Nixon by Nixon: In His Own Words Page #2

and last two installments.

In all probability,

it will go all the way

to the Supreme Court

by midweek or sooner.

Mitchell:

We've got some information we've developed

as to where these copies are

and who they're likely

to have leaked them.

And the prime suspect

is a gentleman

by the name of Ellsberg.

Nixon:
Yeah.

Mitchell:
Who's a left-winger

that's now at the RAND Corporation.

I felt that as

an American citizen,

as a responsible citizen,

I could no longer

cooperate in concealing

this information

from the American public.

The Supreme Court said no to the

government and yes to the newspapers,

voting six to three to let

"The New York Times"

and "The Washington Post"

print the rest

of the Pentagon Papers.

Nixon:

We've got to go gung-ho now on this Ellsberg.

You make a martyr out of him,

we're going to give an incentive

to every little son of a b*tch

in this government

to run out of the place

and rat on us.

Operator:

Hoover, sir.

Nixon:
Domestically,

the most important achievement

without question were the

appointments to the Supreme Court.

We left a lot of blood

on the floor,

but we changed history

in the United States.

Man:
Sir,

can you tell us when you may make

a nomination or nominations

for the Supreme Court?

I will make the nominations

next week.

Both. Both.

Woman:
Mr. President sir, are you going

to have a woman on there, aren't you?

I certainly don't

rule out a woman.

Incidentally,

at least two women

are under consideration

at this time.

In preparation for naming two

Supreme Court nominees next week,

President Nixon has asked

the American Bar Association

to investigate

six potential choices.

And the Bar has been asked

to concentrate first

on Judge Mildred Lillie of the

California Court of Appeals.

Nixon:
Hello?

Operator:
The Attorney General, sir.

Nixon:
Yeah, good good.

Lawrence:
Judge Lillie, who would be the

first woman on the nation's highest court,

originally was appointed

to the California bench

by then-governor Earl Warren,

later Chief Justice.

Nixon:
Oh,

you said you've talked to Chief Justice.

Mitchell:

He's not anxious to have a woman up there.

Nixon:
I understand that.

No more anxious than I am.

I don't want them to zero in

too much on Lillie.

See, I always handle

the woman with a smile,

nobody thinks I'm going to do a woman.

Until this story.

Tom Jarriel:
One dependable White

House source strongly indicates

the president will produce

a surprise candidate.

One not cleared by the ABA

or mentioned in speculation.

Nixon:

I still think that the Rehnquist thing

is a damn good

possibility.

Incidentally,

what is Rehnquist?

I suppose he's

a damn Protestant?

Mitchell:
I'm sure of that.

Nixon:
That's too bad.

Mitchell:

He's about as WASPish as WASPish can be.

Nixon:

Well, that's too damn bad.

Tell him to change

his religion.

All right. I'll get him

baptized this afternoon.

A special investigating

committee of the Bar Association

decided last night

that neither Friday

nor Mrs. Lillie

was qualified.

Nixon:
What did they just say?

"Not qualified?"

Mitchell:
Yup.

Nixon:
Great.

Mitchell:
And you know what they said?

Great.

Mitchell:

That she was probably as good

as any woman

that could be considered by the Court.

Yup yup yup.

Mitchell:

The statement was made up there.

Nixon:

She's the best-qualified woman,

but she's not qualified

for the Supreme Court.

Jesus, that's great.

That's great.

Have you told Rehnquist yet?

Mitchell:
Uh, not yet,

but I'm sure that

he will be more than pleased.

Nixon:
Pleased?

Christ, he will probably drop his teeth.

Mitchell:

I would expect so.

Nixon:
Yeah.

I don't want to see him.

I think it's not...

I don't think I should.

Mitchell:

There's no necessity for it.

Nixon:

And I haven't seen Powell.

I wouldn't know him

if I saw him.

Lewis Powell,

William Rehnquist...

those are names

you will remember,

because they will add

distinction and excellence

in the highest degree to the

Supreme Court of the United States.

Jarriel:
By design or not,

the president has emerged

from the controversy

as having tried but failed

to place a woman

on the high court.

The ABA's rejection played

conveniently into his hands

in escaping the much anticipated

historic appointment.

Let me say that

at least we have

made a beginning.

And there will be a woman

on the Supreme Court

in time.

Julie:

Daddy, do you want to go

out to dinner tonight?

Trader Vic's or something?

Nixon:
Well, I'll tell you,

if Mommy would like to go,

I think it'd be a nice idea.

Julie:
Okay. So you explore it with her.

And is Trish around?

Julie:
Yeah, and I think she'd like to go.

All right, honey.

Okay, Daddy.

Swell. And everything's fine?

Okay. Fine.

Julie:
Everything's great. Okay, bye.

Nixon:
Yeah, bye.

Jarriel:
The traditional high ladies'

job in government

today was filled

in a conventional way.

The president nominated

Mrs. Romana Banuelos

to the post of Treasurer

of the United States.

James Kilpatrick: The Romana Food

Company in Gardena, California,

is owned

by Mrs. Romana Banuelos,

President Nixon's nominee to be

Treasurer of the United States.

Yesterday,

federal immigration agents raided the company

for the sixth time,

seeking illegal aliens working in the plant.

All I can say is

that this company

has consistently...

been found to employ

illegal aliens.

At least six times.

Nixon:
John?

Nixon:

I want you to direct

the most trusted person you

have in the immigration service

that they are to look over

all of the activities

of the "Los Angeles Times."

All, underlined.

We're going after everyone

individually, collectively...

their income tax.

They're starting this week.

Every one of those

sons of b*tches.

And they are to send

their teams in

to see whether they are

violating the wetback thing.

Now let me explain,

because as a Californian I know.

Everybody

in California hires them.

Do it. Give me a report.

Mitchell:
Very well, sir.

Nixon:
John,

there's got to be discipline.

Hello? The Secretary of the

Treasury was just in my office

and told me the good news that you

were confirmed and unanimously.

Banuelos:
Oh, Mr. President,

thank you very much for calling me.

Yeah.

Nixon:
I suppose everyone

would like to be remembered

particularly for his major

achievements.

We are here today

for the purpose of signing

the Cancer Act of 1971.

Nixon:
If the cancer initiative,

which we began,

could save lives, that would be

worth all the rest put together.

Nixon:

One subject that Henry brought up

was that Reston

was in to see him.

Haldeman:
You're kidding!

Nixon:
Yeah.

And I want the goddamn staff

to understand,

and he must not have

understood this,

that the blackout

on the "Times" is total.

Haldeman:
Well, he understood it.

He stood in your office

when we talked about this and you made the

point to him that he was not to see Reston,

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