 131-024 10:05 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:05 am and 10:10 am.
- 191-001 10:05 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:05 am and 10:10 am.
- 191-002 10:05 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:05 am and 10:10 am.
- 131-025 10:10 AM · 23 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at Camp David from 10:10 am to 10:33 am.
- 131-026 10:33 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:33 am and 10:58 am.
- 191-004 10:33 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:33 am and 10:58 am.
- 131-027 10:58 AM · 10 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David from 10:58 am to 11:08 am.
- 191-005 10:58 AM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 10:58 am to 11:08 am.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 191-003, May 18, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/191-003 (accessed September 18, 2026).