Nixon, Haig & Buzhardt on Watergate and Media coverage

NixonHi.
HaigHow was your trip?
NixonFine.
HaigThe greatest example of press objectivity yesterday.
NixonDid you see?
HaigNot a goddamn word on
Nixonwiretaps.
HaigNot one, not in the paper this morning.
NixonWell, I expect it.
HaigIt's just unbelievable.
HaigAnd networks all ran wiretaps way down and
HaigI just dropped into news armed with
Haiggriefs and [laughter] it's just I mean you've got to tell him how fortunate it's turned out.
NixonGood.
HaigWhy didn't they, but
Haigthey didn't. And we had a cover with two hundred and eighty-six page deposition
Haigin the second, third hand, thirty-year say who Magruder said that Strachan told him that the President wanted this done.
HaigIt's unbelievable. And they've run that as a lead, as serious.
NixonWell he didn't he didn't get off he didn't get into that why get on the network show with Scott?
HaigYes, he did, but the way they handled it's been really
HaigI mean, you couldn't even there's not even a hint of objectivity.
HaigHad that been the reverse, it would have been a screaming headline.
HaigBut we know that, we've known it all along, and we just
NixonWe thought we'd get a little better out of it than that.
HaigYeah. And, as a matter of fact, we overkilled because we used Press Corps hearings instead of giving it to a journalist who probably had a worry of using it. And if they all collectively won't use it,
HaigI don't know how we could have got it in.
NixonOne journalist should have had it.
HaigNo. But it served its purpose.
NixonGet the facts out, that's right. And now oh, are they checking these names?
HaigYes, sir, we're getting all names.
NixonWell they've got to get with the names and check if there's any I got to get the names out. If there are any names that are named, they've got to get on out.
HaigWe've got to make release again.
NixonThat's right.
HaigJust keep nibbling away.
HaigSee, we've that that was a real shock did, uh Rather this morning said if the White House is, he didn't explain why, he said, has obviously returned to an offensive posture.
HaigAnd that's what that was all about.
NixonYeah, well.
HaigNow we we've discussed this morning, sir, uh the pros and cons if you're going out and making this personnel announcement.
NixonProbably not.
HaigWell no, we think, even though there's some risks, it's probably not a bad idea. It's a good solid announcement.
HaigJerry would say that you're meeting in here with Laird and myself and will have a personal announcement. There'll be no questions and answers today. Mr. Laird will stay behind and take your questions.
HaigAnd you would have a little preamble where you would say, "Gentlemen, I know you have many questions and I will be here in the near future to face, you know,
NixonBe entirely, and don't uh Talk about being in the near future. You might, you know, this and that.
HaigI don't think it's a bad idea to bleed this thing a little bit and uh
NixonOther way is to bring them in here.
HaigOr we could bring them in here and that would be a little less structured, a picture.
NixonI tell you what the way out, the press room, whenever it is necessary. We could just uh bring them in here and we could the three of us could be standing here, and then say it also now, I wonder if you just do that. In other words, a photopool.
NixonPhotopool with a couple damn reporters, and there'd be no question he came to the press room, but wouldn't answer any questions. See my point?
HaigYeah.
NixonAnd then Mel goes out, then they have a picture story to run.
HaigThat's good.
NixonI think it would be better out there. Did you want to make the announcement yourself, or
NixonNo, I don't I'll do it right here.
HaigRight in here. I think that's best. That's good.
NixonI could do it very casually, as a matter of fact.
HaigGood.
HaigAll right, so then we could, uh, so Mel would be ready.
NixonYeah.
NixonCan I call them at 10:30?
HaigNo, we're going to make it 11:00 because Klein is giving a 10:30 briefing out there.
NixonYeah, all right, well. Good! I mean, but Mel can come in for a minute.
HaigGood.
NixonAll right. Who's that?
HaigNow, I'm really pleased that you had that meeting with Connally yesterday, because he's been playing a very smooth game.
HaigUh, he told Pierre Rinfret yesterday, you know, he was going to break with you if you didn't take dramatical and off-action.
HaigThat was a very cozy way he played that yesterday.
NixonWell, he didn't indicate that.
HaigNo, I kept at it and he'll be, and that's right.
HaigAnd then he threw in that twister at the end which, incidentally, I don't think is a good course of action, and it would be a disaster.
NixonWhat?
HaigThe, uh, freeze on foodstuff. We're talking about China, grain, Soviet Union.
NixonWhat do you mean, the freeze?
HaigUh, a- a- on the ex- on the exports of US foodstuff.
HaigWe've got We really are up against two issues, Mr. President, and I'm convinced of it. One is to put controls on, and if we do, we've got to consider that it would be a permanent philosophical change for the administration.
NixonThat's right.
HaigAnd have to keep them on.
HaigOr we decide to march ahead courageously with our current program and re- and reinforce it.
HaigThis other thing would discombobulate our entire trade bill, um every relationship we have with Japan that we built so carefully. It'll get us horrendous problems with the Soviets on grain.
HaigSo.
NixonI think Connally is right in one respect. I think the Shultz standing thing is terribly unimaginative and so forth.
HaigIt is. It's uh, fine.
HaigBut, again, it's essentially status quo. And their basic problem, Mr. President, you damn well want to do it, they think we're mucking up their theological purity
Haigto get some political impact, going no where.
HaigThere isn't any question about that, that's exactly what the Shane problem is.
NixonYeah.
HaigAnd, uh Well, it just What So what I said, why not? Um.
HaigThe simple fact is that we've got a problem and we've got to solve it.
NixonAlthough, really, it isn't the thing that, well, politically, it should make the shock of Watergate. They don't realize that if there were no Watergate, we'd have this problem of being in high-
HaigWell, that's what I told them yesterday. By golly, this problem is the biggest problem. I mean, Senate and everywhere, everybody reports the biggest problem is prices. It isn't Watergate. They're at it, that's this town.
NixonYeah.
NixonI mean, there's a I'm just a little disappointed, frankly, in Shultz.
HaigI don't think Shultz is at his best. He, when he came back in here last night, he wasn't even coherent. He really hung his head on your desk and started talking about
NixonShit.
Haigfatigue. I think he's fatigued. I really do.
NixonWell, the thing I like,
Nixoncalled Buzhardt about last night. It's a small thing, but shows that either PR-law or somebody was really an asshole around here. When they called,
Nixonthey uh—well, I was meeting with Buzhardt about 6:30 last night or so. They got this pin from Dash for the uh meetings log and everything.
NixonWell, I told Buzhardt to give them the facts. All right?
HaigYeah.
NixonSo, and then I when I went over to the residence, I thought again of Dash, you know, we always say, we mustn't uh uh First, he said, "I want talk about responding." I said that certainly never response. Just don't. But I said, "Get the facts out so" that says, "He doesn't want the damn log, he wants an issue."
NixonWhen you pick up the morning news summary, and the issue is uh rather than the fact that Buzhardt was supposed to, or Garment, somebody had called Dash last night to say, "We'll be glad to send them the meetings this evening." What I hate, if we're going to do something, do it, and don't let it be an issue.
NixonI don't know whether he discussed this morning. Maybe they they may not see it quite that that's our thing.
HaigWell, we discussed that yesterday morning, that they have a duty now. I'll I'll check in to find out if they did do it, and that's just [unintelligible] phoning it down because you wanted an issue.
NixonOf course.
NixonWell, get get him checked out. Better have somebody check it out with Warren Warren briefed.
HaigAre you getting, bring you in now, you ask?
NixonHello? Mr. Buzhardt. Haig's calling.
NixonGet in here. Well, that's small potatoes, but the problem is, uh,
Nixonhow to figure out T.V.
NixonRegular T.V. shoes the fight the key was playing it and it's factual. Everything is close. I wanted to show that it's the Capitol. That's true. Oh, he's sure he was there [unintelligible]
NixonVery fine. Wonder-
HaigBuzhardt? Yeah.
HaigFred? Fred, did uh after your discussion with the President last night, did you get that information to uh Dash? You did? Why isn't it in the papers?
HaigHe just denied he said he was going to subpoena anything? Well, sure played that way in the press this morning, you know.
NixonIt's all over the networks. That damned Paul Duke, you know, the guy who [unintelligible] John, would goddamnit insist on, we
HaigYeah.
HaigWhat time did you get through?
HaigAt what time?
NixonOkay.
HaigRight. Okay.
NixonSee? We have we need desperately somebody who is uh not boyscoutting and all that, Ziegler [unintelligible] probably wouldn't have got
HaigYeah, what happened was he called, Dash wasn't available. And uh his man, Thompson, he called next. He gave it to Thompson. Thompson played tricky with him. And he called back at 9:00, Dash did, last night, and Dash denied ever having the intention of subpoenaing anything. He gave him the information, Dash [unintelligible] they'd already put out the stories. It's just that simple.
NixonThat's all this morning, all the papers are full now of Dash.
HaigNow that they they built the issue.
NixonWhere's where is the Buzhardt?
NixonMakes you do that way, too.
NixonHell [unintelligible] Hurry. Oh, shit. [unintelligible]
NixonHello? Hello? Hello?
HaigHello?
NixonFred? I got an idea. Hi, Fred. Um, hey, whenever uh whatever Dash wants uh we want to get back to him real quick, but you realize that Dash and company aren't interested in logs, they're not interested in the truth. They're only interested in an issue.
NixonNow, Garment is to call Dash and call you back and he is to rage. I'm sure hell. All the networks have this last night, the papers have it. And uh they knew before they they knew they all that happened in the morning paper. They knew that you were going to furnish the material, remember? I called you, I was concerned about this. And uh, had you, hasn't Garment done that?
NixonIn other words, don't, don't, don't—
NixonLet me square. This is primarily a PR thing, this sort of thing, and if we're going to give them something, we're not going to get the pledge, at least we ought to make a little credit for it. All right.
NixonYeah. Phone phone Dash. Garment's to call Dash and that he's like shocked the way this has been played in view of the fact that we've furnished the information and that uh he has done that and that that uh Dash uh that that that uh we expect the Ervin Committee to bother to line. We If he doesn't make a statement, we're going to blast you from the White House. Is that clear?
NixonSee what sweet love that'll be.
NixonI guess how we need Al, is just a good, tough PR guy like Herb always [unintelligible] you know.
HaigThat's all their job. Their thing is a terrific PR job. Well-
NixonYou know, you pick up the the news summary this morning, I just couldn't believe it, when they picked up John Ehrlichman's CBS thing, so John Ehrlichman insinuated that the President knew about Watergate. And what it was, was that Magruder told him, that Strachan told him that the President wanted the materials.
HaigYeah.
NixonNow, this is hearsay twice removed.
NixonEverybody knows it has that to do with it [unintelligible] you know, but I say, everybody knows it.
Nixonit's how to hit them. We're getting some our sector.
HaigIt did. That's, I don't know, it's really the grandest line thing. We've got that. This is a, a minute-by-minute exercise. Now, every time one of these things takes a turn, hell, we knew damn well yesterday what they were up to.
NixonYeah. What we do if
HaigThey Cox tried, and he finessed him, and then Dash moved right, right into that. And we should have been ready for them. We should have said, "God damn
Nixon[sighs] Course, the sort of story in the main on, like on the issue of the papers, that's fuzzed up now, anyway.
HaigYeah.
NixonIf they can't I just hope it's not fuzzed up. I talked to Buzhardt, and I hope it's not fuzzed up so much that he and/or Len, with the very best of motives, will come in and say, "Let's give them
Nixonthat it's [unintelligible]." We Al, you got to remember that I, and that's an I cannot let Buzhardt go through the papers. You understand? You go through Dean's, but he can't go through all of them. No. Nobody should go, "Those are my
HaigNo, he has no
Nixonpapers, and we can't let them go through." And don't let Len go through them, either.
HaigNo indeed. Bob was concerned because, uh, uh, we had to get the safe combinations to open Dean's safe.
NixonYeah. Of course, Bob's gone, so they've they've got to safe combinations, aren't they?
HaigUh, he's the only one who even has the the combination. And I finally insisted that he give it to you. There's nobody else that should have it.
NixonWell, what I'm going to say that on the papers next, we just can't open up on that. And, uh, if you start opening, believe me, all it did was open Pandora's box. I know what's there. I just don't know what's there, not in terms of criminality, but in terms of implications. If they will take
Nixonwhat Magruder told Strachan, but Strach- but Magruder says Strachan told him, I never saw Strachan.
HaigAfter He probably didn't know whether he spoke to you in the office.
HaigWell, we have we have a very good paper done on this issue, which I need to be, you'll be encouraged to read, on the paper issue by
NixonGood. Good.
NixonI agree with you that strength is all that talk. Well, if you defeat individually, if you can, uh, if you're on a stronger ground than we've just been, which is still the [unintelligible] or the other, Oh, what the heck.
NixonWell, let's get Watergate off off our plate for the moment, and back to something else. Uh, You know, we're right about one thing from now. We just can't sit around and gass about this. We got to leave it over there with Buzhardt and let you know folks do that.
NixonAnd they must come in with, uh, their problems to you, if not to let alone me. You know what I mean? Uh, unless there's a decision to be made.
HaigWell, they came rushing to me yesterday with a disastrous course of action, which was a straight confrontation yesterday.
NixonWell, that was- I said, "Get the hell out of here." Through that. I agree with you, when I say, you know, I, I admit, I admit it.
NixonIt's a fascination for lawyers, both of them to gass about it. Don't let them gass with you.
HaigNo, I don't.
NixonSecond point is, and if you haven't the time, they won't do it with myself. Second point is that we just have to realize that that media treatment yesterday is a pretty good indication that that we're We're in the center of the hurricane.
HaigDid the did the Times or Post play the story?
HaigIt did.
NixonThat's all. They don't want it. They don't want to admit it.
HaigBut it's served its purpose. It really did. Yes, sir. I'll bet you don't hear any more wiretaps. I'll bet we never hear another word about it.
NixonWell, you understand, I want those Who's going to look through those names that would have some selected camera look over, who'll remember who was in this thing, okay? Give all those names to him.
NixonWho is that? Civil rights people, and so forth. You got to have somebody look them over who's got a good recollection of that. Don't have this done by Buzhardt, cuz he wouldn't remember who those people are, who went out.
HaigWell, we have we have Pat. He's right in this, and he's Great.
HaigHe's
NixonYes. Well, I give Now the other is, uh, don't As I say, if the if the news is going to play that way, you just got to figure we're just going to have this thing hanging around.
NixonAnd there isn't a great deal that can be done. Well, how, I know some of our people talk about fighting, and so forth and talking.
NixonI guess I guess the argument played. I think John Connally's,
Haiguh, advice to you today is is correct and sound.
NixonWhich is?
HaigJust ignore the goddamn thing. Don't say any more about it. We've won the battle. There's no question in my mind about that.
NixonIn which one?
HaigYes, I do. I think the basic issue is already solved. And what we've got to do is-
NixonWhy do you Why do you think we've won the battle on this?
HaigWell, I think that they have no way of accomplishing what they're after, because that's to destroy you. That's the only objective. That's what the whole thing is all about. And, uh, they haven't got it to do that. Now, they're going to keep it a a thundering
Haigbackdrop of misery for us. But we've got to work slowly out of it by doing our business and being hyperactive in doing it.
HaigUh, hyperactive in the sense of getting out of Washington and and showing leadership. We're going to have our ups and downs all the way through this, though.
NixonWell, you have ups and downs in
Nixon[unintelligible].
HaigWe're going to have, uh, and I think Laird's going to be a big assistance to you here. We need, uh-
NixonSomebody to go out and leak and everything. He's got, uh, a lot of them, hasn't he?
HaigThat's right, and somebody if there's really a tough political fighter, and that's what he is. He he knows where all the all the bodies are. And the same with Bryce, um
HaigOh Bryce, well, that's impressive piece. He's kind
NixonNow, Bryce is more He likes to muse about things, but Bryce will be useful in the sense of, you know.
NixonI have a feeling that this economic package, Al, is not still quite ready yet.
NixonI think they've rushed to get it ready. And, uh, the speech, frankly, is lousy. Yeah. I, uh It's, uh, the way I've got I want to make a note of this while I think of it. Our speech writing team is terrible. He doesn't sleep tight. You sign talking points to the rest.
NixonPrice should write a dirty speech, and Price isn't the one to read a speech. He don't write that kind.
NixonNow let me see, unless we have anything of great importance, tonight will be all right. Price is trying to get it released. Gergen's working on this to try to get better sync of this thing. That's, that's that. Well, what I was going to say apart from that
NixonI'm not comfortable with this weekend. I don't know who will be, you know what I mean? I'm just not comfortable to go out there at that pump, and then go out and speak in Peoria. And, uh, we, that's not fine, people. Well, another wire, make it, never to be scheduled anymore.
NixonThe little boys out here that make up schedules don't realize that New York is dying. I I'd rather never want to go to New York again. See, like go to the Waldorf and so forth. We always will have demonstrators in New York. They have a very unfriendly press, so we just don't go to New York City. Chicago,
NixonSt. Louis, Atlanta, New Orleans, Columbus, Cleveland, not New York City, so we'll get that on the list.
NixonNow another thing, if you are trying to get individual groups, individual groups I'm getting, like to, to brainwash them, the best thing to do in that instance, if you're not covering the publicity, bring them to the White House.
NixonIn other words, finally we can do it. Like here at the height of the Cambodian crisis, I brought in 100 or so 100 bond brokers and so forth, or stockbrokers. Stocks, stocks went down, and people were like, church,
Nixonand talked with a from the crowd at the house. And
Nixonwe can do that so easily. Like Fitzsimons, rather than my going over to his hotel to talk about the Labor Day, I'm going to bring him here to talk about it. You know there's no there's no points to be made to to an individual. Now, going to the country, we should go to the country in ways that
Nixonare highly visible.
NixonAnd, uh, despite what they want to say about that. Let's put on the economic speech up in Chicago or something like that. Put on an economic speech here, radio or so forth, and give them the play.
NixonGo to Chicago, maybe repeat a theme of it, and let them and let them cheer a little bit. Yeah. The purpose of going to the country is really solely that. The idea Now this is a Shultz idea, and Shultz, goddamn stupid. It's not worth a damn. For a President. I want him to know.
NixonThe idea that I will go and sit down with groups of interested citizens, and those interested citizens will give me their views on the economy. Hell, that will not work. That That's a loser. Everybody wanted me to do that during the war, and people wanted me to do it. You know, that's that's something that people do in the future.
NixonAnd oh they took with the blacks, they did it a lot, and it's a total losing thing, you know? It doesn't look. See, I'm the President. I'm going to make the decisions, and I'll meet with people here. Once I, if I go, cheer. The idea, suppose you all right, suppose you sit down with six people for an hour.
NixonIt's great for those six people, they don't see anything. But you say, they're going to get a story out of effect that you sat down with six people. Press will write, "I've done this over and over again, and it never meant nothing." And, uh, it's just a terrible waste of time.
HaigYeah, that's particularly right, or if it's
NixonI'll work on the schedule. I'll have to work with that schedule, damn it, myself. I've heard I know scheduling so well, and the Parker boys over there are not really up to it. And needless to say, Shultz and his boys are totally not up to it.
HaigNo, neither student
NixonThey have They have no perception of the power of the Presidency, that they ought to take it, and the other thing is it I'm going to get this candidate. Now, the economy at the moment.
NixonSee that the Dow is 919. Today? It's about a 20 drop, but, uh, that's uh That'll be a drop, right? But it's bobbing around for a number of reasons.
HaigThe money's been shifting to real estate, and out of the market. That's a that's a symptom, though. Yeah. Our real problem is is the dollar abroad, like anything. Yeah, and the immediate price situation, that's it.
NixonWell, that, and the inflation. We really come down to it. Aren't you convinced, aren't you convinced, really, that the freeze will will not work?
HaigNo, it won't.
NixonI'm talking to everybody now.
HaigNo.
NixonYeah, but what are what are you going to do after a 60-day?
HaigWell, I think, you know, what we've got is a just a very fundamental philosophic issue here. Frankly, I what I am most disturbed about is that your advisers don't give you an objective view. There's a school of thought which is essentially the liberal side, that says that the economy has to be controlled from here on in.
NixonIt's uncontrolled, it's open.
HaigAnd, uh
NixonI don't want to go that way.
HaigNo, we don't want to do that. It would be a a fundamental shift in the philosophy of the party and our own convictions. But you ought to be told that, and not be told, "Well, in two months, you're going to have to be faced with the same thing." That's not what the the proponents of the freeze,
NixonYeah.
HaigI mean the responsible ones, are saying. What they're saying is, "Sure you put You control the economy, and you continue it perhaps." Now that's that's the nature of the economic beast. But the thing Those men can't sit down together, and they can't even discuss that with you objectively, and give you the pros and cons which I think you would regain. Uh I I certainly wouldn't. Well it isn't It isn't sheer insanity.
HaigAnd and you really do get down on the basic issue of it's either that,
NixonOr find a Phase 4.
Haigyes, sir. Yeah. They're going to get And you need a
Haigif you stay status quo, you need up must be imagination and and uh, more habit to to give you that leadership, huh? I really do quite frankly believe that the problem is is more Watergate than it is the econ- uh at this time.
NixonYeah.
HaigIn in and abroad. That's, that's the problem we've got to overcome through active leadership and doing other things.
NixonYeah.
HaigAnd the show with Brezhnev, we're here
NixonWell, the press of things, if it comes off with any degree of success whatever
Nixonthat though? I feel they are. They cannot, they cannot help. They'll be turned.
HaigThat's right. And they're they're in a sour week of just steady business going. And that's why I think when each another fresh goes on and finally young people
Nixonyoung people Young people like it today. He'd be upset if he didn't and
HaigHe's good good in it, Frank, good way to get to the temper.
NixonOh that's what he'll do. And absent from
HaigSure.
HaigThat's just great stuff in the morning paper. Hit them back.
NixonIncidentally, I want to get him a golf cart, Al. It'd be great for him to ride around the country. I wonder if they'll like golf carts. Well, they go for open-air, don't they? Well, he can't walk yet, but I want to give him a golf cart and he can ride in it, you see.
NixonUh you can find out. Somebody around here, they give them to We can get those with very modest amount, let's see. Maybe make cushions for somebody.
HaigNo, I can't walk for a long time.
HaigEvery, seemingly, picture that comes through he's getting the hell hounded out of him, the fire he's caught. My God, then.
NixonHe's what? There are all kinds of stories about killing the university's war.
HaigAll right, so we're getting about two or three pages wide out of this crowd and he's good. He's he's
NixonWhat time do we go on? Ten-thirty?
HaigTen-thirty.
NixonMake it twelve, make it earlier if you By all means, Friday it'll all be done there.
NixonIs that a technological school or so forth?
HaigYes, sir. Junior college issues.
NixonI think that I'm just going to have an informal talk. It makes no sense to try to talk to them about our economic problems, huh? I'm not ready for that.
NixonI think I'll just talk to them about what the future looks like for young people in America and so forth and so on, how good things are and so forth and so on.
HaigWell, I, last night, I just ticked off a few concepts, which, you know, mhm, we've bitch about and, oh, Richard, he's got all these people start up with applause. Great.
HaigWe've got lots of friends. It's reckless.
HaigYou might Why don't you talk to her son some? You'll find out it's been great. If they say they are, it is great. Dark somehow in the mail. And indicating support and all that sort of thing.
NixonYeah, so we've had a lot of support. It's sure, we've had a lot. I'll bet it's tough on them, too. So, God, how the public can stand this constant pack.
HaigI know. Did John- Did you take John Ehrlichman's deposition?
NixonI know that Ehrlichman's deposition must have been 90% probably that the the President the President uh asked him for uh report and so forth and so on.
NixonHe didn't use any of that. Their whole desire is to get the President. But somebody has got to say, well, uh Scott said it today, didn't he?
HaigYes, he did. He said it. Hunt did it like that.
NixonExoneree's.
HaigI think they're on this right. This goddamned thing will run its course to where people are just going to be totally turned off.
NixonJohn
Haigon the whole
NixonJohn thinks that Who said this? Connally?
HaigYeah, he said that they are. It's got to be calm.
NixonYeah.
HaigWell, wishful, they're in an auction. You know, some new disclosure. God knows what.
HaigAnd that's why we have to get this goddamned thing to just keep pressing so that when people get so fed up with it that they don't They're turned off entirely.
NixonWell, the result is that people can get fed up. The news is that That's right, there's no way of getting the press to turn off.
NixonNow, this this shows the choices. This should be our concentration like every night.
HaigSure it would. Every network should have had a headline.
NixonWell, they didn't want to bring it back to double up and put the taps and took it to the church.
NixonWell, I'm going to get those names, and I'd like them about 3:00 this afternoon, and I want to put them out now. I want to start getting some of that stuff out. I think I've got I think I've got to turn my mind.
NixonGet me a copy of that Ellsberg account. Let's get him one, huh? Can we get it?
HaigYes, sir.
NixonAll right, I want it.
NixonI want to read it.
HaigThere's a way that we can.
HaigThey have all they want defensively, work here ourselves.
HaigYou'll never hear from the White House [unintelligible]
NixonI want to look at some of this stuff. I got to know.
NixonDid Did you can study the names, though? He was studying the names, figured out whose names. Bobby, I'm only interested in the Bobby Kennedy years. I'm not into the Johnson years.
NixonI'm sure that's the thickest of all, they did some illegal tapping then.
NixonYou've found a lot of What's his name? Hersh?
HaigLady in the center. I think it's Brennan.
NixonWell, that's what he'd been I hear it's not Hersh, it's a British spy and that they tapped
HaigHoover did the 16 taps.
NixonWell, coming back to the other things on the economy,
Nixonof course, everybody waiting, bated breath, you know, what we do. Pierre Rinfret thinks we should freeze.
HaigFreeze. Absolutely. And he feels very strongly about it.
NixonFor how long, 60 or 90?
Haig90
NixonWell, you can't go 90,
NixonDunlop's in charge of the Cost of Living Council, and they had to deal with the labor thing, maybe I better take a look at the 60-day freeze.
NixonYou know, he even throw it on 60, and then then in in that in that period, crawl the tuck relations to
NixonI don't know.
NixonOr shall we just fight the battle through? Now, I know I'm not I'm not uh, huh.
NixonYeah. When you've got a strong-minded guy like Connally shouting out, it isn't easy.
NixonAnd, you know, I mean, Shultz bourbon around, Stein sort of sitting there and I know they're all worried to death. They don't know what to do.
NixonWhat you can say that what you need now, what I need is economic advisers run over there running Treasury,
Nixonwho comes in with an idea, and says, "All right, I thought all this through, and there is this and that." We just kind of got that man.
HaigWell, I get you. You have to Let me get Simon in here.
NixonAll right, well I'll talk to Simon this morning. I've great confidence in him.
NixonAnd I have Simon to talk to Dunlop about that uh you see, you you got a good reason to do it, Shultz isn't here.
NixonTell Simon that I We just want to know he's thought this thing through, and so forth. What about it?
NixonAnd uh
Nixonnow I realize we may have problems.
NixonThey would indicate those problems
Haigsuppose it almost seems unreasonable,
Haigthey they convince you that same thing prevents Connally
Haigfrom getting into this thing.
NixonOh, no.
HaigI think it would set us back in what we have to do.
NixonConnally's for a freeze on that. Connally's for that, right?
HaigOh, yeah.
HaigDear God, though, no one can tell me that that's not damage.
HaigAnd I think there're just four or five reasons that we've got to get over this term period.
NixonWell, Dunlop in any event that that you can call him and tell him that they're all out of town, but I'd like for him to do some creative thinking
Nixonwith regard to what comes after a 60-day freeze.
NixonI think 60 is better than 90.
NixonBecause basically, you don't have to screw around. One is labor. Labor can hold still for 60.
HaigEverything for 90.
NixonAnd ah,
Nixonwell, I think I think that's what we better do, Al.
HaigYes, sir.
NixonAnd as soon as you get the charter you can call Connally
HaigRight.
Nixonand get him over here, say, 11:00.
NixonMeantime, we're just not getting the stuff up here to the top that we need.
NixonLook, if I delay this economic decision, even a week,
Nixonit's all right.
HaigIt's good turn.
NixonIt's all right. I don't want to go past the 14th.
HaigTime and every one of them we should have some statistics that try to even more reinforce our our judgments.
NixonNow, with regard to the cabinet meeting this Friday, this Thursday, I think we'll present Laird tomorrow.
HaigRight.
NixonGive a little bit of a report on Paris thing,
Nixonand uh, I don't think we better get into the economic thing.
HaigNo.
NixonNo, let's just I think what would be I just wouldn't I hope we're We're not ready for it, are we, Al?
HaigNo, we're not ready. No question about that, we're not ready.
NixonWell, we'll just have a brief cabinet meeting, and then You know, they're anxious to see as to which one of the Huh? They're
HaigThey have and the uh the Paris, I mean the Iceland summits
NixonYeah.
Haigthey're Well, a lot of
NixonAnd we give them And then, there are, they need uh that uh
Nixonand for a for a couple of that talk. We'll let Brennan give us a little report on, you know,
HaigYeah, we missed a few of the
NixonWe, well, I don't want I don't want to I'd rather not ever let Brennan give one, but we'll let Brennan give a little report on the energy business, probably.
HaigRight.
NixonAnd Cap Weinberger.
NixonNeither had got the talk. Those will be the two
Nixonthe dog and pony show. Cabinet seats.
HaigRight.
NixonHow's that sound to you?
HaigThat's good, and that meeting will be about an hour.
NixonThe whole purpose of the cabinet meeting is there'll be a picture.
HaigThat's right.
NixonWe'll have Laird there.
NixonI think Connally will be there.
NixonI'll tell them I'm doing a lot of things about the economic. I may throw that out to see what they think about it.
HaigRight.
HaigThat's good.
NixonYou know, you could go around that table and say, "How many want a freeze?"
NixonWell, don't let me Don't Don't let me do that.
HaigThe pressure about it, you know, could get to you, Mr. President.
Haigabout this What, do these people want?
NixonWe just take We just got to
NixonBill Rogers tonight says to break with it. He's furious.
NixonThe one thing he is not clear on [unintelligible]
Nixonis as to when I can really and how I can fight this thing.
NixonFor example, a press conference technique.
HaigIt's a bitter one.
NixonAl, we're not quite ready for that yet.
HaigYou know, we're not ready. If I were to walk out there and walk that this week, it's a Watergate press conference.
NixonBloody mess.
HaigNo question about it.
NixonI think we've got to wait until I have a feeling Brezhnev, on him you kind of get through Brezhnev.
HaigThat's my feeling.
NixonThen, have a press conference.
HaigThat's my, I thought maybe as we got closer to it, that that'd turn, but in fact,
NixonYeah.
Haigbest to wait till after.
NixonIt won't turn. Let them shoot their wad. Let the country get a little more fed up
Nixonthan it is at the present time. It is getting fed up, and I think a lot of It is.
HaigWell, Alsop took off the other day about it. What he's saying, "Jesus, this is
Haigyou know, just unbelievable.
NixonWatergate,
Haigyou know, like a fly to people that have to live."
HaigWe know that. We know the mails aren't yet that way.
HaigWe know that the the mails, the networks are getting,
Haigis uh very strong against this taking the soap operas off.
NixonNo question about that.
HaigSo, it it'll build, and they'll After this week, we'll have another week of this, and they're not getting anywhere in these hearings. They're not It's just the same old crap.
NixonWell, basically, it is.
HaigNow, I talked briefly to Rogers last night. He gave a couple of things to uh You should get a report on Pompidou's health,
Haigreally, what happens if he dies, and so forth.
HaigAnd Steve Don Kendall could go to Mexico for us, he won't. But, he'd be a great ambassador.
HaigSteve Kendall was uh overseas,
NixonBut I was going to tell you that there's one thing about Rogers
Nixonin my brief talk last night.
NixonAl, he isn't about to stand up to that until until he sees that terror coming in the right way.
HaigYeah.
NixonThat's quite I must say he just doesn't have the stomach.
HaigYeah.
NixonHe was saying last night, he thought that the heard the beginning to turn,
Nixonour direction and so forth. I'm afraid it's not. I don't hear this, so I don't
NixonAll right, the points are tall. But,
Nixonyou know, he always raises the questions of what uh they Even our friends tend to think the worst.
NixonYou take this this whole this whole crap of uh Dean.
NixonConnally makes an intriguing point, though. He said, "Most people think you did do it."
NixonI don't think most. I think it's about half, according to Gallup and Harris and polls.
NixonFine.
NixonThe point is, the other way to say that, the way you put it, is if even if I did, they think I should go on and be doing the job.
NixonIsn't that about what it is?
HaigThat's right. That's the that's the point. What the what the American people feel is that politics,
NixonYeah.
Haigwell, is dirty business.
NixonYeah.
HaigAnd that, uh, goddamnit, they've got a president who's succeeded, and they want him to continue to succeed.
HaigThat's that's the fundamental thing.
HaigAnd that runs the spectrum from ardent enthusiasm, and I think most of the
Haigthe middle American feels that, and feels that way.
HaigThe other kind, the guys that are turning on you on Watergate, were were against you anyway, they've just never been able to even have anything to clap on.
NixonWell, there's a few who are saying, "Some of the more partisan Democrats who didn't turn on us earlier because they didn't think it would be popular, started to,
Nixonare laying back just a little now." I don't know, maybe not.
HaigI'm going to call Jerry Ford and see how his discussion
NixonOh, I I've got that yesterday. Did you get it?
NixonHe said that uh
HaigThey were probably sorry.
NixonYeah, I think that's it, Al. So Buddy makes a speech in the afternoon about each one of these lines in the resolution.
NixonI resign to, uh, do uh, made it every night, every night and day and I prefer not to have each individual thing out of that, but if they have to, well, Albert doesn't want it.
HaigJerry said that uh while a number of the leaders, Democratic leadership doesn't want to put their guys to the spot, their
NixonThe spot.
Haiguh, fellows to crime.
NixonIt would be impossible at this time to to visualize such a thing. Well, anyway, uh
Nixonwhat do we come to then, as such? And, uh, I spoke about Rogers, you know, what he said. Well, I said, "I don't want to get into it, Rogers. Now, you know I just wasn't in damn what was took on.
NixonAll I know is, try to create, these lawyers create the impression I was sitting there regular and briefed on it." And she said, "Can, did she confer?"
NixonWell, but that is, you know, then I thought, why should I even just plain, you know, such a thing?"
HaigNo, no, that's right. You shouldn't have to. I really do.
NixonGod damn it, he, he ought to be stepping up there.
NixonHe ought to get the facts.
HaigI'm telling you, the way he acted when I was the first week I was here on that, he just turned me off. Well, I no longer talked to him. And it had nothing to do with the fact that he wouldn't leave
Haigthat job and come over here and help. That uh, is understandable.
NixonNo, that's probably right.
HaigYes, but it was the the judgments and the way he arrived at the conclusions. They were selfish. They were govern-ed in selfishness.
HaigThat that we don't, we don't need.
NixonOh, boy.
NixonI'm tickled for the sacrifice. Hey, and let's face it,
Nixonon, uh, on Laird, he loves politics, but he doesn't particularly want to come back right now.
HaigHe didn't want to come here. Hell of a lot. No.
NixonI know. I was thinking one thing, if it's, if it's free, I wonder what his schedule tonight is, if we
NixonWhat about taking him to do with Harwell, to work on? It's a quiet night. It'd be a good idea?
HaigYeah, sure, if uh, if he doesn't have it,
NixonSocial plans.
Haigsocial plans. Yeah. He was out
Haigout of the city last night.
NixonYeah, yeah, but whether he's free tonight.
HaigI know I think he'd like to do it.
NixonI know, I I think the point is, I'd like to sit, have him come off with a feeling
Nixonof being a
HaigGentleman again.
NixonI can't do it tomorrow, cuz I'm supposed to make that speech on the resolution.
NixonUh [pause]
Nixonbut, getting back to this anyway, whatever
NixonDean told you, that's what he's saying. He's said that I told them, I called for the president. We handle lots of calls from this thing. I don't have the slightest idea what that is.
NixonAll I can, that this, it is after the 23rd. All I know that happened after that is, as the sirens test, that's when I was trying to get the facts, true. I think that's it, you know.
HaigNow, they can't do anything with that period, then.
NixonAnything.
NixonAnd, also, how could they believe Dean, right?
HaigWell, see, this helps, I think, just to tag Dean. It says, "Here's a son of a bitch that's shoes is more concerned about not going to jail than any other single thing.
NixonYeah.
HaigThen discredit it.
HaigThe press keeps funny.
NixonYeah.
NixonJust wouldn't let the press question him.
HaigAll right, Mr.
HaigThe toughest part of this is the frustration and the and the dishonesty and the god damn thing and not being able to really get at them and clobber them, but
NixonI must build though yet.
HaigYou can't do that yet.
NixonI know.
NixonI think we've got to let them, frankly, run their course.
HaigThat's where it is.
NixonI really feel so.
NixonLet them run it. Let me ask you on the Connally, talk to this talk to getting that not together to work on this thing. We ought to uh We ought to find out who's, who's going to work.
NixonIn the meantime, we will meet him, and Al, I talked to you, 7:00 tonight, but in the meantime, Al, who's talking candidly, how about just toughing it through?
NixonYou really think that what we need is a
Nixonsplash?
HaigYeah. I'm just far less against it than than these men because I don't think they've they've given it the fair
Haigafter a shake. And in the past this is what we've had to do. This is more political than it is economic and it's more confidence,
NixonYeah.
Haigwhich you can't separate then.
NixonNo.
HaigGoddamnit, they have a man say that uh that you're trying to solve Watergate when you're economic, that is baloney. We've got an economic problem that's related to
NixonListen, I can't tell you, though, how strongly I feel. Uh, I talked to Colson. Connally goes, is anybody else? I don't know, and TV, that's not, I heard it very, very good.
HaigI don't think so.
NixonVery, it was very. I've got to tell you that, uh,
NixonSindlinger does his polling, says, "What?" Even now, he says Watergate isn't the main concern of the country, but the concern is about crisis.
NixonIf the President would do something about prices, Watergate would fly right out the window.
HaigThat's the problem.
HaigThey feed each other.
NixonOf course, they feed each other.
HaigJust cause and effect. But that doesn't mean that you don't touch the economy because uh they have their own problem with Watergate.
HaigThat's the attitude of,
NixonWhat I would like to do is to get the Friday figures,
Nixonand I think we'll just have to write off, you know, this week, without the FBI item Saturday, go down to Florida on Friday,
Nixonride through the week.
NixonAlso, could Connally give a suggestion as to
Nixonwhat is going to
NixonYou know, it's possible that they're aiming a 90-day freeze on us.
NixonNow, these guys are quite naive when they say, "Well, they hit my knee freeze on us. We'll tell them that it's un-enforceable." Now, that's totally, totally, totally
Nixonirresponsible, and you know that.
NixonIf they pass a 90-day freeze and I have no alternative course to that damn thing and that's worse than might figure it out, a 60-day one,
HaigRight. That's right.
Nixonbut, I want to tell them how, by what's unsatisfied for that matter, I want to know, I want to put the best minds to as to how he, Connally, has a Phase II program to follow.
NixonMaybe it will catch on after all.
HaigNo, I think he's got to get a hard look at this with a couple of new heads in it, and
NixonThe other thing is that I keep thinking about, now, it's uh, have a freeze and then,
Nixonif we can know the the other way would be to tough it through. We'll do neither one.
NixonThe difficulty with a 60-day freeze, it will raise all those expectations and so forth. One last, getting back to Connally,
Nixonwhat is the, the
NixonFirst, he shouldn't be, the poor guy, I think he's right, sort of staying in a hotel room and I don't see him and all that, but he's he's so damn sensitive about that, you know? But, I can't see him when I when I just have a hell of a deal of more work.
HaigThat's right.
NixonHe he can't be a vicious dog, it's been, but for him to announce he's leaving now would be a psychological blow of great magnitude today.
HaigAnd he, it was a little more torch than that. He wasn't just going to say he was going to go home, he was going to he was really going to go back, economic house, leave.
NixonThat's right, and he had obviously been doing some yakking up there in New York.
HaigNow what I think we should do, sir, and I've felt from the beginning was that for a host of reasons: Laird, Vice President, the whole, the thing is this: get him away, let him go home, happy, which is largely what happened yesterday.
NixonAsk him if he'll come to our Cabinet meetings, we need him.
HaigYes, sir.
NixonAsk him if he'll, uh
HaigCost of Living Council.
NixonAnything, naturally. And, we'll tell him. In other words, that I want to invite him to every meeting and that uh that we will send down a briefing officer, you know, for these things. Send him all the briefing papers, in other words, he's a special adviser, but he should return to his law firm. You know what I mean?
HaigDance at the end here.
NixonHe can return to his law firm. But that I wanted, that I want to do that. And, listen, the other thing is now he should use a government plane if he needs to. I don't see the problem with that, do you?
HaigNo.
NixonIf he comes up to a meeting.
HaigHeck no, absolutely.
NixonOh sure. If he's coming to a meeting, he's to use a government plane. I think he's gone overboard on that. It's more of a, the point is it's more convenient for him. The President has asked him to come.
HaigSee, I think that's the best way to handle it, and, uh, [crosstalk]
NixonWe've got to keep him aboard.
HaigAboard, to the extent we can.
HaigMy one pride is that he wasn't talked to except, and of course we weren't talking to anybody, we had too damn much to do, and I think that, well, he seemed to be so cheeky, you know?
NixonAll right, if you would do this, and would you add Connally, be sure that I want him to come to Cabinet meetings and this and that, that the way that I figured out this plan, that I'd like him to come to all the Cabinet meetings, to any NSC meetings, if they involve economic, you know, that involve foreign economics, to energy meetings, to this and that, you see what I mean?
HaigRight.
NixonThat all this could be done, but I think, I thought if you tell him frankly there's no conflict between him and Mel Laird, that, he's coming in to he won't be in the picture, I mean he won't be involved at all, but it'll be an enormous help to me, and that that that also gives me an opportunity after such meetings to talk personally.
NixonI want you to talk to him today, call him today if you would, and say that I would like for him to take a hard look at the sixty-day freeze.
NixonTell him that you talked to Simon and Dunlop, and ask him if he would do a little talking himself, and tell him that Shultz has gone.
NixonHow about that?
NixonLet's let him think, let him think that I'm not, tell him that the President slept on it, he's just not satisfied with this program.
NixonHe wasn't satisfied with it, was he?
HaigAbsolutely not, and we know it.
NixonSome of his, honey, some of the things that he suggested, I don't know.
NixonI think, the gimmick, for example, turning in the money,
Nixonwell that was done by FDR, what the hell is that going to prove?
NixonI mean, that's sort of a 1930s stunt, causes loads of, I think, that isn't my style.
HaigIt's not your style, we're beyond that.
NixonYeah. Houston.
HaigHe's leaving today. He'll give it to the press also.
NixonNow he, Mel, uh, why don't you say that uh we discussed it
HaigUh huh.
Nixonuh today, "I know you'll have many questions for either, now we won't answer any questions." I know, but, naturally, I never knew the existence of the information that precipitated all this,
HaigRight, you know.
NixonFor an answer, questions to be raised, each did everything authorized by the law, but not until I heard of this controversy. You see, take two minutes, they're in the rooms right there, kills it.
HaigAs Clarence said, don't think it'll be the first things they
NixonWhat I would like to do is to take what you say, um, just clip this out, get Warren's, whatever it is,
Nixonuh,
Nixonuh, put put that out, see? And then put this out, see, as a statement for the press.
NixonThe cat was the trigger.
NixonOh, shall I announce the Assistant to the President?
HaigYes, good.
NixonKlein out, three, that's right, and that's the so-called
HaigYeah, yeah.
NixonAlright. What did he prompt him on, why?
HaigNo, no, he just said that uh figure would probably be uh moved. Now, I don't know where he got that.
NixonKlein?
HaigRight, and Klein had announced his resignation, so they said, "Well, if he asks you, then say that anyhow."
NixonYeah.
HaigAnd this is a good way to do that.
NixonWell, what I'd like to do is to get this announced, and, uh, I'll just say the press, so I have three announcements today. Uh, we'll go into detail with regard to who. So you call, type off, Al, if you want, the Laird, put your name first, you're the Chief of Staff, Haig, Laird,
HaigChief of Staff.
Nixonuh,
Nixonand all this rhetoric is fine, except I look forward to working,
NixonAll right, here. What? And type that out, the announcement for Warren, so, and, uh, then, right after that, here, here.
NixonNow, the, uh, I think what I'll do then is to call the men and have the two of you
Nixonstand here, in other words, you on the right and him on the left, and uh, you know, "All right, we have some staff announcements to give you right after this. Ladies and gentlemen, I want to take this, picture of me, two strong,
Nixongood men here." How's that?
HaigThat's good.
NixonI'll say, I offered this job
Haig[unintelligible]

Nixon, Haig & Buzhardt on Watergate and Media coverage

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Nixon, Haig & Buzhardt on Watergate and Media coverage

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