Kissinger Henry. White House Years

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ichardNixonwasinasensethefirstRepublicanPresidentinthirty‐sixyears.

DwightEisenhowerhadbeenelectedontheRepublicanticket,butheowed

littletotheRepublicanPartyandconductedhimselfaccordingly.Inalmosttwo

generationsoutofofficetheRepublicanPartyhadgrownunusedtothe

responsibilitiesofpower.Theconsequencesbecameclearsoonafterthe

Inauguration.Theparty’sCongressionaldelegationsoftenactedasiftheywerein

oppositiontoaRepublicanPresident.Themembe rsofthenewAdministration—

strangerstooneanotherandwhipsawedbythecomplexpersonalityofthePresi‐

dent—neverreallyfo rmedthemselvesintoacohesiveteam.

R

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AFrenchsociologist

haswrittenthateveryexecutivebelowtheverytopof

anorganizationfacesafundamentalchoice:hecanseehimselfasthesurrogate

oftheheadoftheorganization,takingonhisshoulderssomeoftheonusof

bureaucraticallyunpopulardecisions.Orhecanbecomethespokesmanofhis

subordinatesandthusfacethechiefexecutivewiththenecessityofassumingthe

soleresponsibilityforpainfulchoices.Ifhetakestheformercourseheislikelyto

beunpopularinthebureaucracy—atleastintheshortrun—buthehelps bring

aboutcohesion,asenseofdirection,andultimatelyhighmorale.Ifheplacesthe

onusforeverydifficultdecisiononhissuperior—ifheinsistsonplayingthe“good

guy”—hemaycreategoodwillamongsubordinatesbuthewillsacrificediscipline

andeffectiveness;ultimatelyapricewillbepaidininstitutionalmorale.Sucha

course,moreover,invitestheverybuffetingitseekstoavoid;itfocusesattention

onobstaclesratherthanonpurposes.

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ThischallengetoexecutivesinanyfieldiscompoundedinWashingtonby

thecloserelationshipbetweengovernmentandthemedia.Disgruntledofficials

usethepresstomak etheircase.Themediahaveahighincentivetoprobefor

disagreementswithintheAdministration;somejournalistsdonotmind

contributingtothediscordasameansofgeneratingastory.TheCongress

increasinglyseekstherawmaterialformanyofitshearingsintheconflictsof

seniorofficials.Apremiumisplaced,therefore,ondivisivetendencies;

Washington’scrisesarebureaucraticbattles.

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Therecanbelittledoubtthattheso‐calledNixonteamneverexisted

exceptintheWhiteHouse,andeventhereitlaterdisintegratedunderstress.

Therewereseveralreasonsforthis.ManyinthemediadislikedRichardNixonfor

hisphilosophyandhisrecord.Thetemptationwastherebycreatedtogivecredit

forfavorabledevelopmentstomoreadmiredassociatesandtoleavehimwiththe

blameforeverythingthatwasunpopular.Itwouldhaverequiredsuperhuman

qualitiesofdedicationandrestraintbytheseassociatestorejecttheproffered

laurels.None,myselfincluded,reachedwithinhimselfforthesequalities.

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Theredeveloped,asaresult,areversalofthenormalpractice.Inmost

administrationsthegoodnewsisannouncedfromtheWhiteHouseand

unpopularnewsislefttothedepartmentsto disclose;intheNixonAdministration

thebureaucracydevelopedgreatskillatbothleakinggoodnewsprematurelyto

gainthecreditandreleasingbadnewsinawaythatfocusedblameonthe

President.ThisinturnreinforcedNixon’salreadypowerfultendencytosee

himselfsurroundedbyaconspiracyreaching evenamonghisCabinetcolleagues;

itenhancedhisalreadystrongpenchanttowardwithdrawalandisolation.The

Administrationturnedintoanarrayofbaroniespresidedoverbyfeudallords

protectingtheirturfasbesttheycouldagainsttheinroadsofacentralauthority

thatsalliedforthperiodicallyfromitsfortressmannedbyreta inerszealousto

asserttheirpower.

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InduecourseIbecameabeneficiaryofthisstateofaffairsandofthisbias

ofthemedia.Ironically,onereasonwhythePresidententrustedmewithsomuch

responsibilityandsomanymissionswasbecauseIwasmoreunderhiscontrol

thanhisCabinet.SinceIwaslittleknownattheoutset,itwasalsohiswayof

ensuringthatatleastsomecreditwouldgototheWhiteHouse.

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Nixoncompoundedhisproblembyanadministrativestylesoindirectanda

choiceofCabinetcolleagueswithwhomhispersonalrelat ionshipwassocomplex

(todescribeitmostcharitably)thatasenseofrealteamworkneverdeveloped.

ThiswasespeciallythecasewithrespecttohisSecretaryofState.

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IhadnotknownWilliamPierceRogerswhenhewasselected.Shortlyafter

myappointment,NixonandIhadabriefconversationabouthischoicefor

SecretaryofState.Hesaidhewaslookingforagoodnegotiator,ratherthana

policymaker—arolehereservedforhimselfandhisAssistantforNationalSecurity

Affairs.Andbecauseofhisdistrust oftheForeignService,Nixonwantedastrong

executivewhowouldensureStateDepartmentsupportofthePresident’s

policies.NixonleftmewiththeimpressionthathisfirstchoicewasAmbassador

RobertMurphy,anoutstandingretireddiplomatandatthattimechairmanofthe

boardofCorningGlass.Murphyhadservedwithdistinction inmanyseniorposts

andIgrewtovaluehisjudgme ntandwit.Yearslater,NixontoldmethatMurphy

hadturneddowntheposition.

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AfewdaysaftermyownappointmentImetWilliamRogersforthefirst

timeinthediningroomofNixon’ssuiteatthePierreHotel.ThePresident‐elect

hadaskedmetochatwithRogersandtoreportmyreactions.Hetoldmeonly

thatRogerswasbeingconsideredforaseniorforeignpolicypost.Sinceneither

RogersnorIknewexactlywhatthepointofourmeetingwas,ourconversation

wasdesultoryandalittlestrained.Iformednoimpressiononewayortheother

exceptthatIfoundRogersaffable.

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Thenextday,withouthavingtalkedtomeaboutmymeetingoraskingfor

myviews,NixoninformedmethatWilliamRogerswastobehisSecretaryof

State.HesaidthatheandRogershadbeenclosefriendsintheEisenhower

AdministrationwhenRogerswasAttorneyGeneral,althoughtheirfriendshiphad

erodedwhentheywerebothoutofoffice.Aslawyersinprivatepractice,thetwo

hadcometocompeteforclients.Despitethiscloudovertheirrelationshiphe

regardedRogersastheidealmanforthepost.NixonconsideredRogers’s

unfamiliaritywiththesubjectanassetbecauseitguaranteedthatpolicydirection

wouldremainintheWhiteHouse.Atthesametime,Nixonsaid,Rogerswasone

ofthetoughest,mostcold‐eyed,self‐centered,andambitiousmenhehadever

met.AsanegotiatorhewouldgivetheSovietsfits.And“thelittleboysinthe

StateDepartment”hadbetterbecarefulbecauseRogerswouldbrookno

nonsense.FewSecretariesofStatecanhavebeenselectedbecauseoftheir

President’sconfidenceintheirignoranceofforeignpolicy.



ItwasprobablyunfairtoappointtotheseniorCabinetpositionsomeone

whoseentiretrainingandexperiencehadbeeninotherfields.Rogershadbeena

distinguishedAttorneyGeneral.Buttheoldadagethatmengrowintoofficehas

notprovedtrueinmyexperience.Highofficeteachesdecision‐making,not

substance.Cabinetmembersaresoonoverwhelmedbytheinsistentdemandsof

runningtheirdepartments.Onthewhole,aperiodinhighofficeconsumes

intellectualcapital;itdoesnotcreateit.Mosthighofficialsleaveofficewiththe

perceptionsandinsightswithwhichtheyentered;theylearnhowtomake

decisionsbutnotwhatdecisionstomake.Andthelesstheyknowattheoutset,

themoredependenttheyareontheonlysourceofavailableknowledge:the

permanentofficials.Unsureoftheirownjudgment,unawareofalternatives,they

havelittlechoiceexcepttofollowtheadviceoftheexperts.



ThisisaparticularproblemforaSecretaryofState.Heisattheheadofan

organizationstaffedbyprobablytheablestandmostprofessionalgroupofmen

andwomeninpublicservice.Theyareintelligent,competent,loyal,and

hardworking.Butthereversesideoftheirdedicationistheconvictionthata

lifetimeofserviceandstudyhasgiventheminsightsthattranscendtheuntrained

andshallow‐rootedviewsofpoliticalappointees.Whenthereisstrongleadership

theirprofessionalismmakestheForeignServiceaninvaluableandindispensable

toolofpolicymaking.InsuchcircumstancestheForeignServicebecomesa

disciplinedandfinelyhonedinstrument;theiroccasionalactsofself‐willgenerate

animportant,sometimesanexcitingdialogue.Butwhenthereisnotastrong

handatthehelm,clannishnesstendstoovercomediscipline.Deskofficers

becomeadvocatesforthecountriestheydealwithandnotspokesmenof

nationalpolicy;AssistantSecretariespushalmostexclusivelytheconcernsoftheir

areas.Officerswillfightforparochialinterestswithtenacityandabureaucratic 

skillsharpenedbydecadesofstrugglingforsurviva l.Theywillcarryoutclear‐cut

instructionswithgreatloyalty,butthetypicalForeignServiceofficerisnoteasily

persuadedthataninstructionwithwhichhedisagreesisreallyclear‐cut.



TheproceduresoftheStateDepartmentarewelldesignedtoputa

premiumonbureaucraticself‐will.Despitelipserviceto planning,thereisa

strongbiasinfavorofmakingpolicyinresponsetocablesandintheformof

cables.ThenoviceSecretaryofStatethusfindsonhisdesknotpolicyanalysesor

optionsbutstacksofdispatcheswhichheisaskedtoinitialandtodosourgently,

ifyouplease.Hecanscarcelyknowenoughaboutallthesubjectstowhichthey

refer,orperhapsaboutanyofthem,toformanopinion.Inanyevent,hewillnot

learnfromthesedraftcableswhatalternativeshehas.Evenifheassertshimself

andrejectsaparticulardraft,itislikelytocomebacktohimwithamodification

sominorthatonlyalegalscholarcouldtellthedifference.WhenIlaterbecame

SecretaryIdiscoveredthatitwasaherculeaneffortevenforsomeonewhohad

madeforeignpolicyhislife’sworktodominatetheStateDepartmentcable

machine.Woetotheuninitiatedatthemercyofthatextraordinaryanddedicated

bandofexperts.



TheironyofNixon’sdecisiontochooseasSecretaryofStatesomeonewith

littlesubstantivepreparationwasthathetherebyenhancedtheinfluenceofthe

twoinstitutionshemostdistrusted—theForeignServiceandthepress.Forthe

newSecretaryofStatehadineffectonlytwochoices.Hecouldtakehisdirection

fromtheWhiteHouseandbecometheadvocateofPreside ntialpolicytothe

Department,theCongress,andthecountry,orhecouldmakehimselfthe

spokesmanofhissubordinates.InaquietertimeSecretaryRogersmightwell

havebeenabletobalancethedemandsuponhim. Butintheturmoilofthe

domesticdiscordcausedbyVietnam,todosorequiredmoreself‐confidenceand

knowledgethanhecouldreasonablyhavebeenexpectedtopossess.Asaresult,

heseemedquitenaturallyconcernedtoavoidtheassaultsinflicteduponhis

predecessor,DeanRusk.SincehetendedtoidentifythepublicandCongressional

moodwiththeeditorialpositionofleadingEasternnewspapers,andsincethese

alsopowerfullyinfluencedhissubordinates,Rogersatcriticaljuncturesfound

himselfunwillingtodobattleforthePresidentandoftensponsoredpositionsat

variancewithNixon’s.



Paradoxically,hemayhavebeenreinfo rcedinthattendencybythe

memoryofhisfriendshipwithNixoninthe1950s.ThenRogershadbeenmuch

thepsychologicallydominantpartner. Inconsequencehecouldnot reallygrasp

thatinthenewrelationshiphiswastheclearlysubordinateposition.Evenless

couldhefacethepropositionthathemighthavebeenappointed,atleastinpart,

becausehisoldfriendwantedtoreverserolesandestablisharelationshipin

whichbothhierarchicallyandsubstantivelyhe,Nixon,calledthetuneforonce.



Thiscuriousantiphonalrelationshipbetweenthetwomenhadthe

consequenceofenhancingmyposition,butmyownrolewasclearlyaresultof

thatrelationshipandnotthecauseofit.FromthebeginningNixonwas

determinedtodomi natethemostimportantnego tiations.Heexcludedhis

SecretaryofState,forexample,fromhisfirstmeetingwithSovietAmbassador

AnatolyDobryninonFebruary17,1969,fourweeksafterInauguration,atatime

whenitwouldhavebeeninconceivableformetosuggestsuchaprocedure.The

practice,establishedbeforemyownpositionwassettled,continued.Throughout

histerm,whenaStatevisitorwasreceivedintheOvalOfficebyNixonfora 

lengthydiscussion,IwastheonlyotherAmericanpresent.



Thetugofwaroverresponsibilityforpolicyemergedearly.Forhispart,

SecretaryRogerstookthepositionthathewouldcarryoutorderswithwhichhe

disagreedonlyiftheyweretransmittedpersonallybythePresident.Thiswasthe

onethingNixonwaspsychologicallyincapableofdoing.Hewouldresorttoany

subterfugetoavoidapersonalconfrontation.Hewouldsendlettersexplaining

whathemeant;hewoulduseemissaries.ButsinceRogersbelieved—quite

correctly—thattheselettersweredraftedbymeormystaff,hedidnotgivethem

fullcredenceeventhoughtheyweresignedbythePresident.Hefrustratedthe

emissary,usuallyJohnMitchell,byinvokinghisoldfriendshipwiththePresident

andclaimingthatheunderstoodNixonbetter.Thiscontest,whichwaspartially

obscuredbecausebothmenblameditonthirdparties,wasunending.Nixon

wouldrepeatedlyorderthatalloutgoingpolicycablesweretobeclearedinthe

WhiteHouse.Butthiswasfrequentlycircumvented,andinanyevent,themeans

bywhichaSecretaryofStatecancommunicatewithhissubordinatesaretoo

manifoldtobecontrolledbyfiat.



Astimewentby,thePresident,orIonhisbehalf,inordertoavoidthese

endlessconfrontations, cametodealincreasinglywithkeyforeignleaders

throughchannelsthatdirectlylinkedtheWhiteHouseSituationRoomtothefield

withoutgoingthroughtheStateDepartment—theso‐calledbackchannels.This

processstartedonthedayafterInauguration.ThenewPresidentwantedto

changethenegotiatinginstructionsonVietnamdraftedatStatethatreflectedthe

approachofthepreviousAdministration.Buthewishedalsotoavoida

controversy.Hethereforeaskedmetophone AmbassadorHenryCabotLodge,

ournegotiatorinParis,tosuggestthatLodgesendinthroughregularchannels,as

hisownrecommendation,thecourseofactionthatthePresidentpreferred.

Lodgereadilyagreed.Sincesuchprocedureswerecomplicatedandcouldnot

workinmostcases,Nixonincreasinglymovedsensitivenegotiationsintothe

WhiteHousewherehecouldsupervisethemdirectly,getthecreditpersonally,

andavoidthebureaucraticdisputesorinertiathathefoundsodistasteful.



NorwasthePresidentabovedissociatinghimselffromStateDepartment

foreignpolicyventures.ThusinMarch1969Nixonaskedmetoinform

AmbassadorDobryninprivatelythattheSecretaryofStateinhisfirstlengthytalk

onVietnamwiththeSovietenvoyhadgonebeyondthePresident’sthinking.Idid

notdosoatonce,waitingratherforsomeconcreteissuetocomeup.Therecan

benodoubt,however,thattheconductofboththeWhiteHouseandtheState

DepartmentmadetheSovietsawareofourowninternaldebateandthattheydid

theirbesttoexploitit.NixonkepthisprivateexchangewithNorthVietnam’s

PresidentHoChiMinhinJuly‐August1969fromRogersuntilforty‐eighthours

beforeherevealeditontelevisioninNovember.Inearly1970Nixonsentwordto

theJewishcommunitythroughhisaideLeonardGarmentandAttorneyGeneral

JohnMitchellthatthe“RogersPlan”ontheMiddleEastwasaptlynamedanddid

notoriginateintheWhiteHouse.InMay1971theSecretaryofStatedidnot

knowofthenegotiationsinWhiteHouse‐Kremlinchannelsthatledtothe

breakthroughintheSALTtalksuntilseventy‐twohoursbeforetherewasaformal

announcement.InJuly1971RogerswastoldofmysecrettriptoChinaonlyafterI

wasalreadyontheway.InApril1972,thePresidentgaveRogerssucha

convolutedexplanationformytriptoMoscow—whichhadbeenarranged

secretlyandwhichRogersopposedwhenhewastoldatthelastminute—thatit

complicatedthenegotiations.Suchexamplescouldbeendlesslymultiplied.



IdonotmeantosuggestthatIresistedNixon’sconducttowardhissenior

Cabinetofficer.Fromthefirstmypresencemadeittechnicallypossibleandafter

atimeIundoubtedlyencouragedit.Liketheoverwhelmingmajorityofhigh

officialsIhadstrongviewsanddidnotrejectopportunities tohavethemprevail.

Whatmakesthetensionandexhaustionofhighofficebearableandindeed

exhilaratingistheconvictionthatonemakesacontributiontoabetterworld.To

whatextentlesselevatedmotivesofvanityandquestforpowerplayedaroleis

hardtodetermineatthisremove;itisunlikelythattheywereentirelyabsent.But

IamconvincedthatinaNixonAdministrationforeignpolicywouldhavecentered

intheWhiteHousewhatevertheadministrativepractices andwhoeverthe

personalities.



OnceNixonhadappointedastrongpersonality,expertinforeignpolicy,as

thenationalsecurityadviser,competitionwiththeSecretaryofStatebecame

inevitable,althoughIdidnotrealizethisatfirst.Thetwopositionsareinherently

competitiveifbothincumbentsseektoplayamajorpolicyrole.Alltheincentives

makeforcontroversy;indeed,weretheytoagreetherewouldbenoneedfor

bothofthem.ThoughIdidnotthinksoatthetime,Ihavebecomeconvincedthat

aPresidentshouldmaketheSecretaryofStatehisprincipaladviserandusethe

nationalsecurityadviserprimarilyasasenioradministratorandcoordinatorto

makecertainthateachsignificantpointofviewisheard.Ifthesecurityadviser

becomesactiveinthedevelopmentandarticulationofpolicyhemustinevitably

diminishtheSecretaryofStateandreduc ehiseffectiveness.Foreigngovernments

areconfusedand,equallydangerous,givenopportunitytoplayonepartofour

governmentoffagainsttheother;theStateDepartmentbecomesdemoralized

andretreatsintoparochialism.IfthePresidentdoesnothaveconfidenceinhis

SecretaryofStateheshouldreplacehim,notsupervisehimwithapersonalaide.

IntheNixonAdministrationthispreeminentrolefortheSecretaryofStatewas

madeimpossiblebyNixon’sdistrustoftheStateDepartmentbureaucracy,byhis

relationshipwithRogers,byRogers’sinexperienceandbymyownstrong

convictions.Rogers’sunderstandableinsistenceontheprerogativesofhisoffice

compoundedtheproblemandhadtheironicalconsequenceofweakeninghis

position.Inabureaucraticdisputethesidehavingnobetterargumentthanits

hierarchicalrightislikelytolose. Presidentslistentoadviserswhoseviewsthey

thinktheyneed,nottothosewhoinsistonahearingbecauseoftheorganization

chart.



Beyondthesereasons,tensionsintheNixonpolicymachinerywere

producedalsobyanhonestdifferenceinperspectivebetweentheSecretaryand

me.Rogerswasinfactfarablerthanhewaspictured;hehadashrewdanalytical

mindandoutstandingcommonsense.Buthisperspectivewastactical;asa

lawyerhewastrainedtodealwithissuesastheyarose“ontheirmerits.”My

approachwasstrategicandgeopolitical;Iattemptedtorelateeventstoeach

other,tocreateincentivesorpressuresinonepartoftheworldtoinfluence

eventsinanother.Rogerswaskeenlyattunedtotherequirementsofpa rticular

negotiations.Iwantedto accumulatenuancesforalong‐rangestrategy.Rogers

wasconcernedwithimmediatereactionintheCongressandmedia,whichwasto

someextenthisresponsibilityasprincipalspokesmaninforeignaffairs.Iwas

moreworriedaboutresultssomeyearsdowntheroad.Inevitably,Rogersmust

haveconsideredmeanegotisticalnitpickerwhoruinedhisrelationswiththe

President;Itendedtoviewhimasaninsensitiveneophytewhothreatenedthe

carefuldesignofourforeignpolicy.Therelationshipwasboundtodeteriorate.

Hadbothofusbeenwiserwewouldhaveunderstoodthatwewouldservethe

countrybestbycomposingourpersonaldifferencesandreinforcingeachother.

ThiswouldhavereducedNixon’stemptationtomanipulatetensionsthatheboth

dreadedandfomented.Butallourattemptstomeetregularlyfounder ed.Rogers

wastooproud,Iintellectuallytooarrogant,andwewerebothlooinsecureto

adoptacoursewhichwouldhavesavedusmuchneedlessanguishand

bureaucraticheadaches. 



ButnoneofthiswouldhavemadeadecisivedifferencehadNixonand

Rogersbeen,infact,ascloseastheymayhavesincerelybelievedtheywere.The

indispensableprerequisiteofaSecretaryofStateisthecomplete confidenceof

thePresident.ThesuccessfulSecretaries,suchasDeanAchesonorJohnFoster

Dulles,allestablishedanintimateworkingrelatio nshipwiththeirPresidents.

ThosewhosoughttocompetewiththeirPresident,likeRobertLansingorJames

Byrnes,soonlosteitherinfluenceorposition.Achesonfrequentlyemphasized

thatwhilehefeltfreetodisagreevigorouslywithPresidentTrumanheneverput

himintoapositionthatseemedtotesthisauthoritynorwouldheeverjoina

cabalofotherCabinetmemberstobringpressureonthePresident.APresident

needssubstantiveadvice,buthealsorequiresemotionalsuccor.Hemustknow

thathisadvisersarestrongandself‐confident,buthemustalsosensethatthey

havecompassionfortheisolationandresponsibilitiesofhispositionandwillnot

willfullyaddtohispsychologicalburdens.Thisintangible ingredientwasprecisely

whatwasmissingbetweenPresidentNixonandhisfirstSecretaryofState,inpart

forreasonsthatantedatedtheNixonAdministration.Theveryclosenessoftheir

previousrelationshippreventedRogersfromactingonthistruthandNixonfrom

admittingit.



RelationsweredifferentwiththeotherseniorCabinetmemberinthe

foreignpolicyfield,theSecretaryofDefense,MelvinLaird.As withState,Ihad

beenundertheimpressio nforseveraldaysthatsomeoneelsewasinlineforthe

job,believingthatSenatorHenryM.JacksonwouldacceptthePresident‐elect’s

offer.Whenheturneditdown,IwasinformedofMr.Nixon’sdecisioninfavorof

MelLaird;Iwasnotconsulted. 



IhadmetLairdattheRepublic anConventionof1964.Hehadbeen

chairmanoftheplatformcommitteeandhadskillfullyoutmaneuveredthe

Rockefellerforces.LaterIhadcontributedtoacollectionofessayson

conservatismthathecompiled.

MelLairdwasaprofessionalpolitician;hespoke

alanguagethatNixonunderstood.Nixonhadnopsychologicalreservationsorold

scorestosettlewithhisSecretaryofDefense.HavingservedontheDefense

SubcommitteeoftheHouseAppropriationsCommitteeformostofhissixteen

yearsintheCongress,Lairdknewhissubjectthoroughlybeforehetookoffice. 

AndLairdhadanimportantconstituency.RemaininginfluentialintheCongress,

especiallythroughhisfriendshipwiththepowerfulchairmanoftheHouse

AppropriationsCommitteeGeorgeMason,Lairdcouldbeignoredbythe

Presidentonlyatseriousrisk.AndwhileLaird’smaneuverswereoftenas

ByzantineintheircomplexityorindirectionasthoseofNixon,heaccomplished

withverveandsurprisinggoodwillwhatNixonperformedwithgrim

determinationandinwardresentment.Lairdlikedtowin,butunlikeNixon,

derivednogreatpleasurefromseeingsomeoneelselose.Therewasabouthima

buoyancyandarascallygoodhumorthatmadeworkingwithhimassatisfyingas

itcouldonoccasionbemaddening.



LairdactedontheassumptionthathehadaConstitutionalrighttoseekto

outsmartandoutmaneuveranyonewithwhomhisofficebroughthiminto

contact.Thiswaspartlyagameandpartlytheeffortofaseasonedpolitician to

protecthisoptionsandgarnerwhateverpublicitymightbeavailablealongthe

way.Lairdwasmasteroftheinspiredleak.Aftera while,IlearnedthatwhenLaird

calledearlyinthemorningtocomplainaboutanewspaperstory,hewasits

probablesource.ElliotRichardsonusedtosay,notunkindly,thatwhenLaird

employedoneofhisfavoritephrases,“SeewhatImean?”therewasnopossible

wayofpenetratinghismeaning.



LairdwouldthinknothingofcomingtoaWhiteHousemeetingwiththe

JointChiefsofStaff,supportingtheirposition,thenindicatinghisreservations

privatelytothePresidentandme,onlytoworkoutathirdapproachlaterwithhis

friendChairmanMahon.ThemaneuversofNixonandLairdtostealthecreditfor

eachannouncedtroopwithdrawalfromVietnamwereconductedwithallthe

artistryofaKabukiplay,withanadmixtureoftheFlorentinecourtpoliticsofthe

fifteenthcentury.Thethrustsandparriesofthesetwohardyprofessionals,each

seekingtodivinetheother’sintentionsandtoconfusehimatthesametime,

cannotberenderedbiographically;onlyanovelorplaycoulddothemjustice.But

itwasagamethatNixon,beinglessplayful,moredeadly,andholdingthetrump

cardsofthePresidency,rarelylost.



Providedhewasallowedsomereasonablerangeforsavingfaceby

maneuveringtoanewposit ionwithoutembarrassment,Lairdaccepted

bureaucraticsetbackswithoutrancor.Butheinsistedonhisdayincourt.In

workingwithhim,intellectualargumentswereonlymarginallyusefulanddirect

ordersweresuicidal.Ieventuallylearnedthatitwassafesttobeginabattlewith

LairdbyclosingoffinsofaraspossibleallhisbureaucraticorCongressionalescape