Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 23 › Conversation 023-103

Nixon, Haldeman & Buchanan on J. Edgar Hoover and Public relations

Tuesday, May 2, 1972 · 10:35 AM–10:37 AM ET · White House Telephone · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Buchanan, Patrick J.; [Unknown person(s)]Conversation023-103 on Tape 23StartTuesday, May 2, 1972 at 10:35 AMEndTuesday, May 2, 1972 at 10:37 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 023-103 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman coordinate the public announcement of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover's death. Nixon rejects an initial recommendation for Attorney General Richard G. Kleindienst to break the news, insisting that he personally make the announcement to reflect the national significance of the position. They discuss the circumstances of Hoover's passing, including the timing and natural causes, while finalizing logistics for the President's upcoming television statement.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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There's a typewriter out there, if you want to use it, Pat.
Hello?
Mr. Haldeman, sir.
Yeah.
Hello?
Yeah.
Our recommendation is that we have, uh, uh, claimants announce the death right now.
All right.
Just death.
And then you... Then I won't go out then, because... Well, no, then you should go out and make your statement.
I know, but I...
Which is the only thing that'll ride on the television.
Well, it's...
I don't want to walk out there to...
It'll take us a few minutes to set up cameras for you to go out anyway.
Well, I don't know.
I just think he's announcing the death.
Then I'll just put out a written statement then.
That's right.
Because I don't think... You see, my point is that if you're going to do it, I should...
hit it with my own impact, I think.
Well, you will, as far as the people are concerned.
You don't understand what I mean.
If the death is announced and I'm going out and reading a statement to the press or making a statement to the press about the death of J. Edgar Hoover, and so what the hell is that?
You see my point?
All right.
I mean, after all, we've... Are you ready to go now?
Well, I can go 30 minutes to go.
I mean, I've been ready all the time.
I've been waiting for everybody to know what the situation is.
Well, we can go ahead and do that.
Is there any objection to my just going out and say, I have the sad duty to inform you of the death of J. Edgar Hoover last night.
J. Edgar Hoover died last night in his sleep.
Is that right?
Yeah.
Did he die in his sleep?
Yes.
Well, they think he did.
the doctor doesn't have an opinion as to cause but he says it's natural probably a heart attack and probably between 2 and 3 a.m. he wasn't found till 8 30 this morning yeah well they'll get into that as to when we learn and so forth that's the point and we haven't called they haven't called the coroner yet so there's a little problem there but well what the hell it's only 10 30 that's not too bad that's right the doctor didn't get there till nine so yeah uh
what they want they want clients to announce it then i'll just get it that was just the suggestion here uh to cover the delay and announcement and all that but i don't care about i don't give a about the television if they don't want to cover it we don't need to but bob doesn't bother me a bit i just have the feeling that i ought to make the announcement of his death you see i this is they mean j edgar hoover is in a presidential point he's not just working for the attorney general that's the feeling and he's a national okay
Let me see how quickly we can get set up here and I'll get right back to you.

NARA Description

On May 2, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Patrick J. Buchanan, and unknown person(s) talked on the telephone from 10:35 am to 10:37 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 023-103 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 23-103

Date: May 2, 1972
Time: 10:35-10:37 am
Location: White House Telephone
H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman talked with the President.

[See also Conversation No. 334-16]

The President conferred with Patrick J. Buchanan before the conversation began.

[See Conversation No. 334-15]

[End of conferral]

     J. Edgar Hoover
           -Death
                -Richard G. Kleindienst announcement
                -The President's statement
                     -Arrangements
                     -Written statement
                           -Impact
                     -Preparations

[Haldeman conferred with an unknown person at an unknown time.]

     The President's statement
          -Preparations

[End of conferral]

     Hoover
         -Death
              -The President's statement
                    -Announcement
              -Circumstances and cause
              -Coroner
         -Kleindienst announcement
         -The President's statement
              -Television coverage
              -Propriety
              -Preparations

Also recorded on May 2, 1972

  • 334-015 10:25 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Patrick J. Buchanan met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 10:25 am to 10:35 am.
  • 334-016 10:35 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 10:35 am to 10:37 am.
  • 334-017 10:37 AM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Patrick J. Buchanan met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 10:37 am and 10:43 am.
  • 023-104 10:43 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Patrick J. Buchanan talked on the telephone from 10:43 am to 10:44 am.
  • 334-018 10:43 AM · 55 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 10:43 am to 10:44 am.
  • 717-001 10:54 AM · 27 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:54 am to 10:55 am.
  • 023-105 10:55 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:55 am and 10:57 am.
  • 717-002 10:55 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:55 am and 10:57 am.

All 67 conversations from May 2, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 023-103, May 2, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/023-103 (accessed October 9, 2026).