Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 334 › Conversation 334-018

Nixon & Haldeman on J. Edgar Hoover and Public Relations

Tuesday, May 2, 1972 · 10:43 AM–10:44 AM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 55 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation334-018 on Tape 334 (tape position 01:54:21–01:57:18)StartTuesday, May 2, 1972 at 10:43 AMEndTuesday, May 2, 1972 at 10:44 AMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 334-018 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman coordinate the protocol for a highly sensitive, impending death announcement to ensure minimal public delay. Nixon insists on immediate notification so he can deliver a prepared statement to the press within five minutes of the news being made public. This swift turnaround is intended to control the narrative and minimize the window for speculative reaction.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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The point is to get to death.
No, no, God damn it to hell, don't do it that way.
I'll be over there.
And I want the death announcement and I will walk out.
I want it announced so that they don't have 30 minutes to think about it before I get there.
All right, can you be ready or not?
See what I mean?
If they announce it within five minutes after the death's announced, I want to be out there making the statement.
I don't want any delay, whatever.
Okay, let me know, I'll be right back.

NARA Description

On May 2, 1972, 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. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 334-018 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 334-18

Date: May 2, 1972
Time: 10:43 am - 10:44 am
Location: Executive Office Building

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

[See Conversation No. 23-104]

Also recorded on May 2, 1972

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 023-106 10:57 AM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon talked on the telephone from 10:57 am to 10:58 am.

All 67 conversations from May 2, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 334-018, 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/334-018 (accessed October 9, 2026).