Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 334 › Conversation 334-015

Nixon & Buchanan on J. Edgar Hoover and FBI

Tuesday, May 2, 1972 · 10:25 AM–10:35 AM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Buchanan, Patrick J.Conversation334-015 on Tape 334 (tape position 01:49:28–01:51:42)StartTuesday, May 2, 1972 at 10:25 AMEndTuesday, May 2, 1972 at 10:35 AMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 334-015 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Patrick J. Buchanan met to coordinate the official administration response to the death of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. They discussed the drafting and release of a formal statement to honor Hoover's 48-year tenure and legacy of service. The conversation focused on ensuring the public tribute appropriately reflected the President's appreciation for Hoover's loyalty.

Audio

Download MP3 · 5.1 MB

Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 1 minute of this recording (about 60% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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

.
.
.
Today mourn the death.
The director of the FBI.
Under eight American prisons.
For 48 years under eight American prisons.
There's a tire right around there if you want to use that.

NARA Description

On May 2, 1972, 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. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 334-015 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 334-15

Date: May 2, 1972
Time: 10:25 am - 10:35 am
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with Patrick J. Buchanan.

     J. Edgar Hoover
           -Death
                -Written statement
                     -Release
                     -Text
                     -Mourning
                     -Career
                           -Service
                           -Loyalty
                     -Release

     Typewriter

Buchanan left at 10:35 am.

Also recorded on May 2, 1972

  • 334-011 10:00 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 10:00 am and 10:25 am.
  • 334-012 10:00 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 10:00 am and 10:25 am.
  • 334-013 10:00 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 10:00 am and 10:25 am.
  • 023-103 10:35 AM · 3 min — 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.
  • 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.

All 67 conversations from May 2, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 334-015, 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/334-015 (accessed October 9, 2026).