The Great Shark Hunt Part 18

The simple-minded vengefulness of the language seems at least as disturbing as the vengeful plots unveiled.

5:55 PM.

Sitting out here on the porch, naked in a rocking chair in the half-shade of a dwarf juniper tree -- looking out at snow-covered mountains from this hot lizard's perch in the sun with no clouds at 8000 feet -- a mile and a half high, as it were -- it is hard to grasp that this dim blue tube sitting on an old bullet-pocked tree stump is bringing me every uncensored detail -- for five or six hours each day from a musty brown room 2000 miles east -- of a story that is beginning to look like it can have only one incredible ending -- the downfall of the President of the United States.

Six months ago, Richard Nixon was the most powerful political leader in the history of the world, more powerful than Augustus Caesar when he had his act rolling full bore -- six months ago.

Now, with the pa.s.sing of each sweaty afternoon, into what history will call "the Summer of '73," Richard Nixon is being dragged closer and closer -- with all deliberate speed, as it were -- to disgrace and merciless infamy. His place in history is already fixed: He will go down with Grant and Harding as one of democracy's cla.s.sic mutations.

9:22 PM.

Billy Graham Crusade on both TV channels. . . But what? What's happening here? An acid flashback? A time warp? CBS has Graham in Orange County, raving about "redemption through blood blood." Yes, G.o.d demands Yes, G.o.d demands Blood! Blood!. . . but ABC is running the Graham Crusade in South Africa, a huge all-white Afrikaner pep rally at Johannesburg's Wanderers Stadium. (Did I finally get that right, are these mushrooms deceiving me?) Strange. . . on this eve of Nixon's demise, his private preacher is raving about blood blood in Los Angeles (invoking the actual b.l.o.o.d.y images of Robert Kennedy's brain on the cold concrete floor of the Amba.s.sador Hotel kitchen and Jack Kennedy's blood on his widow's dress that tragic day in Dallas. . . and the blood of Martin Luther King on that motel balcony in Memphis). in Los Angeles (invoking the actual b.l.o.o.d.y images of Robert Kennedy's brain on the cold concrete floor of the Amba.s.sador Hotel kitchen and Jack Kennedy's blood on his widow's dress that tragic day in Dallas. . . and the blood of Martin Luther King on that motel balcony in Memphis).

But wait? wait? Is that a Is that a black black face I see in the crowd at Wanderers Stadium. Yes, a rapt black face, wearing aviator shades and a green army uniform. . . stoned on Billy's message, along with all the others: "Your face I see in the crowd at Wanderers Stadium. Yes, a rapt black face, wearing aviator shades and a green army uniform. . . stoned on Billy's message, along with all the others: "Your soul soul is searching for G.o.d! [Pause, body crouched, both fists shaking defiantly in the air. . .] They tore his fles.h.!.+ They pulled his is searching for G.o.d! [Pause, body crouched, both fists shaking defiantly in the air. . .] They tore his fles.h.!.+ They pulled his beard beard out." Graham is in a wild Charlton Heston fighting stance now: "And while they were doing that, 72 million avenging angels had to be held back. . . yes. . . by the b.l.o.o.d.y arm of the Lord. . . from sweeping this planet into out." Graham is in a wild Charlton Heston fighting stance now: "And while they were doing that, 72 million avenging angels had to be held back. . . yes. . . by the b.l.o.o.d.y arm of the Lord. . . from sweeping this planet into h.e.l.l h.e.l.l."

Cazart! Seventy-two million of the f.u.c.kers, eh? That threat would never make the nut in L.A. It would have to be 72 billion billion there. But South Africa is the last of the white n.a.z.i bush-leagues, and when you mention 72 million of there. But South Africa is the last of the white n.a.z.i bush-leagues, and when you mention 72 million of anything anything ready to sweep across the planet, they ready to sweep across the planet, they know know what you mean in South Africa. what you mean in South Africa.

n.i.g.g.e.rs. The avenging black horde. . . and suddenly it occurs to me that Graham's act is extremely subtle; he is actually threatening threatening this weeping crowd of white-supremist burghers. . . Indeed. . . Redemption Thru Fear! It knocked 'em dead in Houston, so why not here? this weeping crowd of white-supremist burghers. . . Indeed. . . Redemption Thru Fear! It knocked 'em dead in Houston, so why not here?

10:05.

The news, and John Dean again -- that fiendish little drone. (Did the president seem surprised surprised when you gave him this information?) "No sir, he did not." when you gave him this information?) "No sir, he did not."

The junkies are rolling up the tents at Camp David tonight. Mister Nixon has cashed his check. Press reports from "the Western White House" in San Clemente say the President has "no comment" on Dean's almost unbelievably destructive testimony.

No comment. The boss is under sedation. Who is with him out there on that lonely western edge of America tonight. Bebe Rebozo? Robert Abpla.n.a.lp, W. Clement Stone?

Probably not. They must have seen what Nixon saw today -- that the Ervin committee was going to give Dean a free ride. free ride. His victims will get their shots at him tomorrow -- or next week -- but it won't make much difference, because the only ones left to question him are the ones he publicly ridiculed yesterday as tools of the White House. Baker's credibility is so crippled -- in the wake of Dean's references in his opening statement to Baker's alleged "willingness to cooperate" with the Nixon brain-trust in the days before these hearings -- that anything Baker hits Dean with tomorrow will seem like the angry retaliation of a much-insulted man. His victims will get their shots at him tomorrow -- or next week -- but it won't make much difference, because the only ones left to question him are the ones he publicly ridiculed yesterday as tools of the White House. Baker's credibility is so crippled -- in the wake of Dean's references in his opening statement to Baker's alleged "willingness to cooperate" with the Nixon brain-trust in the days before these hearings -- that anything Baker hits Dean with tomorrow will seem like the angry retaliation of a much-insulted man.

And what can poor Gurney say? Dean contemptuously dismissed him -- in front of a nationwide TV audience of 70 million cynics -- as such a hopeless yo-yo that he wouldn't even have to be leaned on. Gurney was the only one of the seven senators on the Ervin committee that Nixon's strategists figured was safely in their pocket, before the hearings started. Weicker, the maverick Republican, was considered a lost cause from the start.

"We knew we were in trouble when we looked at that line-up," Dean testified. There was something almost like a smile on his face when he uttered those words. . . the rueful smile of a good loser, perhaps? Or maybe something else. The crazy, half-controlled flicker of a laugh on the face of a man who is just beginning to think he might survive survive this incredible trip. By 4:45 on Tuesday, Dean had the dazed, still hyper-tense look of a man who knows he went all the way out to the edge, with no grip at all for a while, and suddenly feels his balance coming back. this incredible trip. By 4:45 on Tuesday, Dean had the dazed, still hyper-tense look of a man who knows he went all the way out to the edge, with no grip at all for a while, and suddenly feels his balance coming back.

Well. . . maybe so. If Dean can survive tomorrow's inevitable counter-attack it's all over. The Harris poll in today's Rocky Mountain News -- even before before Dean's testimony -- showed Nixon's personal credibility rating on the Watergate "problem" had slipped to a fantastic new low of 15 -- 70% negative. If the Ervin committee lets even half of Dean's testimony stand, Richard Nixon won't be able to give away dollar bills in Times Square on the Fourth of July. Dean's testimony -- showed Nixon's personal credibility rating on the Watergate "problem" had slipped to a fantastic new low of 15 -- 70% negative. If the Ervin committee lets even half of Dean's testimony stand, Richard Nixon won't be able to give away dollar bills in Times Square on the Fourth of July.

Monday, July 15th, 2:10 PM Watergate Hearings Old Senate Office Building * Mystery witness -- Alex b.u.t.terfield. Impossible to see witness' face from periodical seat directly behind him.

* Rufus (pipe) Edmisten, Ervin's man, the face behind Baker and Ervin. "Politically ambitious -- wants to run for Attorney General of North Carolina" -- always sits on camera.

b.u.t.terfield regales room with tales of elaborate taping machine in Oval Office (see clips). Nixon's official regales room with tales of elaborate taping machine in Oval Office (see clips). Nixon's official b.u.g.g.e.r -- b.u.g.g.e.r -- "liaison to SS." "liaison to SS."

BF: -- sharp dark blue suit -- Yes sir -- it was a great deal more difficult to pick up in the cabinet room. it was a great deal more difficult to pick up in the cabinet room.

Talmadge: Who installed the devices? Who installed the devices?

BF: SS -- Tech. Security Div. . . To record things for posterity.

T: Why were these devices installed?

BF: Constant taping of all conversations in Oval Office for transcriptions for Nixon library. Nixon library. Voice activated mikes all over Nixon's office. . . With time delay, so as not to cut out during pauses. Voice activated mikes all over Nixon's office. . . With time delay, so as not to cut out during pauses.

Fred Thompson looks like a Tennessee moons.h.i.+ner who got rich -- somebody sent him to a haberdasher when he heard he was going to Was.h.i.+ngton.

Four 6x6 chandeliers -- yellow cut gla.s.s -- hanging from ceiling, but obscured by banks of Colortran TV lites. Stan Tred.i.c.k and other photogs with cardboard s.h.i.+elds taped over lenses to cut out TV lights from above.

2:34 -- -- Voting warning signal? Voting warning signal?

Ah ha! b.u.t.terfield will produce Dean-Nixon tape from September 15th?

T: No warning signal?

BF: No sir, not to my knowledge.

T: This taping was solely to serve historical purposes?

BF: Yes sir, as far as I know.

??: Key Biscayne and San Clemente?

BF: No recording devices there -- at least not by me.

NY Post headline: NIXON BUGS SELF (full page). (full page).

* The most obvious difference between being in the hearing room and watching TV is the scale scale -- sense of smallness like a football stadium. The players seem human-sized and the gra.s.s seems real (in some cases). Room 318 is only about 100 x 100 -- unlike the vast theater it looks on TV. -- sense of smallness like a football stadium. The players seem human-sized and the gra.s.s seems real (in some cases). Room 318 is only about 100 x 100 -- unlike the vast theater it looks on TV.

* Constant stream of students being run in and out behind us.

Kalmbach sitting right in front of me -- waiting to testify. $300 grey linen suit -- $75 wing tips -- lacquered black hair and tailored s.h.i.+rt -- thin blue stripes on off-white. Large, rich. Sitting with silver-haired lawyer.

* Ervin reads letter from Buzhardt. Sends buzz through room -- says LBJ did some taping.

Interesting -- sitting directly behind witness chair -- you can look right at Ervin and catch his facial expressions -- as if he was looking at me. me. Nodding -- fixed stare -- occasional quick notes with yellow pencil. Nodding -- fixed stare -- occasional quick notes with yellow pencil.

* Kalmbach/Ulasewicz phone calls -- from phone booth to phone booth -- like Mafia operations. -- Check Honor Thy Father Honor Thy Father for similar. for similar.

"Kalmbach ". . . It was about this time that I began to have a degree of concern about this a.s.signment." a degree of concern about this a.s.signment."

4:50: Tedium sets in Sudden vision of reaching out with Ostrich La.s.so and slipping it around Kalmbach's neck then tightening it up and jerking him backwards.

Sudden uproar in gallery -- Cameras clicking feverishly as Kalmbach struggles struggles with piano wire noose around his neck with piano wire noose around his neck -- falling backwards Unable to control laughter at this image. . . forced to leave hearing room, out of control, people staring at me. . .

* Ron MacMahon, Baker's press Sec., ex-Tennessee newsman, "How can they not not give 'em to us? [Nixon office tapes] Down in Tennessee we used to have a courthouse fire now and then. . ." give 'em to us? [Nixon office tapes] Down in Tennessee we used to have a courthouse fire now and then. . ."

Burnhardt J. Leinan, 27, Jerseyville, Illinois 62052. Came to D.C. by train -- 13 cars pulled by steam locomotive, coal tender. With 100 people Chi-Wash. Private train -- Southern R.R. Independence Limited ("Watergate Special").

"Most people in Jerseyville only got interested when Dean produced the enemies list."

-- Why?

"Because they couldn't understand why certain names were on it -- Newman, Streisand, Channing, Cosby -- they couldn't understand why such a list was kept."

* Carol Arms Bar -- like a tavern full of football fans -- with the game across the street. Hoots of laughter in bar at LaRue's dead-pan account of Liddy's offer to "be on any street corner at any time -- and we could have him a.s.sa.s.sinated."

All Watergate Groupies Watergate Groupies seem to be anti-Nixon -- both in the hearing room and bars around Old Senate Building. Like fans cheering the home team -- "the seven Blocks of Jelly." seem to be anti-Nixon -- both in the hearing room and bars around Old Senate Building. Like fans cheering the home team -- "the seven Blocks of Jelly."

Tuesday July 24th Benton's studio, 8:00 PM PBS in Aspen is off again -- even worse than PBS in D.C.

* Ehrlichman takes the oath with Heil Hitler salute/no laughter from spectators.

-- Boredom in hearing room, tedium at press tables.

Ehrlichman's face -- ARROGANCE. Keep the f.u.c.ker on TV -- ten hours a day -- ten straight days. face -- ARROGANCE. Keep the f.u.c.ker on TV -- ten hours a day -- ten straight days.

E: We saw very little chance of getting FBI to move. . . very serious problem.

[Right! The nation's crawling with communists, multiplying like rats.]

Ehrlichman must have seen himself on Sixty Minutes Sixty Minutes -- -- so he knows how he looks on TV so he knows how he looks on TV -- keeps glancing sideways at camera. Ehrlichman's "faulty memory". . . Brookings -- didn't remember who authorized fire-bombing -- -- keeps glancing sideways at camera. Ehrlichman's "faulty memory". . . Brookings -- didn't remember who authorized fire-bombing -- didn't remember who he called to cancel Brookings bomb plot. didn't remember who he called to cancel Brookings bomb plot.

(Same backgrounds -- Civic Club, Country Club, JCC, USC/UCLA -- law school, law firms, ad agencies.) * Att.i.tudes of Thomp-Baker & Gurney are critical -- they related to Nixon's survival chances -- rats sneaking off a sinking s.h.i.+p.

* E has insane gall to challenge Ervin on const.i.tutional issues -- Nixon's right right to authorize Ellsberg burglary. to authorize Ellsberg burglary.

Dan Rather says Nixon wants a confrontation NOW confrontation NOW -- and also wants c.o.x to resign -- Nixon, by withholding tapes, makes conviction of Haldeman, Erhlichman, Dean, etc. impossible. . . thus holding this over their heads -- to keep them from talking. -- and also wants c.o.x to resign -- Nixon, by withholding tapes, makes conviction of Haldeman, Erhlichman, Dean, etc. impossible. . . thus holding this over their heads -- to keep them from talking.

"Hang together or hang separately."

-- Ben Franklin EDITOR'S NOTE:.

The following conversation between Ehrlichman and Herb Kalmbach arrived as a third generation Xerox in a package with Dr. Thompson's notebooks. The transcript was released by Ehrlichman himself -- he hadn't told Kalmbach he was taping their phone call for possible use in his defense. This was not one of those doc.u.ments ferreted out by the Select Committee investigators. According to Thompson, the following transcript is "the single most revealing chunk of testimony yet in terms of the morality of these people. It's like suddenly being plunged into the middle of the White House."

Conversation with Herb Kalmbach -- April 19th, 1973, 4:50 PM.

E: Ehrlichman K: Kalmbach E: Hi, how are you?

K: I'm pretty good. I'm scheduled for two tomorrow afternoon.

E: Where -- at the jury or the US Attorney?

K: At the jury and I'm scheduled at 5:30 this afternoon with Silver.

E: Oh, are you?

K: Yeah. I just wanted to run through quickly several things, John, in line with our conversation. I got in here last night and there was a call from O'Brien. I returned it, went over there today and he said the reason for the call is LaRue has told him to ask him to call me to say that he had to identify me in connection with this and he wanted me to know that and so on.

E: Did he tell you about Dean?

K: Nope.

E: Well Dean has totally cooperated with the US Attorney in the hopes of getting immunity. Now what he says or how he says n.o.body seems to be able to divine but he.

K: The whole enchilada?

E: He's throwing on on Bob and me heavily.

K: He is?

E: Yep.

K: He is.

E: And taking the position that he was a mere agent. Now on your episode he told me before he left, so to speak, he, Dan, told me that really my transaction with him involving you was virtually my only area of liability in this thing and I said, well, John, what in the world are you talking about? He said, well I came to you from Mitch.e.l.l and I said Mitch.e.l.l needs money could we call Herb Kalmbach and ask him to raise some. And I said, and Dean says to me, and you said yes. And I said yep, that's right. And he said well that does it And I said well that's hard for me to believe. I don't understand the law but I don't think Herb entered into this with any guilty intent and I certainly didn't and so I said I just find that hard to imagine. Now since then I've retained counsel.

K: Oh, you have?

E:. . . very good and who agrees with me that it is the remotest kind of nonsense but the point that I think has to be clarified, that I'm going to clarify if I get a chance, is that the reason that Dean had to come to me and to Bob where you were concerned is that we had promised you that you would not be run pillar to post by Maurice Stans.

K: And also that you knew I was your friend and you knew I was the President's attorney.

E: Sure.

K: Never do anything improper, illegal, unethical or whatever.

E: Right.

K: And. . .

E: But the point is that rather than Mitch.e.l.l calling you direct Mitch.e.l.l knew darn well that you were no longer available.

K: Yep.

E: Now this was post April 6th, was it not?

K: Yep, April 7th.

E: So that Mitch.e.l.l and Stans both knew that there wasn't any point in calling you direct because we had gotten you out of that on the pretext that you were going to do things for us.

K: That's right.

E: And so it was necessary for Dean to come to me and then in turn to Bob and plead a very urgent case without really getting into any specifics except to say you had to trust me, this is very important, and Mitch.e.l.l is up his tree, or, you know, I mean is really worked, he didn't use that phrase, but he is really exercised about this. And; John if you tell me it's that important, why yes.

K: You know, when you and I talked and it was after John had given me that word, and I came in to ask you, John is this an a.s.signment I have to take on? You said, yes it is period and move forward. Then that was all that I needed to be a.s.sured that I wasn't putting my family in jeopardy.

E: Sure.

K: And I would just understand that you and I are absolutely together on that.

E: No question about it, Herb, that I would never knowingly have put you in any kind of a spot.