Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 339 › Conversation 339-015
Nixon & Kissinger on George Wallace and Assassination attempt
Monday, May 15, 1972 · 9:29 PM–9:35 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building
AI Summary
President Nixon and Henry Kissinger discuss the security assessment and handling of the individual responsible for the attempted assassination of Governor George Wallace, who had occurred earlier that day. Nixon expresses concern regarding the potential for leaks and mismanagement, explicitly instructing Kissinger to withhold related information from Secretary of State William Rogers. The conversation focuses on ensuring the matter is handled securely and that the assailant’s radical background is contained without triggering the public scrutiny experienced during previous political assassinations.
- George Wallace
- Assassination attempt
- Security protocols
- William Rogers
- Information control
Audio
Download MP3 (part 1) · 111.9 MB ·Download MP3 (part 2) · 108.1 MB
This conversation has not yet been cut into its own clip, so the player above contains the full tape segment shared with neighbouring conversations. It begins about 02:44:31 into the tape and ends around 02:49:17.
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data
NARA Description
On May 15, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 9:29 pm to 9:35 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 339-015 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 339-15 Date: May 15, 1972 Time: 9:29-9:35 pm Location: Executive Office Building The President talked with Henry A. Kissinger. [See Conversation No. 24-126]
Also recorded on May 16, 1972
- 024-124 9:23 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 9:23 pm to 9:24 pm.
- 339-013 9:23 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 9:23 pm to 9:24 pm.
- 024-125 9:25 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman talked on the telephone from 9:25 pm to 9:27 pm.
- 339-014 9:25 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 9:25 pm to 9:27 pm.
- 024-126 9:29 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 9:29 pm to 9:35 pm.
- 024-127 9:35 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:35 pm and 9:36 pm.
- 339-016 9:35 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 9:35 pm and 9:36 pm.
- 024-128 9:36 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods talked on the telephone from 9:36 pm to 9:39 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 339-015, May 16, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/339-015 (accessed October 9, 2026).