All the President's Men (1976) Movie Script

Now here comes
the president's helicopter...
...Marine Helicopter Number 1...
...landing in the plaza on the east side
of the east front of the Capitol.
The helicopter hovering gently
just off the ground.
Amazing timing.
The president flying
all the way across the world...
...across the Atlantic Ocean,
arriving almost exactly--
Exactly as scheduled,
at 9:30 in the Capitol plaza...
...so he can go up the steps
of the House of Representatives...
...go into the chamber...
...and address the members of the House
and the Senate, Supreme Court...
...the diplomatic corps of Washington...
...all of whom are inside waiting for him
in the chamber.
Mr. Speaker,
the president of the United States.
And the president,
accompanied by the Escort Committee...
...comes down the central aisle,
approaching the podium.
He greets members of his cabinet...
...and those who are waiting
to be confirmed as members...
...as he reaches the rostrum.
Shakes hands with the Speaker,
Carl Albert.
A happy president, smiling.
Ladies and gentlemen,
President Nixon will, in a moment...
...address the Congress
and the people of the United States.
Thank you.
Car 727, Car 727.
Open door at the Watergate office building.
Possible burglary. See the security guard.
Are you sure you want us?
517 is closer, and they're in uniform.
They're getting gas. You take it.
Unit 1 to Unit 2.
Unit 1 to Unit 2.
What?
-We're home.
Base 1 to Unit 1.
Base 1 to Unit 1.
We have some activity here.
Silence is advised.
Shut it off.
Base 1 to Unit 1.
Lights on the eighth floor.
Base 1 to Unit 1.
Is there anybody there?
There's people, people on the balcony.
Armed people.
Base 1 to Unit 1.
Base 1 to Unit 1.
We may have some problems.
Someone's here.
Hold it, you--
Police.
Put your hands up.
Drop that jacket.
Walkie-talkie, two 35-mm cameras.
Got it. That's good. All right, stay there.
I got something for you. Did you see this?
Couple sleeping in bed, car hits the house,
goes through their bedroom.
Good morning. Crash.
Louis is over at Democratic headquarters.
One of the burglars had $814,
one $230, one $215, and one $234.
Most of it was in $100 bills,
and in sequence.
-Woodward?
Yup.
Break-in at Democratic headquarters.
There's been an arrest.
-Local Democratic headquarters.
-Bugging the place.
Check the time of arraignment
and get over there.
And, Woodward,
it was National Democratic Headquarters.
Right.
-Anything else?
-Anything else?
Break-in, car crash.
That's not bad for a Saturday.
Let me know what happens.
-Hello, Carl.
Hi.
Got anything on that couple?
I know somebody on the staff at Watergate.
Want me--?
Why don't you finish one story
before trying to get on another?
I finished it.
-The Virginia Legislature story?
-I finished it.
All right, give it to me.
I'm just polishing it.
-I'll work the phones.
-Polishing it. Yeah, you work the phones.
Who cares?
What about property damage?
Sorry, who are the lawy--?
Excuse me, sorry.
Who are the lawyers
for the five men arrested at Watergate?
-Do you know?
Well, these two were assigned to it.
Sorry?
These two were appointed to the case.
Only now it turns out
the burglars have their own counsel.
-The burglars have their own counsel?
Right.
-That's kind of unusual, wouldn't you say?
For burglars it's unusual.
Do you know the name of the counsel?
I don't know. Some country-club type.
You are charged
with soliciting prostitution...
...at 14th and U Streets Northwest.
Your Honor,
Mr. Socket has in the past been reliable...
...for court appearances when ordered.
I think $300
would subsequently be suggested....
Excuse me, what is your name?
I'm Bob Woodward
of the Washington Post.
-Markham.
-Markham?
Mr. Markham, are you here in connection
with the Watergate burglary?
I'm not here.
Okay.
Well, clearly, I am here...
...but only as an individual,
not as the attorney of record.
Who is?
Mr. Starkey.
-Do you have any kind of--?
-Whatever you want...
...you'll have to get from him.
I have nothing more to say.
Uh, Starkey. S-T....
Mr. Starkey was very helpful.
Four Cuban-Americans and another man,
James W. McCord.
Look, I told you inside,
I have nothing more to say.
I understand that.
What I don't understand
is how you got here.
I assure you
there's nothing very mysterious involved.
Well, I was talking
to a couple of the lawyers...
...assigned to represent the burglars.
So?
They never would've been assigned
to the burglars...
...had anyone known the burglars
had arranged for their own counsel.
The burglars couldn't have
arranged their counsel.
They never even made a phone call.
So if no one asked you to be here,
why are you here?
-Don't take this personally, Mr....
-Woodward.
Woodward.
It would be a mistake to do that.
I just don't have anything to say.
Your Honor, Mr. Betts
is a young man with no prior record.
The defense has suggested a release
on personal bond.
Did one of the other men
involved in the break-in call you?
What reason do you have to assume
there were other people involved?
One of your clients was arrested
with a walkie-talkie.
They're not my clients.
-I don't wanna talk about this anymore.
-You're a lawyer and you're here.
Well, uh, one of the defendants, Mr. Barker,
and I met at a social occasion once.
Where?
-I have nothing else to say.
-A Miami social occasion?
Mr. Starkey says the Cubans
were from Miami.
L-62, James McCord.
L-63, Bernard Barker.
L-64, Virgilio Gonzalez.
L-65, Eugenio Martinez.
L-66, Frank Sturgis.
Please step forward, Attorney Starkey.
All charged with burglary two.
-And, Mr. Starkey, you represent all five?
Yes, Your Honor.
And are all five gentlemen charged
with burglary in the second degree?
Yes, Your Honor.
Your names, please,
and state your professions.
Bernard Barker, anti-Communist.
Anti-Communist?
That, sir, is not your average profession.
James McCord, security consultant.
Where?
Government. Uh, recently retired.
Where in the government?
Central Intelligence Agency.
Where?
The CIA.
Sturgis, Frank A., salvage operator.
Holy shit.
Eugenio Martinez,
known as Gene Valdez.
James W. McCord, alias Edward Martin.
Frank Sturgis, alias Frank Fiorini.
All five of the men had at least one alias.
Any proof they were trying
to bug the Democratic chairman?
It's obvious they were trying to.
They wouldn't go to that trouble
to bug secretaries.
-There's no proof.
-I called a lawyer in Miami I know.
He said four of the guys that were arrested
were from Miami.
Gonzalez, Martinez, Sturgis and, uh....
-Barker.
-Yeah, Barker.
And all four of them were involved
in CIA activities and--
No, only one.
Yeah, and they--
No, only one of them was admitted CIA,
and the CIA won't confirm that.
In fact, they deny even knowing McCord.
But it's obvious
that with all that money and equipment...
...they weren't out to, you know,
work by themselves.
Somebody hired them.
I'm interested in what you know.
We don't know why they wanted
to bug Democratic headquarters.
Whether they were working for themselves,
other individuals, organizations.
Could be a story or just crazy Cubans.
Bachinski, when you get there,
take it easy.
The police are nervous.
-Yeah?
Calling from police headquarters.
A friend just showed me what they found
in the hotel rooms of the burglars.
There's something
you might wanna look into.
Hang on.
Okay, go ahead.
There's a strange entry
in two of the burglars' address books.
-Yeah?
-One says "H.H. at W.H."
The other says
"Howard Hunt, W. House."
You can dial the White House direct,
can't you?
Yeah.
-What's the number?
456-1414.
White House.
-Howard Hunt, please.
Mr. Hunt isn't here just now.
He might be in Mr. Colson's office.
I'll connect you.
Thank you.
Charles Colson's office.
-Howard Hunt, please.
Mr. Hunt isn't here just now.
-Do you know when he'll be back?
-No, I don't.
Okay, thank you.
-Have you tried the Mullen firm?
-I beg your pardon?
He also works as a writer
at Mullen and Company Public Relations.
-You have a phone on that or an address?
-No, I don't. I'm sorry.
All right, thank you.
Do you know
in a survey taken, 10.9 percent...?
Harry.
Who's Charles Colson?
Who's Charles Colson?
Sit down.
I'm glad you asked me that question.
The reason I'm glad is because
if you had asked Simons or Bradlee...
...they would've said:
"You know, we're gonna have to fire this
schmuck at once because he's so dumb."
Who is Charles Colson?
The most powerful man
in the United States is President Nixon.
You've heard of him?
Charles Colson is special counsel
to the president.
There's a cartoon on his wall.
Caption reads,
"When you've got them by the balls...
...their hearts and minds will follow."
Do you have a list of receipts?
Hello, Mr. Murray?
This is Ivy Mills of the Washington Post.
I'd like to know if....
Mullen and Company.
-Howard Hunt, please.
-One moment, please.
Howard Hunt here.
Hi, I'm Bob Woodward
of the Washington Post.
Yes. Yes, what is it?
I was just wondering
why your name and phone number...
...were in the address books
of two of the men arrested at Watergate.
Good God.
-Do you care to comment?
-The matter is under adjudication.
I have no comment.
Hello?
This is Bob Woodward...
...of the Washington Post.
I was told that you had worked
with a Mr. Howard Hunt.
Why would anyone say that?
You do know Mr. Hunt?
No, I don't believe so...
...and I can't imagine
why anyone would say that.
I'm really sorry, but I was on my way out.
Goodbye.
Could we just confirm a couple--? Bye.
Did you say the Washington Post?
Yes, that's right, the Post.
Your publishing firm
was listed in some papers...
...in connection with a Howard Hunt.
Yeah. Yeah, he's one of our authors.
He wrote spy novels, I think.
What type of spy novels were they?
Were they modern or period--?
You say "wrote"?
You mean he's no longer with you?
No, not at this time.
How long has it been
since you heard from him?
-Couple of years, I think.
-Tell me the names of novels he's written.
Hello? Is this Mr. Paul Herrera?
This is Bob Woodward
of the Washington Post.
Bob Woodward of the Wash--
Do you speak English?
Hey, do any of you guys speak English--?
Or do any of you guys speak Spanish?
Never mind. Thank you.
Thank you. Never mind.
What's the slug on the Mandel story?
What?
Hello?
-Mr. Bennett?
-Yes?
-Bob Woodward of the Washington Post.
I'm sorry to bother you.
I wonder if you could confirm information
on one of your employees, Howard Hunt?
What kind of information?
Just profile information mostly.
We know that he works
for Mullen and Company...
...or did work for Mullen and Company
as a writer.
He's also a novelist.
We know that he works in the office
of Charles Colson at the White House.
And the CIA.
And the CIA.
Well, if you're conducting
that kind of an investigation...
...certainly it comes as no surprise to you
that Howard was with the CIA.
No, no surprise at all.
Hunt worked for the CIA till 1970.
From '49 to '70.
This is on deep background...
...but the FBI thinks he's involved
with the break-in.
What else you got?
According to White House personnel,
Hunt worked as a consultant for Colson.
That's Charles Colson,
the president's special counsel.
-Did you call the White House Press Office?
-I went over there.
They said Hunt hadn't worked there
for three months.
Then a PR guy
said this weird thing to me.
He said,
"I am convinced that neither Mr. Colson...
...nor anyone else at the White House
had any knowledge of or participation in...
...this deplorable incident
at the Democratic National Committee."
Isn't that what you'd expect them to say?
Absolutely.
So?
I never asked about Watergate.
I simply asked what were Hunt's duties
at the White House.
They volunteered he was innocent
when nobody asked if he was guilty.
Be careful how you write it.
We got a White House consultant
linked to the bugging.
This isn't a police story anymore.
This is national.
-We need a top political writer on it.
-Well, they don't want it.
They're all over the map
covering the primaries.
-Besides, this guy has busted his ass.
-He's been on this paper for nine months.
-What's the matter with you?
-He's a humper.
What's he been writing about,
rat shit in restaurants?
-He's got no experience.
-He got a few closed.
Minor incidents.
Small government agencies.
Have Mr. Moffitt come in here, please.
And see if Mr. Bradlee's free.
I want Ben to hear this.
Sure, Moffitt will want the story
now that we've built it into something.
Even Bernstein's busting his ass.
I read that cockamamie memorandum
he wrote on the break-in.
-All right, so some of it was bullshit.
-What is the matter with you?
You told me yourself
you were gonna fire him last month.
Look, he wants on the story bad.
They both do.
He knows a lot of people.
Howard, they're hungry.
You remember when you were hungry?
Don't worry about it.
I'll be home late.
Did you get the artwork on that piece?
Hold on.
Hey, listen, where's the artwork?
I gotta have a cigarette.
Yeah, he'll be in in about
half an hour. Can I have him call you?
Okay.
Metro Desk.
No, I'm sorry, he's not.
Yes, I will. Can you tell me who's calling?
All right. Yes, hold on.
Thank you.
You want a laugh?
Hello.
Has anyone seen my scarf?
Hey, look, do we have a lead
for the metro page?
Yeah, yeah. Uh....
Lou. Hey, Lou.
Can you get me Mandel's office, please?
Yeah.
All right.
Listen, I want his comment
about that appointment.
Okay.
Right away.
All right.
Right away.
-How's it going?
-What are you doing?
-I'm polishing a little.
-You're what?
-Polishing it.
-What's wrong with it?
-Nothing, nothing. It's good.
-Then what are you doing?
I'm just helping. It's a little fuzzy.
May I have it?
-I don't think you're saying what you mean.
-I know exactly what I mean.
I can't tell whether Hunt works for Colson
or Colson for Hunt.
May I have it, please?
-Your conclusions--
-May I have it?
-I'm not looking for a fight.
-I'm not either.
I'm just aware of the fact
that you've only been here nine months.
What's that got to do with anything?
-Been in the business since I'm 16.
-What are you saying?
If you'd read mine and then read yours--
-May I read yours?
-Yeah.
I gave yours a glance, it didn't look right,
so I figured I'd refine it a little.
First paragraph has to have more clarity
if the reader's gonna understand.
You don't mention Colson's name
until the third paragraph.
I think mine's better, but if you think
yours is better, we'll give yours to the desk.
I've got Colson's name up front.
-He was a consultant and nobody knows it.
-You're right.
Yours is better.
Do it right. Here are my notes.
If you're gonna hype it, hype it with facts.
I don't mind what you did.
I mind the way you did it.
Woodward, Bernstein,
you're both on the story.
Now, don't fuck it up.
Steuben, what's the name
of that girl that you bombed out with...
-...who works in Colson's office?
Sharon Lyons.
Why are you looking at me like that?
You're attractive.
-Jesus.
You are very attractive.
You know, my girlfriend told me
to watch out for you.
-Who?
-I'm not giving any names.
Steuben said you work for Colson.
Steuben's crazy.
I never worked for Colson.
-That's what he said.
-I worked for an assistant.
Colson was really big on secrets anyway.
Even if I had worked for him,
I wouldn't know anything.
Did you know Howard Hunt?
-Didn't he work in the office?
-Yeah, I knew Howard.
-Nice?
-He's a nice person.
He's secretive.
He's secretive but a decent man.
Do you have any idea what he did?
Well, the White House said
he was doing some investigative work.
What do you say?
-He was doing investigative work.
-On what?
-Different things.
-Like what?
-I'm not gonna--
-She warned me.
I'm not gonna take my book out.
I'm just asking you.
Well, the scuttlebutt for a while
was that he was investigating Kennedy.
Why?
The White House was real paranoid
about Teddy Kennedy.
I remember seeing a book
about Chappaquiddick on his desk.
He was always getting material...
...out of the White House library
and the Library of Congress.
Anything he could find.
White House library.
Hi, this is Carl Bernstein,
of the Washington Post.
I was wondering
if you can remember any books...
...that a Howard Hunt checked out
on Senator Kennedy?
-Howard Hunt? Um....
-Yes, ma'am.
-Yes, I think I do remember.
-Uh-huh.
He took out a whole lot of material.
-Why don't you hold on and I'll see?
-I sure will. Thank you very much.
-Mr. Bernstein?
-Yes, ma'am?
-I was wrong.
-I beg your pardon?
The truth is, I don't have a card
that says Mr. Hunt took any material.
-Uh-huh.
-I don't remember getting material for--
I do remember getting material
for somebody, but it wasn't Mr. Hunt.
Right.
The truth is, I didn't have any requests
at all from Mr. Hunt.
-Oh.
-Uh--
The truth is, I don't know any Mr. Hunt.
Uh....
Uh, I was just wondering if any--
If you have any--
Hello?
Yes, we're checking
into that information now.
We'd just like to find out
just what it was that Hunt did...
...when he worked as a White House
consultant on the Pentagon Papers.
Yes, I'd appreciate that, if you could.
Yes, sir.
Thank you.
Just got off the phone with the librarian.
You wanna look at the notes on it?
Oh, this is some stuff
from the Eisenhower campaign in 1952...
...that Hunt was connected with.
Did you call the White House
Communications Office?
No, I just got off the phone
with the librarian.
-524-743.
-I know the number.
Between the first and second quote,
there's a contradiction.
It's a space of about five seconds.
-My feeling is--
-Was this all--?
Mr. Clawson's office.
This is Bob Woodward of the Post.
Could I talk to Mr. Clawson?
-One moment, please.
-Thank you.
-When she came back on the phone--
Ken Clawson.
Mr. Clawson,
this is Bob Woodward.
Carl Bernstein of the Washington Post
had a conversation...
...with a White House librarian
on books Mr. Howard Hunt took out...
...on Senator Edward Kennedy.
She first said that Howard Hunt
had taken out books on Senator Kennedy.
Then she denied even knowing
who he was.
I was wondering if you'd like to comment
on this confusion.
Mm. Listen, let me call you back
on this matter.
-I'm gonna check on it for you.
-Fine, thank you. Bye.
-All there?
-This--? Yes.
-This was all one conversation?
-Yeah. She says first of all:
"I think I got a bunch of books on Hunt."
Five seconds later, she says,
"I don't know Mr. Hunt."
-It's obvious someone got to her.
-Not enough proof.
If there was a piece of paper
that said Hunt was taking out books...
...on Kennedy and Chappaquiddick,
like a library slip--
Hunt took out books
from the Library of Congress...
...but what's more important
is somebody got to her in--
-How do you know?
-Because she said--
There was a lot of books
Hunt checked out.
-Then doesn't even know him.
-Woodward.
Mr. Woodward, Ken Clawson calling back.
-I've just talked with the librarian.
-Yes, sir.
She denies that the conversation
with Mr. Bernstein ever took place.
-She said she referred him to the--
-Excuse me, sir, sorry.
You say she denies even knowing
about the conversation taking place?
-That's right.
-Seven.
She said someone did call her
asking about Mr. Hunt...
...but all she did was refer him
to the Press Office.
-She denies other conversation took place.
-Total bullshit.
Uh, I hope that's been
of some help to you.
-Thank you.
-Uh-huh.
-We've gotta get something on paper.
-Library of Congress.
Mona? Excuse me, Mona.
-Could you take any calls for me, please?
Sure.
Here's my note.
If I get any calls....
Will you be back?
I don't know when.
You want all the material requested
by the White House?
All White House transactions
are confidential.
Thank you very much, gentlemen.
We need a sympathetic face.
We're not gonna find one here.
You want every request since when?
Uh, when did he start?
July of '71.
I imagine the whole last year.
I'm not sure you want them,
but I got them.
-Maybe they pulled the cards.
-Maybe they changed the names.
There might have been a card there
and we missed it.
Hey, wait a minute.
I met a White House aide once
at a social occasion.
-So?
-He might confirm.
Do we need "W.H."
and "White House"--?
Not in the second paragraph.
Just "White House" would be enough.
Just use "White House." Forget "W.H."
I wanna know about Colson.
What was his job?
-Special consultant to the president.
-I gotta say it.
These notes on the White House librarian,
are they accurate?
-The notes, are they accurate?
-Give me a second.
-Yes.
-I want a new page.
Okay, look, I'll have a reporter
out to talk to you this afternoon.
Let's take it in
and show it to Howie Simons.
We've gotta start moving
on this now. Come on, now.
Hey, Mr. Bradlee.
Get the artwork
on that Grant Porter piece.
Okay, let's have it. Mm-hm.
-Yeah, here you are, Ben.
It's a good, solid piece
of American journalism...
...that the New York Times doesn't have.
You haven't got it. A librarian and
a secretary saying Hunt looked at a book.
Not good enough.
A White House aide told me
Hunt was investigating Kennedy.
Who was it?
Who was it?
You want the name, you mean?
-No, how senior, how high up?
-I don't know titles.
"Showed a special interest in...."
We said the White House
was investigating Kennedy.
-"Showed a special interest in."
-The story's stronger than that.
The White House librarian says
Hunt checked out a lot of books.
-A secretary in Colson's office said Hunt--
-All right, Carl. Carl.
Ben, that's a Page 1 story.
Stick it inside someplace.
This is a goddamn important story. It....
Get some harder information next time.
Asshole. Bradlee's just sticking up
for the Kennedys.
-We didn't have it.
-Bullshit. We had it.
-We didn't.
-Why didn't you say something?
You think bitching about it
is gonna get the story where we want it?
Throw it in the can.
Yes?
-This is Woodward.
I wanna talk about Watergate.
-I know that the atmos--
-We're not going to talk about that subject.
-Well, we talked about Wallace.
-But this is different.
That was about the shooting
of a man running for president.
-This is different.
-How?
Not about this story. Don't call me again.
The stewardess hostages were released.
The passengers, numbering 113...
...were released in Philadelphia.
Things are warming up in Reykjavik, where
Bobby Fischer forfeited the second game...
...of that $250,000
world-championship chess match...
...with the Russian champion
Boris Spassky.
He didn't show up.
Fischer lost the opening match
to Spassky last night...
...after walking out during the match
for 30 minutes...
...to protest the directions and distractions
of television cameras...
...which were later withdrawn.
On Wall Street,
prices took a pounding yesterday...
...with the Dow Jones closing down
6-and-three-quarter points.
The dollar took a beating
on the European money market...
...dropping to its lower....
Taxi. Taxi.
Taxi. Taxi.
Taxi.
Where are you?
-Stuck.
The story has stalled on us.
And you thought I'd help?
I'll never quote you.
I wouldn't quote you
even as an anonymous source.
I mean, you'd be on deep background.
You can trust me. You know that.
Go on.
-Can you tell me what you know?
-You tell me what you know.
Hunt worked for Colson
at the White House.
Hunt was investigating Kennedy
at Chappaquiddick.
That should tell you a lot. What else?
We're beginning to hear a lot about a lawyer
at CREEP named Gordon Liddy who's--
Gordon Liddy...
...was fired by Mitchell
because he wouldn't talk to the FBI.
-You'll hear more.
-Will he talk?
I was at a party once...
...and Liddy put his hand over a candle,
and he kept it there.
He kept it right in the flame
until his flesh was burned.
Somebody said, "What's the trick?"
And Liddy said, "The trick is not minding."
The story is dry.
All we've got are pieces.
We can't seem to figure out
what the puzzle is supposed to look like.
John Mitchell resigns
as the head of CREEP...
...and says he wants
to spend more time with his family.
That sounds like bullshit.
We don't exactly believe that.
No, but it's touching.
Forget the myths that the media has created
about the White House.
The truth is,
these are not very bright guys...
...and things got out of hand.
Hunt's come in from the cold.
Supposedly, he's got a lawyer
with $25,000 in a brown paper bag.
Follow the money.
What do you mean?
-Where?
-Oh, I can't tell you that.
But you could tell me, then.
No, I have to do this my way.
You tell me what you know,
and I'll confirm.
I'll keep you in the right direction if I can,
but that's all.
Just follow the money.
Goddamn New York Times.
What is it?
Phone calls from the burglars
in Miami to the Committee to Reelect.
Fifteen phone calls.
At least 15 phone calls,
and those phone calls were made...
...as early as March 15th,
three months before the break-in.
"Eighty-nine thousand dollars issued in
the name of a prominent Mexican lawyer."
Eighty-nine thousand dollars
in Mexican checks?
Why didn't we get this?
Who are their sources?
I even know someone
who works on the phone company.
Carl, if John Mitchell
wanted your phone records...
...you'd be yelling invasion of privacy.
Was the New York Times article accurate?
-Yeah, but I can't get you a fuller listing.
-Why?
They've subpoenaed
all of Barker's phone records.
I think they're trying to find out if the
Watergate burglars broke any Florida law.
-Who subpoenaed them?
-Miami DA.
-What's his name?
-I don't know his name.
But the guy who's heading the investigation
is named Dardis.
Dardis. What's his first name?
I don't know his first name.
I guess you'll have to find that out.
Hi.
Hello.
I have a 9:15 appointment
with Mr. Dardis.
Mr. Bernstein, I'm afraid that Mr. Dardis
won't be able to see you this morning.
-His calendar is quite full.
-There must be a mistake.
I made the appointment
with him personally.
The appointment should've been made
through me.
I'll see if I can squeeze you in later.
Oh, thanks very much.
I guess it's difficult
when he makes his own appointments.
Yes, well, we try to handle it.
It's 4:00. We'll be back
in 15 minutes. Do you want anything?
-Coffee, black.
Coffee, black.
I'm still here.
Ha, ha. I'm so glad.
If you could get me in for five minutes,
I'd appreciate it.
-Mr. Bernstein.
-I have to get back.
We're going to try.
Oh, hi. He's expecting you.
I do have a couple things to do.
I'll be at the Sheraton
if you wanna reach me.
If he has space tomorrow, I'd appreciate it.
Number's on the back.
-Fine.
-I thank you for your patience.
Mm-hm. Thank you, Mr. Bernstein.
Tomorrow it should be better.
I guess so.
Mr. Dardis' office.
Hi. Please tell Mr. Dardis
that Mr. Bernstein has just left.
He'll be available all day tomorrow.
I think we can probably squeeze him in
around 4:30.
Yes.
-Mm-hm.
And please tell Mr. Dardis he doesn't want
to be late for his 6:30 appointment.
-Yes, I will.
-Mm-hm. Thank you.
-Mr. Dardis' office.
Mr. Martinson at the county clerk's.
-Beg your pardon?
-Martinson at the county clerk's.
There's some records that Dardis wanted.
Could you come get them? We're closing.
Uh, well, yes, I'll be right over.
Excuse me.
Would be easier too, wouldn't it?
All right. Hold it. What?
Excuse me.
-Can I help you in some way?
I'm Carl Bernstein. I've been here since 9.
-Wait outside.
-I've been waiting since this morning.
-Finish your call.
-Wait outside, please, will you?
No, no, no.
I'm the reporter from the Post.
We talked on the phone yesterday.
-You told me to come here, and I'm here.
-Okay, yeah, look--
I've got the press here.
I'm gonna have to call you back.
If you didn't wanna see me,
I don't know why you didn't tell me.
I wasted a whole day here,
and my paper's waiting for a story.
You tell me to come,
you said I got a 9:30 appointment.
-I've been waiting the whole day.
-Caught me on the worst day possible.
The man I work for
has started a reelection campaign.
We're gonna have to
see each other tomorrow.
No, I'm facing a deadline.
My paper's saving space for me.
I just don't have a minute now.
Well, I'm sorry, but--
Uh, Mr. Dardis, I'm really
very sorry about this. Mr. Bernstein--
I beg your pardon, but this gentleman
made the appointment with me...
...and the Washington Post
deserves the same courtesy...
...as any of the people waiting.
I'll buzz you in about five minutes.
The lady takes good care of me.
The fact is we just can't go into it
this evening.
It's gonna have to wait until tomorrow.
I wish you could've told me
before I left...
...because I gotta go back to my paper now
and write that story one way or another.
You wanna see Mr. Barker's phone records
and his money records?
You told me you'd show me
everything you got on Barker.
That's all I want.
-Well, that's what I've got.
-Well, that's fine.
You and I have to have an agreement...
...that you're not gonna reveal the source
of your information.
All these are cashier's checks
on a bank in Mexico City.
All these checks from Mexico?
You see?
How come?
Did the money originate there?
Well, I doubt it started off as pesos.
Uh....
-Well, wait a minute, what's this one?
Uh, what's...? Okay, $25,000.
Who's that? Who is that? Dahl--?
Kenneth H. Dahlberg.
We haven't been able to ascertain
who that is.
Bob, I've got something.
I don't know what it is.
Somewhere,
there is a Kenneth H. Dahlberg.
We gotta get to him
before the New York Times does.
I think they have the same information.
Got a pencil? Write this down.
Kenneth H. Dahlberg.
D-A-H-L-B-E-R-G, Dahlberg.
McGovern, who at first
voiced complete support for Eagleton...
...has more recently expressed doubts
and said Eagleton must make a decision...
...whether to stay or leave the ticket.
More with Jean Westwood....
You're the one that wanted
the articles on Kenneth H. Dahlberg?
-Yeah.
-Couldn't find anything in the clip file at all.
-Oh, wonderful.
-Um....
I did find one picture though,
if it's any help.
-Thanks.
-Mm.
Minnesota.
--supported Senator Eagleman.
He is an able United States senator....
Minneapolis, Minneapolis.
--will make him a prominent figure
in American politics...
...for many, many years.
I base that conclusion
upon my conversations with his doctors...
...and my close personal
and political association with him.
-Outside line, please.
Yes.
-Thank you.
In the joint decision...
...that we have reached tonight,
health was not a factor.
But the public debate over
Senator Eagleman's past medical history...
...continues to divert attention
from the great national issues...
...that need to be discussed.
I have referred to the growing pressures
to ask for Senator Eagleton's withdrawal.
-We have also seen....
Hello?
-Could I please--? Mr. Dahlberg?
-Yes?
-Kenneth Dahlberg?
-Yes?
This is Bob Woodward
of the Washington Post.
-Yes?
-About that $25,000 check...
...deposited in the bank account
of one of the Watergate burglars...
...Mr. Bernard Barker.
As you know, sir,
the check has your name on it.
We were doing a story on this...
...and I was wondering if you would care
to comment or explain.
Uh, I turn all my money over
to the committee.
What committee is that, sir?
The Committee to Reelect?
-Yes, yes.
-And why would you do that?
That's it, he's done.
-I raise a lot of money.
I'm Midwest Finance chairman.
For the Committee to Reelect?
-Hello?
-Yes, that's right.
How do you think your check got into
the bank account of the Watergate burglar?
I'm a proper citizen. What I do is proper.
-Oh, I understand.
-I've just been through a terrible ordeal.
-My neighbor's wife has been kidnapped.
-Oh.
Well, how do you think your check
got into Barker's account, though--?
Committee to Reelect the President.
Could I speak to Clark MacGregor?
-One moment, I'll connect you.
-Thank you. Thank you.
Yes?
-Mr. MacGregor?
-Yes.
-Bob Woodward of the Washington Post.
-Hello?
-Yes?
Uh, this is Bob Woodward
of the Washington Post.
Mm-hm.
I just spoke to a Kenneth Dahlberg,
who says he is Midwest Finance chairman.
Yeah, I know Ken Dahlberg.
Well, I can't seem to get an explanation...
...on why a check for $25,000
made out to Mr. Dahlberg...
...that he sent
to the Committee to Reelect...
...would end up in the account
of a Watergate burglar.
I don't know.
-But you're head of the committee.
-I just came aboard.
John Mitchell was head of the committee.
He might know.
-What would the explanation possibly--?
-I don't know.
You're implying that I should know.
If you print that,
our relationship will be terminated.
We don't have a relationship.
The issues of the campaign
are peace and prosperity...
...not a campaign check.
Bob.
-Sir, no one is saying--
Bob.
-This happened before I came aboard.
Mr. Dahlberg is on Line 2.
-I'm running a campaign.
We've raised $60 million,
and you're asking about a $25,000 check.
Mr. MacGregor, excuse me,
could you hold one second, please?
-All right.
-Thank you. Yes?
Hello?
-Mr. Dahlberg?
-Yes.
-Could you please hold one second, sir?
-Yes.
-Thank you. Mr. MacGregor?
Yeah?
-Can I call you right back?
-Yeah, okay.
-Thank you. Mr. Dahlberg.
Yes. Uh, I'm sorry I hung up before.
I wasn't sure you were
a Washington Post reporter.
I believe we were talking
about a $25,000 check.
Um.... Obviously, this is difficult for me.
Uh, I'm caught
in the middle of something...
...and I don't know what.
-I don't--
-What do you think it could be?
-Well, I deal with a lot of important people.
-People who work for the committee?
-Hello?
-For the committee.
-The Committee to Reelect the President?
-Yes.
You see, I raised that money in cash...
...and I have a winter home in Florida.
-Is that in Miami?
-Boca Raton.
And I didn't want to carry
all that cash around.
-Now, you can understand that.
-Oh, of course I can.
So I had it exchanged
for the cashier's check.
And how do you think
it got into Barker's account?
Uh....
I know I shouldn't be telling you this.
Uh....
I gave it to Mr. Stans.
I beg your pardon?
-I gave it to Stans.
-Maurice Stans?
-The head of Finance for Nixon?
-Yes, in Washington.
Now, what he did with it,
I really do not know.
I see. Were there any other checks
that you might be aware of, that could've--?
That's all I have to say.
Mr. MacGregor-- Mr. Dahlberg, I'm sorry.
Thank you very much.
Metro Desk. Yeah, he's here, hold on.
-Bob.
-Yeah?
Carl Bernstein on Line 1.
-One?
-Yeah.
Yeah?
Woodward? I got a lead on Dahlberg.
-I just-- I got it.
-What?
I just talked to him. I just hung up.
It goes all the way to Stans.
-What?
-It goes all the way to Stans.
He gave the check to Stans
for the Committee to Reelect.
-Did he say that?
-He said it. I've got it in my notes.
-Jesus.
-It's down on record, Bernstein.
That money winds up
in the account of a burglar?
-Yes. Ha-ha-ha.
-Fantastic. I'm coming home.
Okay.
--catapulted the unknown senator
from Missouri into national prominence...
...by naming Eagleton as his running mate.
The move surprised the old pros...
...but it paid off in support
for the Democratic ticket.
What happened with that
Taiwan thing you were telling us about?
Japan is going to break diplomatic ties
with Taiwan and recognize they're China.
The irony, of course, that's a direct result
of Nixon's visit to China.
What did he say to him?
That's a great parallel story...
...if you're going to
do that piece on dtente.
Uh.... "Queen Elizabeth proclaims a state
of emergency to deal with the dock strike."
Bringing it off his boat.
That could be a human-interest.
Thirty-one days of rain
in the Philippines...
...being blamed on the theft
of a statue of Jesus.
-We had one like that before.
-Front-page article.
-Absolutely not.
I'll put my best writer on that.
What about
the one in India months ago?
Drop that.
Laugh, gentlemen.
It'll be the only story everyone reads.
Okay. National?
We have the Bremer diary,
wished to kill Nixon.
He took a car trip to New York,
Ottawa and Washington to kill him.
Jesus Christ.
Yeah.
We have the Senate
approving the ABM Treaty.
-Yeah, that's mine.
ABM.
And, of course, we have McGovern
offering the VP spot to everybody.
-Yeah, that's news.
-I have--
Everybody's been offered it.
I'll tell you what'll be news.
When somebody accepts it.
That'll be news.
Yeah.
-Here is some great art.
Yeah, big mistake.
McGovern and Humphrey, breakfast,
smiling their asses off.
-Isnt that great?
-Oh, look at that.
Humphrey said, "I am George's friend."
Why is that man smiling?
"I am his friend."
-Sounds friendly, huh?
"I'll be helping him in ways
he never dreamed possible."
Breakfast followed by lunch.
Got a good picture?
-Okay. Metro?
Well, we got the schoolteachers
on Capitol Hill.
They want a 17% increase in pay,
or this fall they go on strike.
Harry, I think we could mention
that this might be the time...
...to go to the front page
on the District Home Rule.
Oh, come on.
-Listen to him.
Ben, this time it could go all the way.
The House is gonna vote next week
on a Senate resolution.
When they pass it, we'll run with it.
Okay, fellas, let's go around again now.
Foreign?
-Uh, Taiwan emergency, Philippines.
-Okay, fine. National?
The Eagleton follow-ups, McGovern
not being able to get a replacement.
He's offered it to Humphrey,
Kennedy and Ribicoff.
All turned him down.
That's the Page 1 lead.
You're ignoring the importance
of the Dahlberg repercussions.
Nobody cares
about the Dahlberg repercussions.
Our story got the General Accounting Office
to start an audit with CREEP Finance.
Yeah, we printed that, didn't we?
When the audit's done, we'll print that too.
Let me tell you what happened today.
I was having lunch
at the Sans Souci and--
Aww....
How much this time?
This White House guy, a good one, a pro,
came up and asked:
"What is this Watergate compulsion
with you guys?"
Compulsion?
-I said--
-This is a story. This is not compulsion.
I said, "Well, we think it's important,"
and he said:
"If it's so goddamn important...
...who in the hell are Woodward
and Bernstein?"
What do you expect from the White House?
"You're doing a great job"?
Now, why don't you ask him
what he's really saying?
He wants to take the story away
from Woodstein...
...and give it to National Desk.
I have experienced guys sitting around...
...who know the politicians,
have the contacts.
We're aware of that.
-You said it. Sitting around.
Ben. It's a dangerous story for this paper.
What if your boys get it wrong?
-Then it's our ass, isn't it?
We all have to go out and work for a living.
National gets eight columns.
Nine for Foreign.
Metro, 15.
-That's it, fellas.
-Okay.
Could've been worse.
Hey, Scott, I need to see you.
How dangerous?
Well, it's not just that we're using
unnamed sources that bothers me...
...or that everything we print,
the White House denies...
...or that almost no other papers
are reprinting our stuff.
What, then?
Look, there are over 2000 reporters
in this town...
...and there are five on Watergate?
Where did the Washington Post
suddenly get the monopoly on wisdom?
Why would the Republicans do it?
McGovern is self-destructing...
...just like Humphrey, Muskie,
the bunch of them.
I don't believe the story.
Doesn't make sense.
Yeah, Bernstein.
Now? All right.
Woodward, Bradlee will see us now.
Answer the phone for me.
Are you trying to find
the lowest possible common denominator?
Is that your plan in the convention?
Gonna give us something to do?
Bob, Frances is on the phone.
Tell her I'll call her back.
All right, in this....
We have reports that Republican
Les Aspin has informed the secretary of....
Ben, it's the hottest item.
-It's in over 500 papers.
-What is it?
Yesterday's weather report for
people who were drunk and slept all day.
Send it to the San Francisco Chronicle.
They need it.
How about the crossword puzzle?
-No.
Anagrams?
-No space. No space, Mickey.
You guys, last thing you
bought from me was the obituaries.
-Make them buy something, will you?
All right. Hey, what do you guys want?
The GAO reports are due out
the morning of Nixon's renomination.
Hey, sit down, sit down.
Well, that's two weeks from now.
Since they're only responsible
to Congress...
...no way the White House
can control the investigation.
A source at General Accounting tells us...
...there's a whole rat's nest
of illegal shit going on over at CREEP.
-Like what?
-Like a slush fund.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars
of unaccounted-for cash.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars?
Any comment from CREEP?
-Yes, unavailable for comment.
They're not talking.
What else besides the money?
Where's the goddamn story?
-The money's the key to whatever this is.
-Says who?
Deep Throat.
-Who?
Oh, that's Woodward's garage freak,
his source in the executive.
Garage freak?
Jesus, what kind
of a crazy fucking story is this?
Who did you say?
He's on deep background.
I call him Deep Throat.
Look, McGovern's dropped to nothing,
Nixon's guaranteed the renomination...
...the Post is stuck
with a story no one wants.
It'll sink the goddamn paper.
Everyone says, "Get off it, Ben."
And I come on very sage and I say,
"You'll see. You wait till this bottoms out."
But the truth is,
I can't figure out what we've got.
What else are you working on?
Well, we're after a list
of CREEP employees.
Where is it?
-It's classified.
Well, how you gonna get it?
-We haven't had any luck yet.
Get some.
Anything else?
You made a mistake in there.
What?
You said we haven't had any luck yet,
that's the thing he jumps on.
You can't talk about luck.
If you can't talk in specifics,
you shouldn't say anything.
Is there any place you don't smoke?
-What?
-Hold it. Hold it.
-What are you doing?
Kay Eddy.
Doesn't she go with a guy
that works for the Committee to Reelect?
Meet me at 4.
All right.
Eddy? Hey.
-Just a second.
Kay, can--?
-757-6521.
Okay, I'll get back to you on this.
Thanks.
Don't you go with a guy that works
for the Committee to Reelect?
-Not anymore.
You did go with him, though.
-You were engaged to him, weren't you?
-Yeah.
You got out of it?
-So?
-You're looking better.
We need a list of the people
that work there.
Do you think that...?
-I can't do that.
Why not?
That's personal.
What do you mean? You said it was over.
You're asking me
to use a guy I care about.
No, no, we're not asking you
to use him, just to help us.
-Well, sure you--
I mean, we'd do the same for you.
My only chance of getting that
is if I see him.
-I don't wanna see him again.
-Well, do you have to see him?
-Sure, I have to.
-Do you have to see him that way?
Can't you just call him up...
...and say you wanna have a drink with him,
just feel him out?
You say the relationship is over.
I mean, what the hell do you have to lose?
Forget it.
Don't do anything
that would embarrass you...
...or that you don't feel right about.
Forget it.
Let's go.
Don't let her get off like that.
She was gonna say something.
You're overdramatizing.
-She was gonna give us what we wanted.
-It was over.
What?
It was over.
This looks like your story.
Why don't you take a look at it?
I'm gonna check this out.
You're gonna get fat
eating all those doughnuts.
Is this the whole list?
Look what it says.
"Personnel,
Committee to Reelect the President."
This is alphabetical.
-You can't tell who works for who.
Find the department heads:
Mitchell, Magruder, Stans.
Here. John Mitchell.
What's the number?
All right, find somebody
who has a number close to it.
-They probably work for him. Okay.
Here's a 303.
Okay, we have to find out how
the money got from Stans to the burglars.
Somebody who worked in Finance.
All right, here's the head of Finance.
Maurice Stans, 269.
If we can just get somebody
who works under Stans.
Uh, Sloan? You need him?
He's the treasurer.
-What's the number?
It's Hugh Sloan, 287.
Is there a secretary?
-Wait a minute. Manley, Manley, Manley.
Here it is. Irene Manley?
Yeah.
1406 Lee Jackson Memorial Highway.
Hi, I'm Bob Woodward.
I'm Carl Bernstein.
We're from the Washington Post.
We'd like to speak to you.
We understand your daughter works
for the Committee to Reelect.
Wouldn't be anything embarrassing.
Would you object to just--?
Forget it.
-Yes? Hi.
Hi.
Miss Milland? Betty Milland?
-Mm-hm.
I'm Bob Woodward.
Carl Bernstein.
We're from the Washington Post.
I know you're trying to do your job.
I mean....
You don't understand
the pressure we're under.
-If we could come in for a couple seconds--
-No, I really don't--
We don't wanna come in.
We understand there was some documents
that were shredded at the committee.
Well, there, uh....
There's often shredding.
I mean, we do that a lot.
Were you there during the shredding?
-Yes, I was.
-I see.
Were there any department heads
from the committee who were also present?
Uh, yes. Mr. Mitchell came in one night.
John Mitchell?
-Yes.
-The attorney general?
-Uh-huh.
He was carrying a raincoat over his head.
You know, because he was--
I thought he was gonna go:
Woo-hoo. Woo-hoo.
-But, uh, I--
-Did he supervise the shredding?
Uh, I just--
Can I not answer any more questions?
I'd just as soon not....
Okay? Maybe I could call you.
It's--
-Are you being told not to talk?
Will you call us?
-I don't know.
I'll try.
What about that shredding
right after the break-in?
We need to know the papers
in the shredding.
You have some idea what's in the papers
when the attorney general comes in...
...it's at the committee,
and he's got a raincoat over his head.
It could be raining.
Let me go through the story again.
You got a woman who's frightened.
Works for CREEP.
She said there's shredding.
We don't know what's in the papers.
We know the former attorney general
comes in with an overcoat over his head.
Could be raining. There's a lawyer present.
We don't know what he asked them.
Will you tell me where there's a story?
In the fact that the interview
did not take place in her home...
...but in the office of the committee.
-How is there a story in that?
-Because there's a lawyer in the office.
-You're more resistant than she is.
-That's right.
-Why?
-Because there's not enough fact.
Well, then let's just turn around
and go back and question her again.
-This won't take long at all. We just--
-Please go away, okay?
Will you please leave
before they see you?
-Who did you mean by--?
-What do you mean, "they"?
Could you give us their names?
We haven't revealed the sources
of the people that have talked to us.
-I really can't talk about this because--
-Would they be members of the committee?
Someone got to that woman.
It's the key to the whole cover-up.
How can you write there's a cover-up?
We don't know that there is.
Then I don't know what the hell you need.
So you tell me what you need.
I need more fact for a story,
and I think you should need the same.
If you get in a car and there's music--
-I'm in a car.
There's music playing in the car--
Hypothetically.
There's music playing for 10 minutes
and there's no commercial.
What can you deduce from that?
-Is it AM or FM?
-Come on.
Is it AM or FM?
A guy can come up to me on the street,
and he can ask me an address.
Now, is the man interrogating me,
or is he lost?
What kind of a story do I write?
What kind of a deduction
do I make from that?
You don't have a gut feeling
that the woman is trying to help us?
I don't have enough gut feeling.
I wish I did.
We're from the Washington Post.
Ammons, Irene Ammons. Did we see her?
Abbott, Addison, Augusto, Alberts.
Is there something that strikes you
as odd about this?
What?
It's like there's a pattern...
...to the way they're not talking,
the way they say no all the time.
I think it's odd.
-Mrs. Hambling?
-Yes.
-Hi, we're from the Washington Post.
-I'm Carl Bernstein, this is Bob Woodward.
A friend of the committee
said that we could contact you.
-Who was it?
-We can't reveal that.
You can talk to us.
We don't reveal our sources.
You people.
You think you can come into my home,
ask a few questions...
...have me destroy the reputations
of men that I work for and respect?
Do you understand loyalty?
Have you ever heard of loyalty?
Hi.
-Yes?
I'm Bob Woodward.
Carl Bernstein.
-We're from the Washington Post.
-Yes.
I've read what you've written.
I wanna thank you.
I've been a Republican all my life,
but this goes beyond party politics.
Would you mind
if we asked you a few questions?
No, no. Come in. Would you like coffee?
Sure.
What they've done
is a threat to the Constitution.
It goes against everything we stand for.
Could you be a little bit more specific
than that?
I'm afraid your articles
have just scratched the surface.
You don't mind
if I just take a few notes, do you?
No.
How long have you worked
at the committee?
Committee?
Yes, the Committee
to Reelect the President.
Oh. Oh, no, I don't work
at the Committee to Reelect the President.
I work at Garfinckel's,
in the Accounting Department.
-Miss Abbott?
-Yes.
Judith Abbott?
Carolyn Abbott.
We're just doing something wrong.
-It's never been there.
-No.
We're doing something wrong.
It's just not good enough.
How can you keep going at something
past the point when you'd believe it?
Just have to start all over again.
Nasemith, Narrow, Ness...
...Nickels, Nixon--
Ed Nixon.
Jolson, Jones...
...Jordan, Jost.
If we could only get somebody
that worked for Finance to talk.
-What about the bookkeeper?
Which?
The bookkeeper that worked
for both Slans and--
Oh, you're all right.
Sloan and Stans.
I've been there. I've called her twice.
There's no answer.
I say we should start again.
Abbott, Addison, Augusto, Alberts...
...Aldus, Alessandro....
Eulosky, Clan, Constell....
Boyle, Brenner, Bromley, Jost....
Nasemith, Narrow, Ness, Nickels....
Teeny, Sandstrom....
Skroes, Skully--
Skully. We've been there twice.
All right, Wilcox, Winthrow,
Windsor, Worts....
Two weeks work, half the names
crossed off and what have you got?
People aren't talking, Harry.
And it's the way they're not talking
that's unnatural.
We've been up all night.
We went over all the quotes of the people--
It's like they're getting instructions.
It's pat.
You wanna hear some real news?
That GAO report
in which you placed so much faith?
It's been postponed
till after tonight's renomination.
-What do you mean?
-Hughes got a call from Stans.
Says he has new information,
not to republish without it.
They're gonna bury the report
till after the renomination.
The indictment will be out soon.
Every indication says the indictment will
stop at the five burglars, Hunt and Liddy.
And that's the end of your story.
The vote of all the delegates
has been recorded.
The vote for Richard Nixon...
...is 1347.
The vote for Paul McCloskey is 1.
And therefore I declare the nominee
of the Republican Party...
...for president of the United States...
...President Richard Nixon.
Four more years!
Four more years! Four more years!
The president and the future
president of the United States of America.
Wonderful young faces I see out here.
Your enthusiasm, your idealism,
your hard work.
This is your first vote...
...and years from now,
I just hope you can all look back...
...and say it was one of your best votes.
Thank you.
Four more years!
Four more years! Four more years!
Hi, I'm Carl Bernstein
of the Washington Post.
I just wanna ask you
a couple of questions.
Well, you don't want me,
you want my sister.
It's for you. It's Carl Bernstein.
He's the guy from the Post. Get rid of him.
Could I just borrow
one of your cigarettes there?
Sure.
-You've really gotta go.
Sure. Could I just get a match?
I understand your being afraid.
There's a lot of people like you...
...who wanted to tell the truth,
but some people wouldn't listen.
Certain people have gone back
to the prosecutors and the FBI...
...to give information
which they were never asked.
You were Hugh Sloan's bookkeeper when
he worked for Maurice Stans up at Finance.
We were just wondering
if you were promoted...
...to work for Mr. Stans
immediately after Mr. Sloan quit...
...or whether there was some time lapse.
I never worked for Sloan or Stans.
Uh, can I get you some coffee
or something?
Yeah, thanks very much.
Door sticks.
Uh, could I just sit down for a second?
Sure, you can sit down,
but I'm not going to tell you anything.
Okay.
I was just curious why you lied just then.
Have you been threatened
if you tell the truth?
No.
Never in so many words.
How do you like it?
-Just milk, thanks.
Okay, I'll just get the milk.
Um, I saw in the wires
that Mrs. Stans was in the hospital.
Is she feeling better?
The GAO,
the General Accounting report...
...said that there was $350,000...
...in the safe
of the Committee to Reelect the President.
Were you aware that it was that kind
of funds from the very beginning?
A lot of people are watching me.
They know I know a lot.
-Was it all in $100 bills?
-A lot of it was.
I thought it was
an all-purpose political fund...
...you know, for taking fat cats to dinner,
things like that.
Three hundred and fifty thousand dollars
for dinners?
How was it paid out?
Not in one big chunk.
There was a list of 15 names...
...and the amount of money
given to each person next to the name.
What happened to the list?
It was destroyed.
It was the only record.
This-- Don't pay any attention to this.
This is just for my memory.
Hate the....
I have a very bad memory.
You won't be quoted by name.
In fact, we get confirmations
before we print anything.
I can't be positive that that money
was used for the break-in, you understand?
Yes, I do.
-But people sure are worried.
-Which people?
Think you could help me
with the disbursement of money...
...in terms of the number of people
that were involved?
How many?
A group of them. About five.
I don't know their names.
Would Mr. Sloan know?
Here you are.
-Would he have any--?
-I don't wanna say anymore, okay?
Um, I won't be much longer.
I wonder if you could just help me
a little bit about the money.
We hear all kinds of figures.
-There was so much of it.
-How much is "so much"?
In one two-day period,
6 million dollars came in.
-Six.
-Six million, cash.
Mm-hm.
-We didn't know where to put it all.
-Heh.
I thought it was all legal.
I mean, I guess I did
until after the break-in...
...when I remembered
Gordon got so much of it.
-This is Mr. Liddy?
-It's all so rotten.
It's getting worse.
And the only one I care about
is Hugh Sloan.
His wife was going to leave him
if he didn't stand up and do what was right.
So he quit.
I was wondering...
...if Hugh Sloan was being set up now
as a fall guy for John Mitchell.
What do you think?
If you guys could get John Mitchell,
that would be beautiful.
Coffee's cold.
Is there any evidence...
...that any of Mr. Mitchell's assistants...
...were part of this?
I had all the evidence. It was destroyed.
I don't know who destroyed it.
-I think Gordon did a lot of shredding.
-Hard evidence?
Well, I can't say that it would positively
prove that they planned the break-in...
...but it would come pretty close.
Can you tell me anything, anything,
about who got the money?
We have had some help on this
from a couple sources...
...and this is a way of confirming it.
I don't want you to feel you're in a position
where you have to disclose names.
You know, I can just ask you initials...
...and then that way
you're not divulging any information.
We have some idea.
Would that be all right?
Was there an M?
Can you just nod either way?
Did it go that high up?
L? Hm.
I don't wanna say any more, okay?
I'm sorry, you said L or...?
I get confused.
Could we just go back for a second?
In one six-day period,
over $6 million came in.
Wouldn't believe what was going on
in that woman.
Stuff was ready to pour out of her.
I'm pouring down coffee to get it out...
...before she throws me out.
-Give me your notes so--
-These are the notes.
-These?
-I got stuff on napkins, matchbooks.
I'm writing in the bathroom
while she's getting coffee.
You're crazy. How am I--?
You'd be crazy too if you were operating
on 20 cups of coffee.
-Give me something I can get down.
-I got it. I got it all. Okay. Write.
-Mitchell was in control.
-Wait a minute.
-There were men working under Mitchell.
-How many?
I don't know, but the men under Mitchell
received the money from the slush fund.
-Do we know how much money?
-Yeah, hundreds of thousands of dollars.
And these men are the key
to what that money was used for.
Boy, that woman was paranoid.
At one point, I suddenly wondered
how high up this thing goes...
...and her paranoia finally got to me.
I thought what we had was so hot
that CBS or NBC were gonna take the story.
You're both paranoid.
She's afraid of Mitchell,
you're afraid of Walter Cronkite.
-Can we go back to what she said?
-Yeah.
Here. L, P and M.
-What do you mean?
-L, P and M.
-She'd only give me initials.
-Initials?
Yeah, the initials of the men
that worked under Mitchell: L, P and M.
You couldn't get the names?
If I could've, I would've.
I'm trying to get anything I can.
She said L, P and M--
That's all she'd give me.
--are the people
who worked under Mitchell.
She said something about Mitchell.
She hates him.
-She said that?
-Here. She said:
"If you guys could get John Mitchell,
that would be beautiful."
What are you writing about Sloan?
-"Sloan was the treasurer."
-His wife did what?
"His wife is pregnant and made Sloan quit.
He no longer wanted to be part of it."
We've gotta go see Sloan.
-Okay, make a note of it.
-All right.
So, what have we got?
Where's that matchbook? Here.
-L, P and M.
-Okay, L, P and M.
-L could be LaRue. It could be Liddy.
-L is Liddy.
-How do we know that?
-Because she said it.
Right here, she said,
"At the time of the break-in...
...there was so much money
that I know Gordon got part of it."
I said, "You mean Gordon Liddy?"
She said yes. So L is Liddy.
-Right.
-Okay, that leaves P and M.
P could be Parkinson.
It could be Porter. It could be--
Wait a minute. There was a guy.
There was a guy we talked to last week.
Didn't he say there was a Bart Porter
who was a member of the committee?
-Porter was called before the grand jury.
-So P is definitely Porter.
P could be Porter.
P is Porter, L is Liddy. That leaves....
All that leaves is M.
M could be McCord. That's out.
It could be Mardian.
It could be...
-...Magruder.
-I think it's Magruder.
-I think it's Magruder too.
-Why do you think it is?
He was second in command under Mitchell.
Why do you?
Because at one time, he was the temporary
head of the committee, before Mitchell.
I don't want a cookie. We've gotta get
that bookkeeper to say it was Magruder.
-Never get her to say anything but "M."
-We gotta go back and get her to say it.
If we can make names of the initials...
...we'll know the people
who paid off the burglars.
We'll at least know who got the money.
The indictments that came down
from the grand jury today...
...stop with the five burglars,
Hunt and Liddy.
Carl, we have got to go back there and get
that bookkeeper to say who the names are.
She ain't gonna give it to you.
-I was with the woman for six hours.
-We gotta try.
Then you have to trick her, threaten her.
-Wait, you know what we could do?
-What?
-Listen, we go back there...
-Yeah.
...and you ask her who P is.
-Yeah.
-And then I say:
"No, no, no, we know P is Porter."
I just bury it.
-Wait a minute. I say to her, "Who is P?"
-Right.
-Then you say to me--
-I say, "No, we know P is Porter."
-You try to fake her out?
-Right.
And what if she denies it?
-We're screwed.
-So?
-But if she doesn't, we know P is Porter.
-Try it.
-Hi.
-They'll see you.
Not if you let us in, they won't.
I'm Bob Woodward.
-They'll see your car.
We parked around the corner.
You have answers for everything,
don't you?
If we did, we wouldn't be here.
You wrote what I told you.
No, not your name.
No one knows it was you.
Could you tell us who got the money?
And how much?
You mean like,
"What did you do with the 25 grand, lady?"
What?
Little jokes they're making
down at Finance these days.
If people are to be convinced
that Stans and Sloan are innocent...
...then our reporting must be precise,
and you can help us.
-Who is P?
-P, we know, is Porter.
You said 25 grand.
Is that how much Porter got?
Was it more?
Was it more than $50,000?
Was Magruder the only M
to receive money?
Who told you about Porter?
I'd like to move on to the
subject of the break-in at the Watergate...
...and the controversies
coming up out of that.
It has recently, very recently,
been reported now...
...that some documents were torn up
at the Committee to Reelect the President.
Uh, are you investigating the tearing up
of those documents--?
I think that came out
in the story in the Washington Post.
Yes.
I think the investigation...
...that has just concluded itself has
probably been one of the most intensive...
...that the Department of Justice
and the FBI has ever been involved in.
Some 1500 persons were interviewed...
...1800 leads were followed,
333 agents were involved...
...14,000 man-hours.
Fifty-one of the 59 FBI field officers
were involved. Uh....
And that, I think...
...is a great credit
to justice in this country.
Did you know that documents
had been destroyed?
No, I did not.
All these neat little houses
on all these nice little streets.
It's hard to believe
that something's wrong...
...in some of those little houses.
No, it isn't.
-Hello. I'm Bob Woodward.
-Hello. I'm Carl Bernstein.
We'd just like to talk to Mr. Sloan
for a couple minutes.
He's resting right now.
-Are you Mrs. Sloan?
-You're the two from the Post, aren't you?
Yes.
-This is an honest house.
-That's why we'd like to see your husband.
In the face of charges that might be brought
against people that are innocent, we feel--
It's really for his benefit.
No, it's not.
No.
-It's not.
Deborah?
-Tell them to come in.
Thanks.
-Hi. Carl Bernstein.
-How do you do? Hugh Sloan.
Bob Woodward.
-How you doing? Hugh Sloan.
I appreciate you giving us the time.
You know, the reason we're here, basically,
is that we talked to certain people...
...who indicated you left the committee...
...because you no longer wanted
to be part of it.
Maybe there's a legitimate explanation...
...for why the money was handed
to Liddy and Mitchell's aides.
Try and understand this.
-I'm a Republican.
-I am too.
Well, I believe in Richard Nixon.
I worked in the White House for four years,
and so did my wife.
What happened on June 17th...
...I don't think the president
knew anything about.
Is it possible some of his people
might have known?
I'm not sure.
Think the truth will come out at the trial?
-That's another thing I'm not sure about.
-Why?
Obviously because certain people
lie to the prosecutor.
No, we were never told flat-out,
"Don't talk."
But the message was clear, though.
In other words, by their very silence,
there was a cover-up.
They didn't urge us to come forward
and tell the truth.
"They" meaning the White House?
The committee's not
an independent operation.
Everything's cleared
with the White House.
And I don't think that the FBI
or the prosecutors understand that.
That report on the cash...
...in the CREEP safe, that--
What was it? --$350,000, is that a--?
-No, more.
-Was that a correct figure?
No, it was closer to 1 million.
And as treasurer,
you could release those funds?
When so ordered.
We don't know who could order you.
-We just know there were four.
-There were five.
-Five?
-Mitchell, Stans, Magruder, they're obvious.
Well, there had to be
a White House overseer.
-Yeah, Colson.
-What?
No, Colson's too smart to get involved
directly with anything like that.
It's Haldeman.
Right?
I won't talk about the other two.
They both worked at the White House?
-One did.
The other one's not in Washington,
but that's all I'll say.
-Kalmbach.
-Nixon's personal lawyer.
-Yeah.
-Right?
Nixon's personal lawyer?
-I can't say anything. I'm sorry.
-Well....
-When's the baby due?
Um, soon. Next month.
Are you gonna stay here?
-No, I don't think so.
-You decided where you're gonna go?
I've been looking for a job
in the private sector, but it's....
It's very hard.
My name's been in the papers too much.
-You know one thing I'm not clear about?
-What?
I don't know how-- How did--?
When you handed out the money,
how did that work exactly?
Badly.
I think what Bob means is,
ordinarily, what was the procedure?
Routine. I'd call John Mitchell
over at the Justice Department.
-He'd say, "Go ahead, give out the money."
This was all done verbally?
Yes.
We know there were five men
who controlled the slush fund.
-Mitchell, Stans and Magruder.
-Those three we've got.
-All three have been named by two sources.
-What about the other two?
Kalmbach.
We're pretty sure of Kalmbach.
Maybe you'd better wait
till we get all five, huh?
Certain on Mitchell?
We know he approved payments to Liddy
while he was attorney general.
-You got more than one source?
Yes.
Who are they?
Sloan.
Sloan and who else?
Another guy at Justice who won't confirm
the other two who controlled the fund.
-What about Deep Throat?
He's not a source on this.
Do any of them have an ax?
-Nope.
Personal, political, sexual?
Anything at all on Mitchell?
-No.
-Can we use their names?
-No.
-Goddamn it.
When is somebody gonna go on the record
in this story?
You are about to write a story
that says the former attorney general...
...the highest-ranking law-enforcement
officer in this country, is a crook.
Just be sure you're right.
Essex House, may I help you?
-John Mitchell.
Yes?
Sir, this is Carl Bernstein
of the Washington Post...
...and I'm sorry to disturb you
at this hour.
Tomorrow we're running a story
in the paper...
...and we just think that you should
have a chance to comment on it.
What does it say?
"John N. Mitchell, while serving
as United States attorney general...
...personally controlled
a secret cash fund...
...used to gather information
about the Democrats...
...according to sources involved
in the Watergate investigation."
-Jesus.
-"Beginning in the spring of 1971...
...a year before
he left the Justice Department...
...to become President Nixon's
campaign manager.
On March 1, Mitchell personally approved
withdrawals from the fund."
All that crap,
you're putting it in the paper?
-Well--
-Look, it's all been denied.
Tell your publisher, tell Katie Graham...
...she's gonna get her tit caught
in a big ringer if that's published.
Christ, that's the most sickening thing
I ever heard.
-I wonder if I could ask you some questions.
-What time is it?
It's 11:30, sir.
Eleven-thirty?
-Is it morning or night?
-It's 11:30 at night, sir.
-Oh.
-Sir, the Committee to Reelect...
...has issued a statement to our story,
but there are a couple questions--
Did the committee tell you
to go ahead and publish the story?
You fellas have a great ball game going.
As soon as you're done,
we're gonna do a story on all of you.
-Sir, there's just a couple of questions--
-Call my law office in the morning.
There's no question
you properly identified yourself?
Said it right off the top.
-Mitchell know he was talking to a reporter?
-Yeah, but I think I woke him up.
-You have good notes?
-Verbatim.
He really said that about Mrs. Graham?
Well, cut the words "her tit" and print it.
-Why?
-This is a family newspaper.
Once when I was reporting...
...Lyndon Johnson's top guy
gave me the word...
...they were looking for a successor
for J. Edgar Hoover.
I wrote it, and the day it appeared,
Johnson held a press conference...
...and appointed Hoover
head of the FBI for life.
When he was done,
he turned to his top guy...
...and the president said,
"Call Ben Bradlee and tell him, 'Fuck you."'
Then everybody said,
"You did it, Ben. You screwed up.
You stuck us with Hoover forever."
I screwed up...
...but I wasn't wrong. Hm.
How much can you tell me
about Deep Throat?
How much do you need to know?
Do you trust him?
Yeah.
I can't do the reporting for my reporters,
which means I have to trust them.
And I hate trusting anybody.
Run that baby.
The Washington Post reported
that while still in office as attorney general...
...John Mitchell had personally controlled
a secret Republican fund.
Mitchell denied any such involvement
and called the story "ludicrous."
The new charge also brought a response
from Vice President Agnew...
...at his stop in Tampa.
I have full confidence in Mr. Mitchell...
...and in the people
in the Republican organization...
...and I think that
that kind of unattributed report...
...at a time like this is counterproductive.
We must bear in mind
that those who published it...
...have already shown their sympathy
for the other ticket.
A band and some young cheerleaders--
-All non-denial denials.
They doubt our ancestry,
but they don't say the story isn't accurate.
Did you understand
one thing he was saying?
What I can't figure out is,
what is a real denial?
Well, if they start calling us goddamn liars,
we better start circling the wagons.
-When you think they'll start doing that?
-When they get out of Tampa.
Joe, come on,
what's going on with you guys at the FBI?
I've been trying to get you for weeks.
Secretary says you're not in.
Last night, you said you couldn't talk.
This morning,
soon as our Mitchell story hits the stands...
...you call and say you gotta see me
right away. Why?
You guys have been causing big trouble
at the bureau.
Why?
Our reports are showing up
in your paper almost verbatim.
I mean, you've really been on the mark,
except for Mitchell.
Now, we didn't have that...
...that he controlled the funds.
Right.
Our agents have been busting ass...
...but we're gonna go back
and see if we missed anything.
What I don't understand is all the people
who know details of the bugging...
...the FBI hasn't even talked to.
Why have you conducted interviews of
CREEP personnel at CREEP headquarters...
...instead of at their homes,
where they might feel freer to talk?
Joe, wait a minute.
Why have the interviews at CREEP
always been conducted...
...within the presence of the lawyer
who works for CREEP?
Look, you know,
I can't answer for the whole bureau.
-Oh, come on, I'm just--
-I do what I'm told.
I followed my orders, period.
What orders?
Woodward! Woodward!
Wait!
Bob!
Out of the blue. Out of the blue.
This morning I get a tip
to call a guy by the name of Alex Shipley...
...who is now the assistant attorney general
of Tennessee.
Now, the guy told me that called me--
That said--
He said that Shipley was asked
in the summer of 1971...
...by an old Army buddy,
a Donald Segretti...
...to join a group of other lawyers...
...for Nixon's campaign
to sabotage the Democratic candidates.
-Make a left. We'll go to my place.
-Sabotage Democratic candidates?
I was able to make a couple calls,
and I got Segretti's records for the year--
His travel records for the year 1971-'72.
Does the FBI know--?
-Did you say left or right?
-Left, my place.
-We gotta go through the records.
-Does the FBI know about Segretti?
FBI interrogated Segretti,
found he wasn't involved in the break-in.
They dropped it, didn't follow through.
Where is he?
He's in California.
Jesus, look at this.
What?
Segretti crisscrossed the country
at least a dozen times.
Only stayed in cities
where there were Democratic primaries.
If the break-in was just one incident...
...in a campaign of sabotage
that began a year before....
For the first time,
the break-in makes sense.
This isn't so crazy.
This whole thing didn't start
with the bugging.
Segretti was doing this
a year before the bugging.
And a year before,
Nixon was running behind Muskie...
...before Muskie self-destructed.
If he self-destructed.
Hi. Uh, Donald Segretti?
-That's right.
I'm Carl Bernstein
from the Washington Post.
Hi.
What can I do for you?
Well, my paper just sent me out here
to try to persuade you to go on the record.
Why me?
Because you were the head coordinator...
...of Nixon's sabotage campaign
against the Democrats.
-Carl, you want some coffee?
-You read my mind.
Carl, tell me something. What...?
What do you imagine
the head coordinator does?
I guess basically you were involved
in recruiting other people like yourself...
...other lawyers.
-Lawyers?
-Like Alex Shipley.
I made it clear that I would not do anything
violent or illegal.
What do you mean by illegal?
Watergate. I mean, that's--
The whole bugging, that's horrendous.
And what kind of stuff
do you guys do, then?
Nickel-and-dime stuff.
Stuff.
Stuff with a little wit attached to it.
You mean when you sent out
on Muskie's stationery...
...that Senator Hubert Humphrey
was going out with call girls?
Listen, if anything,
it helped the man's image.
What was the one
on Muskie's stationery you sent out...
...that said that Scoop Jackson
was having a bastard child?
So sometimes it got up to a quarter,
off the record.
I think one of the most interesting ones
was the "Canuck" letter.
What about it?
Come on. Where you claimed
that Muskie slurred the Canadians.
No, I didn't write that.
Do you know who did?
Carl, when you guys print it in the papers,
then I'll know.
Smart guy, Donald.
You're no dummy.
I'm a lawyer, Carl.
I'm a lawyer.
I'm a good lawyer...
...and I'll probably wind up going to jail
and being disbarred.
And I don't know what I did
that was so goddamn awful.
I'll tell you something.
None of this was my idea.
-I didn't go looking for the job.
-Well, that's important.
Chapin came to you.
You know what?
It's funny, but I keep forgetting
that you guys knew each other in college.
You were friends at SC, you and Chapin.
Who else was there?
There was me...
...Dwight...
...Ziegler.
The whole USC mafia.
And that's when you got involved
in the student elections...
...and started to try to get your man in,
so you stuffed ballot boxes and....
What was that term you guys used
for screwing up the opposition?
-Rat-fucking.
-That's right.
You were doing the same stuff...
...when you were out campaigning
for President Nixon.
Let me tell you something,
we did a lot of worse things in college.
Look, let me ask you something, Carl.
What would you have done
if you were just out of the Army...
...been away for four years...
...didn't know what kind of law
you wanted to practice...
...and one day you get a call
from an old friend...
...asking if you wanna go to work
for the president of the United States?
Jeez. Chapin was the appointment secretary
for Nixon when he called.
Yeah.
If those sinister things really happened,
I don't think Dwight knew about them.
-He just did what he was told.
-Told by who?
What's the topic for tonight?
Rat-fucking.
In my day, it was simply known
as a double-cross.
In our present context...
...it means infiltration of the Democrats.
Segretti won't go on the record...
...but if he would,
we know he would implicate Chapin.
And that would put you
inside the White House.
Who?
Can you be specific?
How high up?
You'll have to find that out for yourself.
I don't like newspapers.
I don't care for inexactitude
and shallowness.
The CREEP slush fund...
...that financed the rat-fucking,
we've just about got that nailed down.
Did you change cabs?
Yeah.
Does the FBI know what we know?
Does Justice?
Why haven't they done anything?
If it didn't deal directly with the break-in,
they didn't pursue.
Who told them not to?
Don't you understand what you're on to?
-Mitchell knew?
-Of course Mitchell knew.
Do you think something this size
just happens?
Haldeman had to know too.
You'll get nothing from me
about Haldeman.
Segretti said that--
Don't concentrate on Segretti.
You'll miss the overall.
The letter that destroyed
the Muskie candidacy...
...did that come
from inside the White House?
-You're missing the overall.
-But what overall?
They were frightened of Muskie,
and look who got destroyed.
They wanted to run against McGovern.
Look who they're running against.
They bugged, they followed people.
False press leaks, fake letters.
They canceled
Democratic campaign rallies.
They investigated
Democratic private lives.
They planted spies, stole documents,
and on and on.
Now, don't tell me
you think this is all the work...
...of little Don Segretti.
The FBI and Justice know this?
Send me the clips
on the Food and Drug story.
Yes, sir, and I want-- My question is--
-Carl.
-Yeah?
Why don't you pick up your messages?
-Right. You got a cigarette?
-Yeah.
Who's Pete Teller?
Haven't the slightest idea.
I have this whole place to take care of.
-Carl?
-Yeah, one second.
-Tell him to leave his number next time.
-Will do.
-Hi.
-You guys know about the "Canuck" letter?
Yep. I'm sorry, I'm late.
I just wanna make sure
you know who wrote it, though.
What?
What?
You mean the letter that sabotaged
the Muskie candidacy? All right, come here.
-When did he tell you this?
-I already told you....
I gotta tell Bob.
-Woodward.
What?
One second.
Come here, come here, come here.
Come here. Tell him what you told me.
Come here, sit down.
Just exactly the way you said it to me,
just say it to him.
Ken Clawson told me
he wrote the "Canuck" letter.
The letter that said Muskie
was slurring the Canadians.
The deputy director of Communications
wrote the "Canuck" letter.
-When did he tell you?
-We were having drinks.
Where were you?
-My apartment.
When did you say he told you?
Two weeks ago.
What else did he say?
He didn't say anything?
Come on, you're hedging.
Do you think he said it
to get you to go to bed with him?
Jesus.
No, I wanna hear her say it.
You think he said that to impress you
to try to get you to go to bed with him?
Why did it take you two weeks
to tell us this, Sally?
I guess I don't have the taste for the jugular
you guys have.
There's no specific cause, no....
You're claiming it was a misunderstanding?
Absolutely. Sally's got it all wrong.
I never told her I wrote that letter.
We were shooting the breeze
about the election.
She's an awfully good reporter.
I don't remember her
getting much wrong before, do you?
That's a real bullshit question.
That is a question
straight out of Wichita, Kansas.
Listen, one last thing.
Do you remember
where this shooting the breeze took place?
What do you mean, where?
Well, I mean, was it a restaurant
or her apartment or a bar?
Look, I've forgotten the entire incident,
but it wasn't in her apartment.
Do you remember when--?
I don't have time for this.
I'm a busy man.
-You get that?
-What did he say about meeting in a bar?
-He forgot the incident.
-He didn't deny it.
That's a non-denial denial.
-Wichita, Kansas?
-Yeah, he said, "That's a bullshit question."
I know what he said,
but I'm from Wheaton, Illinois.
Hey, Bob, Carl, he's on the phone.
Who?
-Clawson.
-What line?
-Get on Line 4 and transcribe this, will you?
-Four.
-Wait.
-Four?
-Okay? Yeah.
Yes, Ken?
Sally, for chrissakes,
don't tell them I came to your place.
Why not?
What's wrong with coming over for a drink?
You and me, in your apartment?
Well?
Jesus Christ, you just shot me down.
If that appears in the papers,
that I'm over at your house having a....
-Well, do you know what that does?
-Well, I don't see why.
You don't? You don't?
-But there's nothing bad about it.
-Well, there sure is.
Jesus Christ. This is just incredible.
Well, I have a clear conscience.
Sally, I have a wife and a family
and a dog and a cat.
She said he was in her house
having a drink.
I don't care where it happened.
What happened is what counts.
When we asked him about it...
...he said he forgot the entire incident.
Yeah?
Ken Clawson on the line.
-Ken Clawson on the line.
Jesus.
Ken. What's up, kid?
Ben, now, look, this whole thing
that's going on over there...
...I want you to know I never
claimed authorship of the "Canuck" letter.
-Says he never wrote the letter.
It's some misunderstanding--
Ken, Ken. Slow, slow, slow down, Ken.
You sound frazzled.
No, Ben, please listen.
Now, if you're going to refer
to that alleged conversation...
...with Sally Aiken, you can't print
that it took place in her apartment.
I have a wife and a family
and a dog and a cat.
A wife and a family and a dog and a cat.
Right, Ken, right. Yeah.
Ken, I don't wanna print
that you were in Sally's apartment.
Oh, thank God.
I just wanna know what you said
in Sally's apartment.
Hello?
I just got a tip from our FBI source.
The secret cash fund financed Segretti.
-Jesus.
-All right, now, listen.
Chapin hired Segretti, we know that.
And we know Haldeman hired Chapin.
Haldeman has to be the fifth name
to control the fund.
Sloan knows.
We've only got four of the five
who controlled the fund.
-It has to be Haldeman.
-I don't think we've got it.
We know the fifth
is a top White House official.
-No one has said it.
-No one's denied it.
That still doesn't prove it was Haldeman.
If you go to bed and there's no snow,
and you wake up and there's snow...
...you can say it snowed,
although you didn't see it.
If we can't prove the fifth is Haldeman,
we're wiped out.
Everything in that campaign
is done with his approval.
Everybody who works under Haldeman
does so with his knowledge.
Everybody is under Haldeman
except the president.
Common sense says it's Haldeman.
If we go and see Sloan,
and we tell him that we know...
...that he named Haldeman
to the grand jury....
Then all we would need to do
is have him confirm it.
Right.
-Wanna do it that way?
-Yes.
Let's go back and see Sloan.
We can't go now,
because he's not home yet.
He might not be answering,
but he might be there.
-Hi.
Please.
We've already written the story.
We just need you to define--
Debbie's in the hospital
and my in-laws are--
Two questions?
We understand.
Two questions?
The cash that financed
the Watergate break-in.
Five men had control of the fund.
Mitchell, Stans, Magruder, Kalmbach.
We have confirmations on those four.
-We found out Haldeman's the fifth.
-I'm not your source.
-All we're asking you to do is confirm.
-I'm not your source on Haldeman.
When you were questioned
by the grand jury--
You had to name names.
-Of course, everything they asked.
-All right.
Well, uh....
What do you think?
Say we wrote a story that said Haldeman
was the fifth to control the fund.
-Would we be in any trouble?
-Would we be wrong?
Let me put it this way.
I would have no problems
if you wrote a story like that.
-You wouldn't?
-No.
-That's okay. Yeah.
-Okay.
-Oh, you had a baby.
-Yeah. My wife did.
-Is it a boy or a girl?
-It's a girl.
-Congratulations.
-Oh, great.
Thank you.
Sorry to have bothered you.
-Yeah.
Will you give our best to her?
-I will.
Well, I think that Woodward's just--
And I am curious of the fact
that the FBI, in its entire inquiry...
...never talked to or did inquiries into the
second most powerful man to the president.
You don't seem to understand.
No, you get nothing
about Haldeman out of me.
But we don't need
to know anything, Joe.
Tomorrow we're going with a story
on the FBI.
-What does that mean?
-We're going to establish in that story...
...that you guys just about
blew the whole investigation.
Oh, no, we didn't miss so much.
You didn't know Haldeman
had control of the fund.
It's all in our files.
-Not about Haldeman.
-Yeah, Haldeman. John Haldeman.
Look. Now, look, I'm very busy. I gotta go.
I gotta go put the kids to bed.
That's the confirmation right there.
Wait a minute, wait a second.
Did he say John?
-He said Haldeman.
-He said John Haldeman.
What difference does it make
if he said Isaiah or David?
There's only one Haldeman.
Well, Isaiah or David aren't assistant
to the president.
I don't know, it still feels thin.
-Christ, I wish I knew if we could print this.
Wait a minute.
We didn't make them do these things.
Once they did, they're fair game.
Let's go over your sources again.
Sloan told the grand jury.
He answered everything they asked him.
That means there's gotta be
a record somewhere.
He told the grand jury,
the FBI confirms. What more do you need?
I happen to love this country.
-We're not zanies out to bring it down.
Weren't you arguing the opposite?
No, no, not at all.
-I can't believe it.
Now, hold it. Hold it.
One has nothing to do with the other.
We're about to accuse Haldeman...
...the second most important man
in this country...
...of conducting a conspiracy
from inside the White House.
It would be nice if we were right.
You double-checked your sources?
-Jesus.
Bernstein, are you sure on this story?
-Absolutely.
Woodward?
-I'm sure.
I'm not. Still seems thin.
Get another source.
How many fucking sources
do they think we've got?
-Are you sure Deep Throat won't confirm?
He won't confirm, I told you.
-The guy in Justice?
-Can't call him.
-He's next to the grand jury.
We have no choice.
Twenty minutes to deadline.
I don't even know
if I can get him on the phone.
Dr. Kissinger's office.
-Deputy general's office, please.
-Do you know when you expect him back?
I believe he's left for the evening.
If you'd like to leave a message,
could you hold, please?
Hi, this is Carl.
I'm sorry to disturb you now.
We're going with the story that Haldeman
was the fifth in control of the fund.
We got three confirmations.
If you could just help us, I'd appreciate it.
I won't say anything about Haldeman.
I understand. We know it's against the law
for you to say anything.
If you could warn us to hold on the story,
we'd appreciate it.
I'd really like to help you, but I can't.
Look, I'm gonna count to 10, all right?
If there's any reason we should hold
on the story, hang up before I get to 10.
If the story's all right, you'll be on
the phone after I get to 10, all right?
-Hang up, right?
-That's right.
-You got it?
-Yeah.
We're straight? All right.
I'm gonna start counting. Okay?
-We all right?
-Yeah.
Okay, I'm counting.
One, two, three...
...four, five, six...
...seven, eight, nine...
...10.
You got it straight now?
-Everything okay?
-Everything's fine.
Woodward!
We got it.
-He confirmed.
-What happened?
I said, "If I get to 10
and you don't hang up, it's solid."
-He confirm?
-Absolutely.
We gotta tell Bradlee.
The New York Times
had three columns on it.
Bernstein got another source.
The guy at Justice confirmed.
-If there's doubt, we can run it tomorrow.
-The story's solid. We're sure of it.
I just got off the phone with him.
It's gold.
Okay, we go with it.
Woodstein!
-You know what it's about?
-No.
Sloan, who resigned as campaign treasurer...
...after the Watergate break-in...
...showed up for a deposition in the suit
on disclosure of campaign contributions...
...and denied naming Haldeman.
Would you comment
on your testimony before the grand jury?
-I'd like my attorney to answer that.
-The answer is an unequivocal no.
Mr. Sloan did not implicate Mr. Haldeman
in that testimony at all.
Did Mr. Sloan acknowledge
that it was an espionage fund?
No, not at all.
Did he mention use of funds
for espionage activity?
None whatsoever. Thank you, gentlemen.
Sloan expanded his denial
to include his statements to the FBI...
...and to all federal authorities.
Later, at the White House...
...News Secretary Ronald Ziegler
delivered a strong attack...
...on the Washington Post.
Why is the Post trying to do it?
You have a man...
...who's the editor of the Washington Post
by the name of Ben Bradlee.
I think anyone who were to honestly assess
what his political persuasions are...
...would, I think,
come to the conclusion quite quickly...
...that he is not a supporter
of President Nixon.
I respect the free press.
I don't respect the type of journalism--
The shabby journalism
that is being practiced...
...by the Washington Post.
All I know is that the story
that ran this morning is incorrect...
...and has been so stated
as being incorrect...
...by not only me, but by the individual
whose grand-jury--
Secret grand-jury testimony
they based their story on.
And that individual has denied
that he ever so testified.
No sooner had Ziegler finished...
...than the president's campaign manager,
Clark MacGregor, met with reporters.
Using innuendo, third-person hearsay...
...unsubstantiated charges,
anonymous sources...
...and huge scare headlines...
...the Post has maliciously sought
to give the appearance...
...of a direct connection between
the White House and the Watergate...
...a charge which the Post knows...
...and half a dozen investigations
have found, to be false.
The hallmark of the Post's campaign
is hypocrisy...
...and its celebrated double standard
is today visible for all to see.
What do you mean?
-I'm not talking about Haldeman.
What went wrong?
-Nothing.
Tell us what went wrong.
Didn't you say the FBI had information
on Haldeman in the files?
We have it in the notes from
the conversation with you on the phone.
We have to go talk to your boss
if you don't talk.
What the hell are you talking about?
I'll deny everything.
We're just trying to find out
if we made some errors.
If we made a mistake,
we'll come off the story.
Just tell us if we're wrong.
Tell us if we screwed up.
Tell us if it's wrong. Tell us--
I'm not talking about it.
I am not talking to you about Haldeman
or anybody else.
I can't even be seen talking
to either one of you bastards.
What are you afraid of?
Who got to you?
Are we being set up?
Are we? Tell us.
Are we being set up?
Just tell us, we won't say anything.
-Fuck you. And fuck you.
Honest to God, I just don't understand.
It's in the notes.
"Yeah, we had another call all along.
I've got another call. I've gotta go."
"Did you mean Bob Haldeman?"
"Yeah, Bob Haldeman."
Jesus, what was our mistake?
Maybe there was no mistake.
Then they're just setting us up.
Then the whole thing was a setup.
And they just hung us.
More denunciations.
Gonna have to make a statement, Ben.
One senator just gave a speech
slurring us 57 times in 20 minutes.
I knew we had enemies,
but I didn't know we were this popular.
Wow, look at this.
My non-denial denial.
Fuck it, let's stand by the boys.
Okay. Foreign?
All right, here's our headline.
Radio Hanoi reports the
United States-North Vietnam agreement...
...for a settlement of the Vietnam War.
Artie was just saying,
in the few seconds we have left...
...just saying that vibrato sound
that she had then, she still has now.
Woodward, what did you find out?
What did he say?
-What time is it?
-You fell asleep?
Oh, goddamn it.
Over here.
-You let Haldeman slip away.
-Yes.
You've done worse
than let Haldeman slip away.
You got people feeling sorry for him.
I didn't think that was possible.
In a conspiracy like this...
...you build from the outer edges
and you go step by step.
If you shoot too high and miss,
everybody feels more secure.
-You put the investigation back months.
-Yes, we know that.
And if we're wrong, we're resigning.
Were we wrong?
-You'll have to find that out, won't you?
-I'm tired of your chicken-shit games.
I don't want hints.
I need to know what you know.
It was a Haldeman operation.
The whole business was run by Haldeman,
the money, everything.
It won't be easy getting at him.
He was insulated.
You'll have to find out how.
Mitchell started doing covert stuff
before anyone else.
The list is longer
than anyone can imagine.
It involves the entire
U.S. intelligence community.
FBI...
...CIA, Justice.
It's incredible.
The cover-up had little to do
with Watergate.
It was mainly
to protect the covert operations.
It leads everywhere.
Get out your notebook. There's more.
Your lives are in danger.
Hi. I finally got Sloan on the phone.
Why couldn't you tell me over the phone?
-Phones aren't safe.
-Can't trust them.
-Come on in.
We can't come in, sir.
Woodward says
there's electronic surveillance.
-Surveillance? Who's doing it?
-It's being done.
-People's lives are in danger.
Wait.
-Maybe even ours.
What happened to that Justice source?
I made the instructions too complicated.
He thought I said "hang up,"
I said "hang on."
-Jesus Christ.
The story is right.
Haldeman was the fifth man
to control that fund.
-Sloan would've told the grand jury.
-Sloan wanted to.
Why didn't he?
-Because nobody asked.
The cover-up had little to do
with the break-in.
It was to protect covert operations...
...involving the entire
U.S. intelligence community.
Did Deep Throat say
that people's lives are in danger?
-Yes.
-What else did he say?
He said everyone is involved.
You know the results
of the latest Gallup poll?
Half the country never even heard
of the word "Watergate."
Nobody gives a shit.
You guys are probably pretty tired, right?
Well, you should be. Go on home.
Get a nice hot bath, rest up 15 minutes...
...then get your asses back in gear.
We're under a lot of pressure, you know,
and you put us there.
Nothing's riding on this...
...except the First Amendment
of the Constitution...
...freedom of the press,
and maybe the future of the country.
Not that any of that matters...
...but if you guys fuck up again,
I'm gonna get mad.
Good night.
Now, fellow Americans...
...the honorable chief justice
will administer the oath of office...
...to the president
of the United States of America.
Mr. Chief Justice.
Mr. President, are you ready
to take the constitutional oath?
If you will place your left hand
on the Bible and raise your right hand...
...and please repeat after me:
I, Richard Nixon, do solemnly swear...
I, Richard Nixon, do solemnly swear...
--that I will faithfully execute
the office of president of the United States...
--that I will faithfully execute the
office of president of the United States...
--and will, to the best of my ability...
--and will, to the best of my ability...
--preserve, protect and defend...
...the Constitution of the United States...
--preserve and protect and defend
the Constitution of the United States...
CHIEF JUSTICE
--so help me God.
--so help me God.