1973 Watergate Hearings; 1973-07-13; Part 1 of 6

as is is what i certainly wish that the minute i began to get suspicious at the president at one doesn't ultimately when those villains a baby their attention when one shouldn't i am in the senate of the united states a resolution to establish a select committee of the senate to conduct an investigation and study extended family in which illegal or unethical individually are you hearing

he's a senior correspondent once again today we heard from a presidential aide who said he believes the president didn't know the truth about watergate until late march of this year nine months after the event earlier campaign director mitchell said he kept information from mr nixon in order not to jeopardize the election today a white house special counsel richard m or said he heard rumors but like any hard information to give the president but neither man can state with certainty that the president didn't know the fact more acknowledged a german garden this afternoon that as testimony as low key as morris questioned by committee members senator gurney once again plays his role as defender of the white house by getting more to say he doubts that john dingle the president any particulars about watergate until late march the other senators seem more interested in why nothing had happened within the white house before that day john beings will not withstanding

president nixon is reported to be wrestling with more ease tonight at the bethesda naval hospital chest congestion caused him some discomfort last night as you recall proper say that further x rays have shown no progression of the viral pneumonia you suffering from after the near east today senator and said he's still hoping to meet with mr nixon next week in an interview in fact peter carey another network correspondents burton said the committee is convinced that means documents from the white house well the political equation robert there's no information on the things that proponents of separation and then there was no competition communications yeah thank you they are

and one of the subpoenas issued in the president chooses not no no i believe the vote on that made it would have taken with olive oil adversity people on display the views of the republican and on that end up with a conversation but i don't think you're going to cook a physicist we need to three years of really bad decisions

i mean i think the committee question three witnesses so inadequate now without access to the back of the aisle that nina thank you i don't know his room in their natural consequences of that would be the video of these we're moral senator ervin's remarks at the end of today's testimony despite predictions that more would take only part of the day he was left with still more to say as the day ended after more than five hours of testimony would again give you a hint of

what comes when by providing and that's our by our rundown of today's testimony in the first hour minority counsel fred thompson questions more says he first became suspicious when the white house counsel the ubiquitous mr dean they can heavily involved in the gray confirmation hearings but he says he never took his suspicions to the president because what he heard was essentially gossip and included nothing ever the injury when the president finally realized something was amiss more recalls in the second hour invites mr nixon to bring in outside counsel who had no previous involvement later senator inouye questions of inquiries about why does influence on moore's testimony moore insists no one really late in the third arm or tell senator gurney his role within the white house is to function as a utility infielder he contacts with the president more says resulted in nothing to indicate the president knew the true dimensions of watergate and its aftermath chairman of the nih asked the questions an hour four

he reads a series of newspapers good news is that something rotten within the committee to reelect he also asks who kept the barber on the payroll after the arrests referring to continuing payments to the howard hunt senator challenges during the questioning and the fifth hour it as more admit that he knew last fall there was no didn't report on watergate and more who investigated the campaign sabotage charges against almost of gregory says he never reported to the president either in the final hour moore is us to deal with iran's leaders responses to watergate charges last fall more admits they could be classed as weasel denials especially when they fail to respond to specific questions asked and now senator irving uses his gavel the plan is because no you know

revolution it is like this yes

sir robbing banks that's it well it was that's enough cooperate with the airport the forthcoming hearings of

the select committee which then were before or imminent that they cannot be a member of the polls of that time this is the kind of assignment where what we had here was first of all i've been on the hearings my role isn't as jack like this for instance the whole issue of television should reject it will do have others here in sweden the whole matter of preparing so that we can be equipped something's was set by commentators that we would be in recent

days they are citing the start of something we thought i don't like about this but i thought if they are to the hearings on the nomination of its findings about this the kind of thing where i think that they were expected to do well populations communication and media the problems that have you considered on this committee were rooting for you for the grill at the sorbonne was a political elected skirts force unit was discussed that was a question and minimize stuff versus how this hearing might turn out to be we felt that it might be fun service that the

previous ones of the area taken on so some members of that committee a certain flavor and certainly are some of the witnesses' and we do know we felt that if it was going to take that journey we should be prepared to call attention to the approach to the american public i think that the state of my standpoint of those it says we're kind of the other but that we should revisit that point and this is just emphasize the fact that our amendment which cuts suggested that as in the case of the senate ethics committee and the membership the eagle and that's really giving them at this campaign should we make some kind of the disgust

of the white house yes sir i don't really feel alone in some situations with a bill that's the nomination of another officer i think that there's a direct contact between congressional staff of the white house and brings them fact some points which we'd like to have represented the discussions and because wasn't there there was no question that watergate was not a subject to which the democrats have been an investigation into the investigation the republican side says will be objectively measured and until we can see whether it was appropriate and when they were invited to have a customer relationship and always done was that if

i remember was that really is billowing tons of vessels that would be available the testimony was celebrated it's in this political climate family member today and there were eleven this week the rule of an meeting with the us you are nowhere was that was no agenda this beat was decided as i was told one of the only thing that

there's some free time over the weekend i think it was that's a lot the discussions of the rule of the committee and in fact they were so among the first things because the point is made that maybe that at the spa whenever officials are trying to respond i do

second day the question of executive privilege to file review and i think i have a separate section with that well it really was that he wanted the right direction people were i disagree about the ruling question

well there's discussion of things over there was so many things they were that suit also committing itself but in i guess all americans are also officers and then there was a process that's right i know what we do with what was attacked and it was a

generous gesture that i think reflect that there was some talk the suggestion of fundamentalism and i just that was when i was a lesson planning out west of it because there was some discussion so and if any of this was a discussion which in which he was relaying information the government permitting i assume and i expect the partisan and somewhere in that discussion is that and by the way they and i think most people think tell me this economy and even some more money and even as a little subtle or reality it

and i believe in that it may have been one of those cases where the ireland joined in common with the government but that that was quickly this was as the idea that there was a blockage i think this is fun that was about it those questions well i think it would have been in the middle of the evidence that's on sunday a

second day and about the fusion has the lead he says the private sector the segments so that the stimulus bill is sending the center maybe was really sad that it was it was just very it was important not which i haven't but a dozen times in it for the reasons i think that is it strikes me that in the past that were important and that by the way for a

discussion about you know yes it does as requested and my experience jenny they would like to have there was no

line raise money the family will go out of this today and that was exactly what i anticipated and that was it you know seven billion the sunday sermon at that point i believe that implicitly polling in the president's statement of august twenty nine a

month in the white house at that time that any knowledge of participation in that one i played it that was the life of one or more points than president even as that one did not have any knowledge of any kind adventure very well you're welcome and they were great

like nineteen seventy three well you know in this room he was so that but you in mind that they still going on and he was afraid that he might be involved in one of the big ideas

the facility and the man out that an invasion of something was any of that i was i think it does just over three thousand dollars it

is but he worries bethany well a gentle review of the discussions but with particular reference to his role and the principle is this is at the only one point but it was a low the living in those funny that we all things we have given the role so i was assigned

in fact because his committee would be important as the missile would be particularly important because at that point nobody was a shell at his leisure with bb so i was there that says i've got a couple seconds i was to discuss the substance of all things that might happen unlike in the past time actually produced by the basement recent mccarroll that when a more assistance for the vessel and then in the preparations we discuss

the question of whether we would have a voice we talk like this it has to be i mean there's a reality i don't know there was an investigation and he was

fine with that i think that this discussion that more money might be suggested that you might like to become what i got to say that as being political meetings you tell us about when this conversation of these conversations group and it's

just exactly what those conversations were i think that the first such conversation took place i spoke at mike's first as a rough they could even better that conversation been literally where at one point in the conversation came up in connection with discussion about something about it or he said this is a number one what this thing i don't know what else what what it was because i've tended to be sorry exit polling is at the first meeting some estimates of songs and they were living

life and the lives of thousands of their us and the talks about with the craziest while the saudis have that whereas the full names so electronic surveillance even bigger than that and we're talking about his own wealth the leaders of the city about three weeks that they would regret that i haven't disappeared in mexico but with one thing so that the devastation that failed because the league has

subpoenaed and i said to you i think but those discussions president at a little history and the reason i think that off he said that meeting and even though this involves many visit dr leahey i don't know what was said the rules say when i was there is now we still haven't tried that with was out electronic surveillance was still it out and i said well now the general is the gates was

about it sony says it is well as what wasn't anything and sharp to talk about the democratic national committee on what they used to no specifics and with disabilities and that was that those pledges to discussions of the big interview say that he totally was concern or i'm so many not really get out as he told me that he was concerned about this because a vision of those meetings because the grand jury with that assessment of

it but those meetings and he's said or intimated that has to reveal that aspect of the meetings when you testified at the trial before the grand jury a specified but that was that the group then later in the same conversation all within the senate one of the things that essentially as the hearing that if they get in trouble people in the audience having been there and having a true

part one of this conversation that has a significantly this acceleration of the things that they do like fifty thousand well it was going for a lot of people because of it set an investigation of the white house the fbi and the white house has yet to access the fbi reports that indicated he got access to the fbi reports about is now in her approval and there was a suggestion that he either with hal some of the

contents of the i'll say it all happened to lead the late delivery of the contents of the set that was it was a suggestion and that was what was so much for a second that well we listen to bury those who said the missionaries don't you think it needs to do you live when he said to the fbi when he said he never checked to see a patent office yesterday with the average of all these things up to the point that he was also invited the judiciary committee who appear to be the central theme one of the big debates of the season the year the debate over executive privilege where the information was that we were here in washington the press

ray will be held hostage for the ability to know that so he emerged as the person with a great deal of pablo the same time this year which version well the one that you can now sum and television and that really is looking at was i was rejected by the time when that when it's just like that's made that the reflections of that is up in this way was was very rough about her seventeen it was it was

he said to me on the phone brenda rhetoric would appear and i can't do that that's what the lives and thoughts and that it was justified correctly salmon i know that trying to find ways that this battle could be brought out with the president taking the initiative which auditions and i know that the president was and we were discussing all kinds of that line a little bit if you will of the us as he was at the center of them do but i'm in a conversation well both

full ride the big issues of the day it during this season probably saw as a legal defense sometimes but often during the daily paintings by his office to talk about what the facts were excited about livestock video one much of the conversation you said at one point you know it has the watergate investigation of

that and i think about it is to implement a living other things about them to think about going to be embarrassed on syria but on one of those words that one of all is a service a vividness of a lot thank you essentially cost nothing nothing

procedures were going forward the regime has been reopened i felt that whatever it was this is what i was dealing with the us was discussing the possibility of getting the story out like if you missed the road and says that only gives a sixty watt say that the president wanted a whole state and that i thought this thing was going to have an idea that i had anything except i sure was what is it

the devil may recall of the actual criminal situation and talk about the best the cubs let the message of the meetings that didn't have a president starts march fourteenth that could tell us what it does not mean the purpose of the meeting was with resolve and that is the purpose of the meeting was to the people with the president or possible questions but my guest in the next day's next morning press conference on the general subject of executive privilege and these hearings the raters though also and that's disappointing well and we're

reading that sent us a list of lose twenty questions because more than two or three days before that we divided about we suggested answers all get back there and says so and they were then president they don't want to talk and this meeting took place about what the end of the sixties was a very pleasant and relaxed meeting again today in the oval office what that means you know

i most distinguished man as the day grows at the base the next question was a lot of the rest of their eye this question well he had been getting more and more that we were using the role of one phrase that was involved here was a separation of powers and the president's responsibility to preserve the separation i think we know there could be the reason for many other business to investigate thank you philip

reeves reporting we're being told and in terms of information and the meaning of it it was i think that religion and together the weather in missouri they're not sure they believe that in a detainee said that john isn't a half

so they believe in these matters that prevented the killings so that everything about what is the museum's weren't worthy the primary topic of growth i would say the principal difference yes it was a discussion with the chairman of the face the nation today before senator byrd a bit orange so the record of history questions about the president of all the tibetans and i think the president's been waiting to be as a spy and

ray bolger i mean you know i think that's just a for example and there's very interesting they will be in the midst of a vague that point leading to the

president's side this white paper that decisions one of the reasons i was convinced that the president any suggestions everybody's running well i'm an overwhelming to that list and even as recently as march fifteen up untrue of executive privilege which recommendations

whitehouse systems and an aide to the president would normally not a year but the subject matter with expanding its residents wait wait and the latest march fifteen nineteen seventy three said team is incurring in the president's statement of omar well the white house of course know what might appear to a lot of sentiment like that the gas that when they had that recommendation that we have this waiver of

state has to be above the president that legislation he was going for and is that date from that statement or a policy of cooperation and appearance and madison not related to be well late in the post march twenty one that he and i fall or in person about a variety of ways with the president to win over the white house what we talked about

everything from a distinguished lawyer the dismissal of reporters defied understandably or three men how presidential appointment of a line of reviewing right mrs mallard oh no that's been the logic that is a reference to the fbi they could get involved with the humans

it's just yes that was really funny the idea is that we could take the initiative and that means one point mr dean said the president to know one way for us to take initiative in his lover bill and he said i don't know a few political campaigns where someone with or without the knowledge of the campaign hasn't gotten involved with something that was improper to leave it so i think that might be it but i didn't have someone it's possible a

full investigation by the fbi there's just he was in the police agree with that that the light that used to his i don't understand that dean rosen well so people who live in last house in coastal and then he repeated that it is it big here in illinois politics campaigning then the president said well i think the dismissal and it was the end of the day victories once again an amendment to the alaskan pipeline bill has pulled the senators away from that

hearing so we'll take a short break public television news coverage of the senate watergate hearings will continue after a pause for station identification on average coverage of these hearings is provided as a public service of the member stations of pbs and public broadcasting service fb fb

from washington and that continues its coverage of

hearings by the senate select committee on presidential campaign activities you again correspondent robert knight knew was in the battle that is richard moore is still being questioned about his conversations with jaunty has been missing this with me you know dr investigation was a discussion about comparing the huge libya and this administration with other administrations who brought that subject up and what was it mr dean

said that he had to come to his attention that it literally is one really receiving is that the previous president the president's had used for attempted to use the fbi for the president or political purposes in ways the president the price of oil and that had a victory over the contrast because the city have been accused of in effect is that the fbi wants and that the information would be a quite harsh but you know

very important no i think fifteen twenty one and it's you have this information from mr bain concerning meetings and metals and things that excited about him that you were the president and the president's residence and they knew that not that you related lesions what i knew of optional

describe this is the moment when i thought somebody was that the witnesses especially roma or not one shred of evidence and nothing at that point that both the white house rows of discussion of that but that means somebody else i didn't know anything one of the questions i think so well i will say this is what i will be at the

seminary president of the reasons i suppose i did it federico of a state of mind it's been fb