"I would like you to consider the difference in the time from 1963 to date. The FBI, at that time, was headed by Mr. Hoover who had been appointed Director continuously. He had, I would say, a good reputation"

John Sherman Cooper is referring to the FBI's credibility in 1963, when it was headed by J. Edgar Hoover. He recommends that Hoover had a good track record at the time, and that the FBI was kept in high regard. He is likewise suggesting that the FBI's track record has actually changed ever since, and that it deserves thinking about the difference in the time from 1963 to today day. This could be translated as a criticism of the FBI's existing track record, or as a pointer of the value of maintaining an excellent credibility. It might likewise be viewed as a suggestion of the value of having strong management in order to preserve a great reputation. Regardless, Cooper's quote is a suggestion of the importance of keeping an excellent credibility, and of the effect that strong management can have on an organization's reputation.