Poisoning The Press

by Mark Feldstein

  “You got to”: WHT #21-68 (March 14, 1972).

  “smear-a-day campaign”: Sanford J. Ungar, “ITT Shredded Files,” WP (March 17, 1972), A16.

  “Just continue”: WHT #22-13 (March 24, 1972).

  secretly huddled: memo, Paul Hoeber, “Office Interview with Fred Fielding” (Sept. 27, 1973), 2, WSPF.

  “programming,” “press release”: Mardian diary (March 30 and 12, 1972), Kleindienst #14, RMP.

  “prepared a number of items”: FBI letter, E. S. Miller to Mr. Baker (March 5, 1973), 2, “Confirmation-Gray” #27, WSPF; statement, Charles Colson, “Given to FBI” (May 16, 1973), CCP.

  “shaken the confidence”: “Muskie to Disclose Donors,” WP (March 12, 1972), A1; “passion for justice”: WH news summary (March 14, 1972), 20, #39, NARA; “egregious”: Steven V. Roberts, “Official Sues I.T.T.,” NYT (March 21, 1972), 22; Sanford J. Ungar, “New Note Revealed by ITT,” WP (March 21, 1972), A7; “little Pat,” WH news summary (March 21, 1972), 9, #39, NARA.

  “Day after day”: Nixon, RN, 582; “cancel his press conference”: Haldeman, Diaries, 427.

  “Rumsfeld argued”: Haldeman, CD Diaries (March 13, 1972).

  “hit ’em” to “on the attack”: WHT #682-2 (March 10, 1972).

  Treasury Secretary Connally, who had already shaken down the dairy industry for a seven-figure donation to Nixon’s reelection campaign, told the President that the ITT case was surprising—not because of the bribery allegations but because Nixon’s point men didn’t demand more money from ITT: “I was thinking, ‘why’d he settle the case for a [six-figure] contribution?’ ” Connally asked Nixon. Connally was subsequently indicted but acquitted of taking a bribe in the dairy industry case. Richard Severo, “John Connally of Texas, a Power in 2 Political Parties, Dies at 76,” NYT (June 16, 1993), A1, and WHT #682-2 (March 10, 1972).

  “goddamn media!”: WHT #685-10 (March 14, 1972).

  “anti-us”: WHT #682-9 (March 10, 1972).

  “attack the attackers”: Haldeman, Diaries, 427.

  White House list: memo, L. Higby to John Dean (March 30, 1972), Dean #41, NARA; “now is the time”: Haldeman, Diaries, 429–30.

  “panic sessions”: Hume, 151; “As we”: Dean, Blind, 53.

  Beard background: Michael Kernan and Dorothy McCardle, “Dita Beard,” WP (March 14, 1972), B1, 6; Kentucky’s ex-governor: Hume, 159–61; “distorted” to “sad situation”: JA and Clifford, 98–99.

  “chatty hairstylist”: JA and Gibson, 200; “implication”: JA and Clifford, 122; lesbian affair: Warren intv.; “see if we could”: Dean, Blind, 56.

  “Anderson vulnerability,” “dynamite”: Haldeman notes (March 14 and 16, 1972), Haldeman #45, NARA; Mardian assigned, “so vivid”: memo, John L. Martin to Robert C. Mardian (March 14 and 17, 1972), Kleindienst #14, RMP, and Colson deposition, JA v. RN (Nov. 22, 1977), 72, 95–96, CCP.

  “I don’t want”: Hume, 186; Hume intv.

  “Are they” to “under oath”: WHT #688-18 (March 18, 1972).

  “possibility of impeaching” to “bad witness”: WHT #683-20/#684-1 (March 13, 1972).

  “share some facts”: statement, Sen. Marlow W. Cook (March 14, 1972), Dean #43, NARA; “all but said”: Dean, Blind, 56.

  “You know” to “that one”: WHT #21-68 (March 14, 1972).

  In the midst of discussing ITT—apropos of nothing except evidently the homosexuality that Nixon always associated with the Hiss case—the President said to Colson out of the blue, “We oughtta call on some State Department people and see if they’re homosexual. Get into that.” “Sir?” Colson asked in seeming disbelief. “Maybe we ought to have a committee, then, to open that up on some State Department career people and see whether they’re homosexual,” Nixon repeated. “I can tell you that [many] are,” the President added. “I wouldn’t be surprised,” Colson agreed, recovering his footing: “Many people [there] certainly seem that way.” WHT #688-18 (March 18, 1972).

  “I wish” to “so is Hume”: WHT #688-18 (March 18, 1972).

  Beard and Ginn, “ten-foot pole,” Cook apology: Hume, 185–88; witnesses: affidavits, JA, Opal Ginn, Milton Pitts, and Barbara E. Higgins (March 17, 1972), Dean #41 and #43, NARA; “Cook was furious”: Dean, Blind, 56.

  “very important” to “bought off”: WHT #323-33 (March 17, 1972).

  “He wasn’t”: Mardian intv. Rosen; other Colson forgeries: Lukas, 84–85.

  13: FROM BURLESQUE TO GROTESQUE

  “going to jail”: note, Robert Mardian “Conversation with Louie Nunn” (March 6, 1972), Kleindienst #14, RMP; subpoena: JA and Clifford, 97; “Where I am going”: Fred P. Graham, “I.T.T. Lobbyist in Hospital,” NYT (March 5, 1972), 26; “The fact”: Hume, 150–51.

  “What they want” to “destroying them”: WHT #682-9 (March 10, 1972).

  “My view” to “typical thing”: WHT #678-4 (March 6, 1972).

  “Does she hate”: WHT #688-18 (March 18, 1972); “If we could”: WHT #682-9 (March 10, 1972).

  “friends wouldn’t reject” to “complicity”: note, Charles Colson, “Reasons for Suspicion re: Dita Beard Memo” (ND), CCP; “perpetrated [a] hoax”: memo, Charles Colson, “Circumstances Surrounding Howard Hunt’s Interview of Dita Beard” (June 13, 1972), 2, CCP.

  “we don’t want you traced”: Hunt, Undercover, 199.

  “very eerie”: Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, “Hunt Linked to Dita Beard Challenge,” WP (Feb. 21, 1973), A1, 21.

  “disheveled”: Hunt, Undercover, 201, 204; “involvement” to “then collapse”: memo, E. Howard Hunt, “Meetings with Mrs. Dita Beard” (March 17, 1972), CCP; “Whether she”: Haldeman and DiMona, 152.

  “Christmas bonus”: Hunt, Spy, 199; “She’s lying”: Dean, Blind, 56.

  “She’s in bad shape” to “Mr. President”: WHT #688-18 (March 18, 1972).

  “impending coronary”: JA and Clifford, 97; no evidence: “2 Question Dita Beard Heart Ills,” WP (April 19, 1972), A6.

  “ploy” to “scared to death of it”: WHT #688-18 (March 18, 1972).

  “Isn’t one woman”: Clymer, 191.

  “I have” to “damn good idea”: WHT #21-68 (March 14, 1972).

  “She’ll collapse”: WHT #688-18 (March 18, 1972).

  “Mrs. Beard” to “how to do it”: WHT #692-7 (March 23, 1972).

  posed in a nightgown: Anthony Ripley, “Senators Laughing Before Mrs. Beard’s Attack,” WP (March 27, 1972), A22; “alternately sucked”: Kennedy, 326–27; “I want this committee”: Sanford J. Ungar, “Collapse Ends Quiz by Panel,” WP (March 27, 1972), A18; “hoax,” “forgery”: statement, Dita Beard (ND), Kleindienst #14, RMP.

  “They all thought”: Shanahan intv.; “salty”: Art Buchwald, “Awards for Some Other Performances of the Year,” WP (April 13, 1972), C1; “harbinger”: Fred P. Graham, “Lobbyist Suffers a Heart Seizure,” NYT (March 27, 1972), 22; Republican activist: Fred P. Graham, “Lobbyist’s Lawyer Accused Anderson,” NYT (March 28, 1972), A24; “near” to “get someone”: statement, David W. Fleming (March 27, 1972), Dean #43, NARA.

  The original draft of Beard’s rebuttal was stored in the files of White House counsel Dean, along with a cover note from its author asking “the P[resident]—is this inclusive enough?” In other words, Beard’s statement repudiating her memo was submitted ahead of time to President Nixon, who evidently approved her denial word for word despite his stated conviction that Beard did indeed write the memo herself. Note to the President from Robert F. Bennett (ND), Dean #41 & 43, NARA.

  “At last”: Dean, Blind, 58.

  Four other witnesses: Fred P. Graham, “No Final Verdict,” NYT (April 23, 1972), E1; “memo was hers”: note, Robert Mardian (March 26, 1972), Kleindienst #14, RMP; “seemed at best peculiar”: “The Thickening ITT Imbroglio,” Time (March 27, 1972).

  “scrambled”: Dean, Blind, 57; “ITT’s transformation”: JA and Gibson, 205.

  medical gown: Hume, 237; “ground rules”: transcript, 60 Minutes (April 2, 1972), 2, 4–5.

&nb
sp; “pro-ITT”: JA and Clifford, 102; “general derision”: Haldeman and DiMona, 152; “vaudeville”: script, Nicholas von Hoffman, “Spectrum,” CBS Radio (April 1, 1972); FROM BURLESQUE: “The ITT Affair,” WP (March 28, 1972), A18.

  “only explanation”: Sampson, 226; “stupidest thing”: Hume, 199; “fun brandishing”: JA and Clifford, 107.

  “Now, Anderson” to “said no”: WHT #688-18 (March 18, 1972).

  “The plan”: Haldeman, CD Diaries (March 17, 1972).

  “pilfered”: memo, Ken Khachigian to Fred Fielding (March 30, 1972), Dean #43, NARA.

  “discrediting Anderson” to “after Anderson”: WHT #688-18 (March 18, 1972).

  “sent to enlist”: Dean, Blind, 54, 55.

  feces: V. Stewart intv.

  “Lower than” to “send it over”: Dean, Blind, 55.

  “sunk”: JA and Gibson, 206.

  “drag,” “authentic?”: WH news summaries (March 18 and 27, 1972), #40, NARA; “In the past”: JA manuscript, “1972,” 10, JAP; “seriously contended”: Tom Wicker, “More Equal Protection,” NYT (March 28, 1972), 43.

  voluntarily given: JA and Clifford, 125; “principal piece,” “discourage funny business”: Hume, 204, 205; “His permission” to “outrageous”: WHT #21-128 (March 21, 1972).

  “more than a gut” to “nigger in the woodpile”: WHT #21-62 (March 13, 1972).

  “cursory” to “ass”: WHT #21-68 (March 14, 1972).

  “flooded”: Dean, Blind, 57; “persistent”: Felt, 173; sneaked: memo, Charles Colson, “Circumstances Surrounding Howard Hunt’s Interview of Dita Beard” (June 13, 1972), 4, CCP.

  “nervous”: Dean, Blind, 57; phony: Walter C. McCrone Associates, “Microanalytical Study of Beard Memorandum” (March 27, 1972) and Pearl L. Tytell, “Report on Questioned Document” (March 27, 1972), Box B26, PCP.

  “probably authentic”: deposition, W. Mark Felt (Nov. 14, 1977), JA v. RN, 72; “dismay”: Dean, Blind, 58.

  “modified” to “improper!”: Felt, 170; “would not budge”: Dean, Blind, 58.

  “At least”: WHT #688-18 (March 18, 1972); “never before seen”: Dean, Blind, 173.

  “oblivious”: Dean, Blind, 53; “falsify”: Mardian intv. Rosen.

  “We need” to “getting Anderson”: WHT #691-7 (March 21, 1972).

  “mutual advantage” to “son of a bitch”: WHT #324–43 (March 22, 1972).

  “budge,” “tampering”: Dean, Blind, 58, 59.

  “Chuck” to “hates Anderson”: Dean, Blind, 56, 58.

  “substantially similar”: letter, J. Edgar Hoover to Sen. James Eastland (March 23, 1972), Dean #43, NARA.

  “In other words”: WHT #22-11 (March 24, 1972).

  “unable to prove”: Mike Shanahan, “Kleindienst,” AP (March 24, 1972); “confirms unequivocally”: Richard Halloran, “President Defends Kleindienst,” NYT (March 25, 1972), 13.

  more Americans: Louis Harris, “Anderson Believed,” WP (May 1, 1972), A3.

  Kleindienst confirmed: Spencer Rich, “64–19 Ends Bitter Hill Conflict,” WP (June 9, 1972), A1; “bald deceptions”: Doyle, 397.

  “not interfered” to “Is that clear?”: Schoenberg, 266–67.

  “president’s doorstep”: Jules Witcover, “Memo Links President to ITT Antitrust Settlement,” WP (Aug. 2, 1973), A1.

  “extraordinarily numerous”: memo, ITT prosecutors (ND), exhibit 7, JA v. RN; Beard retirement: Fleming intv. Rosen and Betsy Carter, “Dita on the Farm,” Newsweek (Sept. 25, 1978), 18; “whooping it up”: JA MGR (Dec. 17, 1973), JAP.

  “prelude”: Felt, 174; “nobody stole”: Kutler, Abuse, 608, 59.

  “Watergate crimes”: JA and Clifford, 123.

  “Dogpatch-style”: Larry DuBois, “Interview: Jack Anderson,” Playboy (Nov. 1972), 87ff.; “What contempt”: Chambless, “Secular Evangelist,” 173.

  “bellowed”: Sheehan, 78; “pacing, finger jabbing”: “A Muckraker with a Mission,” Newsweek (April 3, 1972), 53.

  “Supersnoop”: “The Square Scourge of Washington,” Time (April 3, 1972), 40–44.

  “Anderson’s got”: WHT #692–97 (March 23, 1972).

  “Have somebody”: WHT #22-13 (March 24, 1972).

  “hardly pass” to “rock ’n’ roll”: transcript, Morley Safer, CBS News 60 Minutes (March 26, 1972), 1–8.

  “60 Minutes” to “buried”: WHT #327-5 (March 27, 1972).

  “know-ITT”: cartoon, Gene Mora, “Graffiti,” Salt Lake City Tribune (June 15, 1972); “don’t want to criticize”: WHT #714-22 (April 20, 1972).

  “no combination”: Sheehan, 80, 82, 78; hundreds of letters: William M. Blair, “Modern Muckraker,” NYT (Jan. 6, 1972), A17; manure: Spear intv. Gibson; “liar, louse”: Hume, 37.

  “Anderson Papers”: statement, Pulitzer prize jurors, “Report of the National Jury” (March 10, 1972), PPP.

  “Horrible”: WHT #720-19 (May 5, 1972); “thieves”: Kutler, Abuse, 169.

  “achieved”: WHT #682-9 (March 10, 1972); three hundred newspapers: Sheehan, 10.

  “Benedict Arnold”: Dean and Goldwater, 277; “encouraging”: “Dole Scores Media,” NYT (May 14, 1972), 66.

  “atrocious”: Henry Mitchell, “Attack on Media,” WP (May 5, 1972), B1.

  “deep reservations,” “public interest”: “The Pulitzer Controversy,” Newsweek (May 15, 1972), 58.

  “Kremlin system,” “phony security”: Ronald Sarro, “Times, Anderson Win Pulitzers,” WS (May 2, 1972), A9; “contemptuous”: JA intv. Gibson.

  “My friends”: Bill Gold, “The Human Side of Those ‘Inhuman’ Reporters,” WP (May 3, 1972), B14; “pristinely ascetic”: John Neary, “Parting Shots,” Life (April 21, 1972), 93; “fawned,” “Mormon boy”: Clifford intv.

  “gutless trained seals”: Whitten intv.; “Don’t worry”: Hume, 104, 105.

  14: “KILL HIM”

  “Holy shit”: Brindle intv.

  “Approaches” to “green light”: Documentos, 32, 12, 10.

  “our Cuba”: R. Dallek, 239; “inducing,” “assist financially”: Documentos, 21, 8; “painted”: Hume, 192.

  “Personal/Confidential”: CIA memo, “Daily Notes” (March 17, 1972), CIAFOIA.

  “warn us”: CIA memo, Kenneth E. Greer, “Call from W. R. Merriam of ITT” (March 17, 1972), CIAFOIA; “discussed . . . with General [Alexander] Haig”: redacted CIA document (ND), CIAFOIA.

  “ITT is not going to have any comment,” “tried earlier”: CIA memo, Kenneth E. Greer, “Call from W. R. Merriam of ITT” (March 17, 1972), CIAFOIA.

  “Secret documents”: JA, MGR (March 21, 1972), JAP; “wedding reception”: JA, MGR (March 22, 1972), JAP.

  “Everything should be done” to “force the military to move”: ITT documents, JAP.

  parceled out: “Anderson Charges Plot Against Allende by I.T.T. and C.I.A.,” NYT (March 21, 1972), A23, and William Greider, “ITT Memos Bare Anti-Allende Plotting,” WP (March 22, 1972), A10; “flaunted a sheaf”: “The Square Scourge of Washington,” Time (April 3, 1972); “Unprecedented in their detail”: Kornbluh, 97; “fantastic”: Connie Chung, “Interview with Jack Anderson,” CBS Morning News (March 21, 1972), CIAFOIA.

  “Neither I.T.T.”: “I.T.T. Is Accused of Having Tried to Influence U.S. Policies in Latin America,” NYT (March 23, 1972), 16; “White House referred”: “ITT Said to Seek Chile Coup in ’70,” NYT (March 22, 1972), 25; “do not comment”: CIA memo, “Daily Notes” (March 22, 1972), CIAFOIA; “without foundation”: William Greider, “ITT Memos Bare Anti-Allende Plotting,” WP (March 22, 1972), A10; “As more [Anderson] papers”: Tad Szulc, “I.T.T.: A Private Little Foreign Policy,” NYT (March 26, 1972), E4.

  “astonishing . . . outrageous”: “ITT: And Now Chile,” WP (March 22, 1972), A22; “special interests”: “The I.T.T. and Chile,” NYT (March 26, 1972), E12.

  “very disturbing,” “wide-ranging,” “very bad business”: WH news summary (March 23, 1972), 5, NARA; demanded that the Justice Department: letter, Robert C. Mardian to Sen. Fred Harr
is (April 18, 1972), Kleindienst #14, RMP; “major”: John W. Finney, “Fulbright Panel Sets I.T.T. Inquiry,” NYT (March 25, 1972), 1; “detailed”: Stanley Karnow, “ITT’s Chile Caper,” WP (March 27, 1972), 14; “bring in the Chile thing”: WHT #21-131 (March 22, 1972); “did not engage”: Murrey Marder, “State Denies Interference in Chile Vote,” WP (March 24, 1972), A18.

  “revelations set off”: Kornbluh, 98; “political windfall”: Juan de Onis, “I.T.T. Dispute Helps Allende Politically,” NYT (March 24, 1972), 6; “Imperialism, Treason and Terror”: Lewis H. Diuguid, “Chile Puts ITT Documents on Sale,” WP (April 5, 1972), A6; protesters: Lewis H. Diuguid, “Workers Rally in Support of Chile’s Allende,” WP (March 24, 1972), A20; Chile’s Senate: Terri Shaw, “Chilean Party Urges Takeover of ITT,” WP (March 30, 1972), A5; “Anderson papers”: WH news summary (April 11, 1972), 18, NARA; “seditious plan”: “ITT Papers to Be Sent to Allende,” WP (March 24, 1972), A19; “driven its tentacles”: Sampson, 265.