Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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beendesignedbythearchitectWallaceHarrison,whohadalsobuiltRockefeller

Center.Itsdramaticcurvedwallsdoneinredwerecoveredwithpicturesby

Toulouse‐Lautrec;invaluablepaintingswhichhehadnoroomtohangwere

storedinclosets.Inthissplendidsettingwewerediscussingwhatattitude

RockefellershouldtaketowardapossibleoffertojointheNixonCabinetand

whatCabinetpositionheshouldseekifgivenachoice.



Viewsweredivided.OnegroupofadvisersheldthatRockefeller’sinfluence

wouldbegreaterasgovernorofa majorstatecontrollingapoliticalparty

organizationandpatronage.Othersconsideredindirectinfluenceillusory.A

governorcouldscarcelyswaynationalpolicyconsistentlyoracrosstheboard,and

anyattempttodosowaslikelytoreopenoldwoundsinespeciallyunfavorable

circumstances.Rockefellerleanedtowardthefirstopinion,arguingthathewould

finditdifficultto serveasasubordinate,especiallytoNixon.



IwasoftheviewthatifgiventheopportunityRockefellershouldjointhe

Cabinet;IfurtherurgedthathewouldbehappiestasSecretaryofDefense.I

thoughtthatthePresident‐electwouldalmostsurelycarryouthisannounced

intentiontoactashisownSecretaryofState.TheStateDepartment,moreover,

didnotseemtometooffertheautonomyrequiredbyRockefeller’spersonality.

AsSecretaryofDefensehewouldbeabletoimplementhisdecades‐longinterest

innationalsecurity.FromtheexampleofRobertMc Namara,Ithoughtalsothat

theSecretaryofDefensecouldplayamajorroleinthedesignofforeignpolicy.



Weweredebatingtheseconsiderationsinadesultoryfashionwhenwe

wereinterruptedbyatelephonecallfromtheofficeofthePresident‐elect.Itwas

apoignantreminderofRockefeller’sfrustratingcareerinnationalpoliticsthatthe

callerwasNixon’sappointmentssecretary,DwightChapin,whowasinterrupting

Rockefeller’sstrategymeetingtoaskme—andnotRockefeller—tomeetwithhis

chief.Inretrospect,itisclearthatthisphonecallmadeourdiscussionpointless.

Butwereturnedtoitasifnothing hadhappened.Nooneatthelunchcould

conceivethatthepurposeofthecallcouldbetooffermeamajorpositioninthe

newAdministration.



Thecallfilledmewithneitherexpectationnorenthusiasm.Duringmylong

associationwithRockefeller,I hadservedasaconsultanttotheWhiteHousein

theearlydaysofJohnKennedy’sAdministration,whenprofessorsforthefirst

timemovedfromadvisorytooperationalresponsibilities.PresidentKennedy,

whohadreadmynewlypublishedbook,TheNecessityforChoice(oratleasta

longreviewofitintheNewYorker),askedmetojointheWhiteHousestaff.We

hadalongconversationinwhichIwascharmedbyKennedy’svitalityandhis

incisivemind,althoughatthatearlystageitdidnotseemtomethatKennedy’s

self‐confidencewasasyetequaltohisenergyandsoaringimagination.NordidI

havetheimpression thathisSpecialAssistantforNationalSecurity,myformer

HarvardcolleagueMcGeorgeBundy,sharedthePresident’ssenseofurgencyto

addtotheWhiteHousestaffanotherprofessorofcomparableacademic

competence.InanyeventIwasreluctanttosevermyconnectionwith

Rockefeller,soweagreedthatIwouldspendadayortwoaweekattheWhite

Houseasaconsultant.



Theverynatureofanoutsideconsultancy,andmyownacademicself‐

centeredness,asyetuntemperedbyexposuretothedailypressuresofthe

Presidency,combinedtomakethisafrustratingexperienceonallsides.Aregular

consultantistooremotetoparticipateinfast‐movingdecisions,andyettoo

intimatelyinvolvedtomaintaintheinwarddistanceandmysteryoftheoutside

adviser.Hebecomesalmostinevitablyaburdenalikeuponthosewhomustassist

himandthosewhomheadvises.Withlittleunderstandingthenofhowthe

Presidencyworked,Iconsumedmyenergiesinofferingunwantedadviceand,in

ourinfrequentcontact,inflictingonPresidentKennedylearneddisquisitions

aboutwhichhecouldhavedonenot hingevenintheunlikelyeventthatthey

arousedhisinterest.Itwaswithasenseofmutualreliefthatwepartedcompany

inmid‐1962.

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

MeetingRichardNixon



iththisunpromisingbackgroundIhadevenlessreasontoexpecttobe

invitedtojointheNixonAdministration.Ididnot knowthePresident‐elect.

MyfriendWilliamF.Buckley,Jr.,theconservativecolumnist,hadtoldmefor

yearsthatNixonwasunderestimatedbyhiscritics,thathewasmoreintelligent

andsensitivethanhisopponentsassumed.ButI hadnoopportunitytoformmy

ownjudgmentuntilafterthe1968election.



IhadmetRichardNixononlyonce,whenwebothattendedaChristmas

partyinClareLuce’sapartmentin1967.NixonarrivedjustasIwasabouttoleave.

Mrs.Lucedrewusintothelibrary.Nixonsaidthathehadreadmyfirstbook,

NuclearWeaponsandForeignPolicy.Hehadlear nedfromitandhadwrittenme

anoteaboutit,whichtomyembarrassmentIhadforgotten.Irepliedstiffly,less

outoftheprejudiceoftwodecadesthanfromtheawkwardnessofourmeeting.

AtthattimeIwasstillhighlyuncomf ortablewithsmalltalk,andRichardNixonhas

tothisdaynotovercomehisownsocialinhibitions.Weexchangedafewstrained

pleasantriesandwentourseparateways.



MyfirstencounterwiththeNixonstaffoccurredattheRepublican

ConventioninMiami in1968.BeforetheballotingbutafterNixon’snomination

hadbecomeobvious,ImetwithRichardV.Allen,thenNixon’sprincipaladviser

onforeignpolicy,totrytoreachagreementonaVietnamplatformthatwould

avoidaconventionfight.MymajorconcernwastomakesurethattheRepublican

platformtookaccountofthehopesforanegotiatedsettlement.Withthe

nominationassured,theNixonforcessawnopointinthekindofbruisingbattle

oversubstancethathadmarredtheprevioustwoconventions.Aratherbland

compromiseemerged,whichweintheRockefellercamp—withlittleenoughto

celebrate—welcomedasamoralvictory.



AftertheconventionIreturnedtoHarvard,mycontributiontothe

Americanpoliticalprocesscompleted,I thought.Duringthenationalcampaignin

1968severalNixonemissa ries—someself‐appointed—telephonedmefor

counsel.ItookthepositionthatIwouldanswerspecificquestionsonforeign

policy,butthatIwouldnotoffergeneraladviceorvolunteersuggestions.This

wasthesameresponseImadetoinquiriesfromtheHumphreystaff.



Inanyevent,onlyonequestionwaseverputtomebytheNixon

organization.EarlyinOctober1968,BillBuckleyintroducedmetoJohnMitchell,

thenNixon’scampaignmanager.MitchellaskedmeifIthoughttheJohnson

AdministrationwouldagreetoabombinghaltinVietnaminreturnforthe

openingofnegotiationsbeforetheelection.I repliedthatitseemedtomehighly

probablethattheNorthVietnamesewantedabom binghaltontheseterms,and

thattheywouldseektocommitbothcandidatestoit.ThereforeIbelievedthat

Hanoiwaslikelytoagreetoitjustbeforetheelection.Iadvisedagainstmakingan

issueofit.Mitchellcheckedthatjudgmentwithmeonceortwicemoreduringthe

campaign.AtonepointheurgedmetocallacertainMr.HaldemanifeverI 

receivedanyhardinformation,andgavemeaphonenumber.Ineverusedit.My

limitedimpressionoftheNixonstaffwasofagrouptotallyimmersedinthe

mechanicsoftheelection,deferringissuesofsubstanceuntilthecampaignwas

over,anotuncharacteristicattitudeforthestaffofanyPresidentialcontender.

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

EncountersatthePierreHotel



nresponsetoChapin’sphonecall,Ipresentedmyselfatteno’clockonthe

morningofMonday,November25,attheNixontransitionheadquartersonthe

thirty‐ninthfloorofthePierreHotel,notknowingwhatto expect.Ididnot

anticipateaconversationthatwouldchangemylife;Ithoughtitlikelythatthe

President‐electwantedmyviewsonthepolicyproblemsbeforehim.Clean‐cut

youngmenweremonitoringsecuritycamerasinthereceptionarea,whereIwas

greetedbyoneofthecleanest ‐cutandyoungest,whoturnedouttobeDwight

Chapin.Withfirmpoliteness,hetookmetoalargelivingroomattheendofthe

hallandtoldmethatthePresident‐electwouldbewithmesoon.Ididnotknow

thenthatNixonwaspainfullyshy.Meetingnewpeoplefilledhimwithvague

dread,especiallyiftheywereinapositiontorebufforcontradicthim.Aswashis

habitbeforesuchappointments,Nixonwasprobablyinanadjoiningroomsettling

hisnervesandreviewinghisremarks,nodoubtjotteddownonayellowtablet

thatheneverdisplayedtohisvisitors.



WhenatlastNixonenteredtheroom,itwaswithashowofjauntinessthat

failedtohideanextraordinarynervousness.Hesatonasofawithhisbacktothe

windowoverlookingFifthAvenue,andmotionedmetoaneasychairfacinghim.

Hismannerwasalmostdiffident;hismovementswereslightlyvague,and

unrelatedtowhathewassaying,asiftwodifferentimpulseswerebehindspeech

andgesture.Hespokeinalow,gentlevoice.Whilehetalked,hesipped,oneafter

another,cupsofcoffeethatwerebro ughtinwithouthisaskingforthem.



Hissubjectwasthetaskofsettinguphisnewgovernment.Hehada

massiveorganizationalproblem,hesaid.HehadverylittleconfidenceintheState

Department.Itspersonnelhadnoloyaltytohim;theForeignServicehad

disdainedhimasVicePresidentandignoredhimthemomenthewasoutof

office.HewasdeterminedtorunforeignpolicyfromtheWhiteHouse.He

thoughtthattheJohnsonAdministrationhadignoredthemilitaryandthatits

decision‐makingproceduresgavethePresidentnorealoptions. Hefeltit

imperativetoexcludetheCIAfromtheformulationofpolicy;itwasstaffedbyIvy

Leagueliberalswhobehindthefacadeofanalyticalobjectivitywereusually

pushingtheirownpreferences.Theyhadalwaysopposedhimpolitically.Nixon

invitedmyopiniononthesesubjects.



IrepliedthatheshouldnotjudgetheForeignService’sattitudetowarda

PresidentbyitsbehaviortowardacandidateorevenaVicePresident.Inany

event,aPresidentwhoknewhisownmindwouldalwaysbeabletodominate

foreignpolicy.IknewtoolittleabouttheCIAto haveanopinion.Iagreedthat

therewasaneedforamoreformaldecision‐makingprocess.Thedecisionsofthe

JohnsonAdministrationhadbeentakentoofrequentlyatinformalsessions,often

atmeals—thefamous“Tuesdaylunches”—withoutstaffworkorfollow ‐up.Itwas

thereforedifficulttoknowexactlywhatdecisionshadbeenmade.Evenwiththe

bestofgoodwill,eachinterestedagencywastemptedtointerprettheoften

ambiguousoutcomeofsuchmeetingsinthewaymostsuitedtoitsown

preconceptions.And,ofcourse,therewasahighprobabilityofoutrighterrorand

misunderstanding.Therewaslittleopportunityforconceptualapproaches,

consecutiveaction,orasenseofnuance.Amoresystematicstructureseemedto

menecessary.ItshouldavoidtherigorousformalismoftheEisenhower

Administration,inwhichthepolicymakingprocesshadtoooftentakenonthe

characterofadhoctreatiesamongsovereigndepartments.Butanewcoherence

andprecisionseemedtomeessential.



Nixonoutlinedsomeofhisforeignpolicyviews.Iwasstruckbyhis

perceptivenessandknowledgesoatvariancewithmypreviousimageofhim.He

askedwhatinmyviewshouldbethegoalofhisdiplomacy. Irepliedthatthe

overridingproblemwastofreeourforeignpolicyfromitsviolenthistor ical

fluctuationsbetweeneuphoriaandpanic,fromtheillusionthatdecisions

dependedlargelyontheidiosyncrasiesofdecision‐makers.Policyhadtobe

relatedtosomebasicprinciplesofnationalinterestthattranscendedany

particularAdministrationandwouldthereforebemaintainedasPresidents

changed.



Atthispointtheconversationgrewlessprecise.Nixon’sfearofrebuffs

causedhimtomakeproposalsinsuchellipticalwaysthatitwasoftendifficultto

tellwhathewasdrivingat,whetherinfacthewassuggestinganythingspecificat

all.AfterfrequentcontactIcametounderstandhissubtlecircumlocutionsbetter;

IlearnedthattoNixonwordswerelikebilliardballs;whatmatteredwasnotthe

initialimpactbutthecarom.AtthisfirstencounterIhadnochoiceexcepttotake

thePresident‐electliterally.WhatIunderstoodwasthatIhadbeenasked

whetherinprincipleIwaspreparedtojoinhisAdministrationinsomeplanning

capacity.IrepliedthatintheeventthatGovernorRockefellerwasoffereda

Cabinetpost,Iwouldbehappytoserveonhisstaff.ThePresident‐electmadeno

furthercommentaboutmyfuture.HesuggestedthatIputmyviewsaboutthe

mosteffectivestructureofgovernmentintoamemorandum.



Inretrospectitisclearthatmycommentkilledwhateverminimalprospects

existedforaRockefellerappointment.RichardNixonhadnointentionofhaving

mejoinhisAdministrationonthecoattailsofNelsonRockefeller;evenlesswashe

preparedtocreateasituationinwhichImighthavetochoosebetweenthetwo

men.Oneofmyattractionsfor Nixon,Iunderstoodlater,wasthatmy

appointmentwoulddemonstratehisabilitytoco‐optaHarvardintellectual;thatI

camefromRockefeller’sentouragemadetheprospectallthemoreinteresting.



Toindicatethattheconversationwasdrawingtoaclose,Nixonpresseda

buzzer;atrim,crew‐cut,businesslikemanappeare dandwasintroducedasBob

Haldeman.NixontoldHaldemantoinstalladirecttelephonelinetomyofficeat

HarvardsothatthePresident‐electcouldcontinuetheconversationlater.

Haldemanjotteddownthiscuriousrequest,whichpresupposedtheabsenceof

normaltelephoneconnectionsbetweenNewYorkandCambridge,onayellow

pad.Henevermadeanyefforttoimplementit.



AsIleftthePresident‐elect,Ihadnopreciseideaofwhatheexpectedof

me.FromtheconversationitwasunclearwhetherNixonwantedadviceor

commitmentand,ifthelatter,towhat.OnmywayoutHaldemanaskedmeto

stepintohisoffice,whichwasnexttoNixon’s.Hesaidnothingtoenlightenmeon

mybasicquestionandIdidnotask.Instead,Haldemanseemedeagertodescribe

hisjobtome.Matter‐of‐factlyheexplainedthathisprincipalfunctionwasto

preventend‐runs.HewouldseetoitthatnomemorandumreachedthePresident

withoutcommentfromtheappropriateWhiteHousestaffer,andthatamember

ofthatstaffwouldbepresentateveryconversationwiththePresident,to

guaranteeimplementation.Healsopointedoutthathewaschangingthetitleof

seniorWhiteHousepersonnelfrom“SpecialAssistanttothePresident”to

“AssistanttothePresident,”sincenooneknewwhatthe“Special”meant.Having

deliveredhimselfofthesepronouncementsinamannerwhichdidnotinvite

comment,Haldemancordiallybademegoodbye.



IreturnedtoHarvardthatafternoonintimetoteachmyfouro’clock

seminaronNationalSecurityPolicy.Therewasageneralbuzzofinterestatmy

havingseenthePresident‐elect,butnoseriousspeculationthatImightbeoffered

anappointmentinthenewAdministration.Nonewspapersinquiredaboutthe

meetingandfewfriendsseemedinterested.



ThenextdayIreceivedaphonecallfromNelsonRockefeller.Hehadseen

thePresident‐electandbeeninformedthathecouldbeofgreaterservicetothe

countryasGovernorofNewYorkthanasaCabinetmember.Becauseofthe

crucialelectionstobeheldin1970,Nixonhadsaid,itwasessentialthat

Rockefellercontinuetoheadthestateticket.Nixonhadaskedhimmany

questionsaboutme,especiallyaboutmyperformanceunderpressure.

RockefellertoldmethathehadfullyreassuredthePresident‐electonthatpoint.

Rockefellerrecountedhisconversationblandly,withoutcomment;heexpressed

noopinionastowhetherIshouldserveunderNixon.



AnhourlaterIreceivedasecondphonecall.ThiswasfromJohnMitchell’s

office,suggestinganappointmentforthenextday;thesubjectwastobemy

positioninthenewAdministration.Itwasnotexplainedwhatpositionhewas

talkingabout,whetherhethoughtthatIhadalreadybeenofferedone,or

whethertherewouldbesimplyanotherexploratorytalk.



IwenttoNewYorkthatevening andcalledonMcGeorgeBundy,whoafter

leavingtheWhiteHousehadbecomeheadoftheFordFoundation.BundyandI 

hadhadanambivalentrelationshipovertheyears.I admiredhisbrillianceeven

whenheputit,toofrequently,attheserviceofideasthatweremorefashionable

thansubstantial.I thoughthimmoresensitiveandgentlethanhisoccasionally

brusquemannersuggested.Hetendedtotreatmewiththecombinatio n of

politenessandsubconsciouscondescensionthatupper‐classBostoniansreserve

forpeopleof,byNewEngland standards,exoticbackgroundsandexcessively

intensepersonalstyle.



Onbalance,IheldBundyinveryhighesteem.Hadhelivedina less

revolutionaryperiodhiscareermightwellhaverivaledthatofhisidolHenry

Stimson,whoseautobiographyhehadedited.Bundywouldhavemovedthrough

thehighofficesofgovernmentuntilhisexperiencematchedhisbrillianceandhis

judgmentequaledhisself‐confidence.ItwasBundy’smisfortunetobegin

governmentalserviceatatimeofupheavalwithintheveryinstitutionsand

groupsthatshouldhaveservedashisfixedreferencepoints.Hewasthus

perpetuallyfindinghimselfonthefashionableside,butattheverymoment that

fashionbeganto wane.AhawkonVietnam,hewasbaffledbythedemoralization

oftheEstablishment whosemaximshadproducedthewar;athearthewasa

conservativewhosepreviousassociationshaddrivenhimintocausesforwhich,

ultimately,hehadnopassion.Tornbetweenhisconvictionsandhisinstincts,

betweenhisintelligenceandhisneedforemotionalsupport,Bundygraduallylost

theconstituenciesthatcouldhavemadehimakindofpermanentpublic

counselorlikeJohnMcCloyorDavidBruce;hesurelypossessedthebrilliance,

character,andupbringingtorenderthenationgreaterservicethandestinyhasso

farpermittedhim.



SohighwasmyregardforBundythathewastheonlypersonIconsulted

beforemymeetingwithMitchell.ItoldhimthatIexpectedtobeoffereda

positionintheStateDepartment.Bundy’sestimateoftheappropriatelevelfor

mewasreflectedinhisremarkthatitwouldbeunfortunateifthePresident‐elect

weretoappointAssistantSecretariesbeforedesignatingtheSecretaryofState.

TheKennedyexperienceshowed,hesaid,thatthisprocedureunderminedthe

authorityoftheSecretarywithoutincreasingtheinfluenceofthePresident.

Bundyurgedthat,ifgivenachoice,IshouldseekthepositionofDirectorofthe

PolicyPlanningStaff,providedtheSecretaryofStatewassomeonewhomIknew

andtrusted.HeexpressednostrongobjectioninprincipletomyjoiningtheNixon

Administration.



IfoundJohnMitchellseatedbehindhisdeskpuffingapipe.Self‐confident

andtaciturn,heexudedauthority.Hecamestraighttothepoint:“Whathaveyou

decidedabouttheNationalSecurityjob?”



“IdidnotknowIhadbeenofferedit.”



“Oh,JesusChrist,”saidMitchell,“hehasscreweditupagain.”Mitchellrose

fromhisswivelchairandlumberedoutoftheroom.Hereturnedinfiveminutes

withtheinformationthatthePresident‐electwishedtoseeme,andheescorted

medownthehall.



ThistimeitwasclearwhatNixonhadinmind;Iwasofferedthejobof

securityadviser.ThePresident‐electrepeatedessentiallythesameargumentshe

hadmadetwodaysearlier,emphasizingmorestronglyhisviewofthe

incompetenceoftheCIAandtheuntrustworthinessoftheStateDepartment.The

positionofsecurityadviserwasthereforecrucialtohimandtohisplantorun

foreignpolicyfromtheWhiteHouse.Wetalkedbrieflyaboutthework.I

emphasizedthatinallpreviousadvisoryrolesIhadrefusedtoseethepress.The

President‐electreadilyagreedthatIshouldcontinuemyret icence.Neitherofus

provedespeciallyfar‐sightedinthisregard.



IdidnothavetoremindmyselfthatthiswasstillthesameRichardNixon

whoformorethantwodecadeshadbeenpoliticallyanathema,andforthat

reason,iffornoother,Ifeltunabletoacceptthepositiononthespot.Itoldthe

President‐electthatIwouldbeofnousetohimwithoutthemoralsupportofmy

friendsandassociates—ajudgmentthatprovedtobefalse. Iaskedforaweekto

consultthem.



Thisextraordinaryrequestreflectedtonosmallextenttheinsularityofthe

academicprofessionandthearroganceoftheHarvardfaculty.Herewasthe

President‐electoftheUnitedStatesofferingoneofthemostinfluentialpositions

intheworldtoaforeign‐bornprofessor,andthatprofessorwashesitatingsothat

hemighttalktocolle agueswho,toaman,hadvotedagainstNixonandwere

certaintoopposehiminthefuture.ThePresident‐electwastakingaperhaps

enormouspoliticalrisk;theprospectiveadviserwasreluctanttohazardthe

esteemofhisacademicassociates.Nixonwouldhavebeenwelljustifiedhadhe

toldmetoforgetthewhole thing.Instead,heacceptedthedelaywithbetter

gracethantherequestdeserved.Rathertouchingly,hesuggestedthenamesof

someprofessorswhohadknownhimatDukeUniversityandwhowouldbeable

togivemeamorebalancedpictureofhismoralstandardsthanIwaslikelyto

obtainatHarvard.HeaddedthathewouldbedelightedifIwouldregularlybring

intellectualstotheWhiteHousetoensure thatwehadbeforeusthewidestrange

ofideas.HehadaparticularlyhighregardformenlikeAlastairBuchanfromthe

UnitedKingdomandRaymondAronfromFrance.



ImmediatelyafterthismeetingIbeganmycanvassoffriendsandcol‐

leagues.Unanimouslytheyurgedmetoaccept.Theiradvicewas,undoubtedly,

tingedbythedesiretoknowsomeoneofinfluenceinWashingtonwhocould

providethevicariousaccesstopowerthathadbecometheaddictionofsomany

academicsintheaftermathoftheKennedyyears.Thereandthenweresownthe

seedsoffuturemisunderstandings.Somefriendsandcolleaguesmayhaveseenin

ourrelationshipnotonlyaguaranteeofaccessbutalso anassurancethattheir

viewswouldprevail.Butthiswasimpossible,fortworeasons.Thewary

antagonismbetweenNixonandtheintellectualsdidhaveaprofoundbasisin

bothphilosophyandpersonality.Nixondidnotreallytrustthemanymorethan

theyacceptedhim;theycouldoccasionallycoexist,nevercooperate.And

althoughIrespectedmycolleaguesandlikedmanyofthem,asaPresidential

Assistantmyloyaltywasboundtobetomychiefwhosepo liciesI,afterall,would

haveamajorshareinforming.Astimewenton,thisdifferenceinperspectivewas

tocausemuchanguishtobothsides.



ThedecisiveconversationwaswithNelsonRockefeller.Ihadnochoice,he

said.Sucharequestwasaduty.Torefusewouldbeanactofpureselfishness.IfI

rejectedtheofferIwouldblamemyself foreveryfailureofforeignpolicyand

indeedIwoulddeserveseverecriticism.LateFridayafternoon,November29,a

weekafterreceivingthatfirstphonecallinRockefeller’sdiningroomandtwo

daysafterbeingofferedtheposition,IcalledNixon’sadviserBryceHarlowand

askedhimtoconveytothePresident‐electthatIwouldbehonoredtoaccept.



TheannouncementwassetforMonday,December2,at10a.m. 



ThusithappenedthatthePresident‐electandImountedthepodiuminthe

ballroomatthePierreHotelforwhatprovedtobemyfirstpressconference.As

usualNixonwasnervous,andinhiseagernesstodeflectanypossiblecriticismhe