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Nixon Pardon - Woodward and Bernstein Articles,12/10/75
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Nixon Pardon - Woodward and Bernstein Articles,12/10/75
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The original documents are located in Box 34, folder "Nixon Pardon - Woodward and
Bernstein Articles, 12/10/75" of the Philip Buchen Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential
Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald R. Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Exact duplicates within this folder were not digitized.
Digitized from Box 34 of the Philip Buchen Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
Thursday 12/18/75
11:00 Gertrude Engel called to talk with you. Said she has her
293-1707
own Public Relations firm (Michigan).
Said to tell you she is sorry about the article that appeared
in the Post today. You know that President Ford saved
Nixon's life when he pardoned him.
He needed that valve
release. in his body and mind. to make sure he didn't kill
himself. The way everybody treated it was pretty bad. She
said she was the one who defended it. Mr. Nixon was a very,
very sick man. They're going to make this a terrible issue.
It will be so misinterpreted.
The only thing that should be said is
----
Nixon is a sick man
and President Ford saved his life. Something had to be done to
save him.
It requires no further explanation than that.
She thinks we should come out with a public release and say
"Regardless of how it was done, he saved his life when he
pardoned Mr. Nixon."
GERALD FORD VIBRIET
ro copies
went out
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
December 20, 1975
MEMORANDUM FOR:
DICK CHENEY
FROM:
PHIL BUCHEN T.
Here is your information copy of a memorandum
KAT?
I have drafted for Bill Greener. In view of the
sensitivity of the subject matter and the fact
that Bill may not be getting any more questions
on this particular subject, please let me know
whether I should just keep the memorandum for
my files and not send it to Bill.
eBC>
YES Not
send
DoNoToreener. to
Attachment
GERALD LIBRARY R. FORD
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
December 19, 1975
MEMORANDUM FOR:
WILLIAM GREENER
FROM:
PHILIP BUCHEN
A Woodward and Bernstein article on events preceding the Nixon
pardon appeared in the Washington Post December 18, 1975.
To give you additional background and comments on this article, I
point out the following:
1. Woodward came to see me on Tuesday, December 9,
ostensibly to check out the veracity of a story he had acquired which
involved material he and Bernstein were developing for the book they
were nearly finished writing on the first 100 days of the Ford Administra-
tion to be published in April. He had much earlier interviewed me for
purposes of gathering material for the book and now had some new
information that at least partly involved my role in the events.
2. The story he claimed to have was that Len Garment and
Ray Price had, early in the morning of August 28, prepared a document
addressed to me advocating that the President act promptly to announce
his intention to pardon the former President. According to Woodward's
informants, the documents involved were a memorandum from Garment
pointing out the merits of prompt action and attached to it a draft state-
ment by Price for the President to make such announcement at his
upcoming press conference that afternoon. He also stated that Al Haig
was given a duplicate of these documents at the same time, that he had
presented them to the President early the morning of August 28, and
that he then telephoned Garment that the President wanted to go ahead
with the suggestion. This development, according to Woodward was
followed an hour and a quarter later by a call from Haig to Garment
that, contrary to his previous advice, the President had put a "hold"
on doing anything along this line.
FORD
3. My response to Woodward was as follows:
GERALD
LIBRARY
(a) I did recall that Len Garment, after the staff meeting on
the morning of August 28, had handed me a memo addressed to me
-2-
which presented the case for the President to respond at his press
conference that he intended to pardon the former President but I
did not recall that there was any statement by Price or anyone
else attached to this memorandum.
(b) I had on August 27 prepared a draft question and answer
for the President which in effect called for his stating that he was
not ready to make any decision on the matter.
(c) I learned during the course of the morning from the
President that he was planning to answer questions about a possible
pardon in much the manner I had suggested by my proposed question
and answer, and therefore I returned the Garment memo to him
either just before the press conference or right afterwards.
(d) I was not aware that anyone else received a copy of the
Garment memo or that he had given one to A1 Haig if that was the
case.
(e) I found incredible the story Woodward gave about the
President's having led A1 Haig to believe he was going to state at the
press conference his intention to grant a pardon, because such story
was entirely inconsistent with what I understood from the President
was his intention at the press conference and which, as the answers
to the questions given, he enunciated.
Woodward then asked whether Ron Nessen could determine from the
President whether he in fact did see the Garment memo on the morning
of August 28, and I said I would get back to him on the matter.
4. I discussed the matter with Jack Marsh, who had been
closely involved at the same time when I was in the developments
concerning the matter of the Nixon pardon, and Jack and I talked to
the President on December 11.
5. The President advised Jack and me that he had no recollection
of seeing any such memo but suggested that I talk to A1 Haig.
6. I reached A1 Haig in Brussels on Friday, December 12.
He acknowledged that he knew of the Garment memo and thought he
might have shown it to the President either before or after the press
-3-
conference but it could well have been afterwards. He said he would
check whatever files he had with him but also suggested I check files
here to see if there was any indication that the President might have
received a copy of the memo and the date and the time when he did
receive it.
7. Through Jim Connor, both the President's files and
A1 Haig's files were checked, and I was advised that no copy of the
memorandum could be found. I also checked my own files and found
that I had no copy, which was consistent with my recollection that I
had returned the Garment memo to him.
8. Al Haig called me back on Tuesday, December 16, and
said he could tell nothing from his records which would indicate
whether or when he might have shown the Garment memo to the
President. He did say, however, that he was sure he had some dis-
cussions with the President on the subject of a possible pardon but he
again was unsure whether it was before or after the press conference.
9. I promised Woodward to get back to him within a few days
of our original conference, and I talked to him next on Tuesday,
December 16, to advise him that the President had no recollection of
having seen the Garment memo and that a preliminary check of the
files indicated no record of the Garment memo having gone to the
President. In fact, we could not even find a copy. I held off being
more decisive until I had heard again from Al Haig.
10. Al Haig then called me the same day, but after I had talked
with Woodward. On that call, A1 said he could not verify anything
from his files but that he did recall discussing the pardon with the
President and might have done so before the press conference. The
next day Woodward called me again to ascertain whether I had found
out anything more and I said that we still had not found anything in the
files about the Garment memo, but, in the course of the conversation,
I said there could have been some discussions that I didn't know about
which preceded my first learning on Friday, August 30, that the President
had pretty much decided to go ahead with the pardon if I was able to
advise him that it was legally possible and provided I obtained certain
information from the Special Prosecutor. The portion of the Washington
Post article which says that "Buchen acknowledged yesterday that the
President now 'recalls that he talked with Haig about the pardon from
time to time' possibly on the day of his first press conference as
President" is not accurate in that I merely stated that the President
-4-
may have talked to Haig on the subject of the pardon before making
his decision but that the decision was made by the President alone
as he had publicly stated. The other quotes were also not accurate
in that the President had not asked me to check the files and I did
not say SO. Actually, I had caused the search as a result of Haig's
uncertainty as to what the files might show. I also raised with
Woodward the possibility that the pardon could have been discussed
after the press conference and before I was involved only because it
was customary for the President to conduct a post mortem of his
press conferences to review what questions had been given and how
they had been answered, although I was not involved in such a post
mortem. I also mentioned that the first indication of the President's
desire to consider a pardon came to me as a surprise when we met,
along with Hartmann, Marsh and Haig, on August 30 as an indication
that he had not really addressed the matter until after his press con-
ference when he had had time to reflect on the effect of his answers to
three or four different questions on the same subject at the press con-
ference. I also made no statement about Haig's involvement except
to say that, so far as I was concerned, he withdrew himself entirely
from any followup to the President's tentative plan to go ahead with
any pardon if I could advise that he was legally permitted to do so and
if the information from the Special Prosecutor was obtained concerning
the length of time before a fair trial could be held in the matters under
investigation by the Special Prosecutor's office.
11. The Post story says that the question by the House Judiciary
Subcommittee about Al Haig's discussing a pardon was rephrased in
answering the question. Such is not the case because the question did
involve only Haig's discussions "with Richard M. Nixon or representatives
of Mr. Nixon" (see question 2 in the attached resolution).
cc: Jack Marsh
Dick Cheney
93D CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. RES. 1367
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 16, 1974
Ms. ABZUG (for herself, Mr. BADILLO, Mr. JOHN L BURTON, Mr. DELLUMS, Mr.
EILBERG, Mr. HECHLER of West Virginia, Mr. HELSTOSKI, Ms. HOLTZMAN,
Mr. Koch, Mr. ROSENTHAL, Mr. STARK, Mr. STOKES, Mr. SYMINGTON, and
Mr. CHARLES H. WILSON of California) submitted the following resolution;
which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
RESOLUTION
1
Resolved, That the President of the United States is
2 hereby requested to furnish the House, within ten days, with
3 the following information:
4
1. Did you or your representatives have specific knowl-
5 edge of any formal criminal charges pending against Richard
6 M. Nixon prior to issuance of the pardon? If so, what were
7 these charges?
8
2. Did Alexander Haig refer to or discuss a pardon for
9 Richard M. Nixon with Richard M. Nixon or representa-
10 tives of Mr. Nixon at any time during the week of August 4,
11 1974, or at any subsequent time? If so, what promises were
V
2
1 made or conditions set for a pardon, if any? If so, were tapes
2 or transcriptions of any kind made of these conversations or
3 were any notes taken? If so, please provide such tapes,
4 transcriptions or notes.
5
3. When was a pardon for Richard M. Nixon first re-
6 ferred to or discussed with Richard M. Nixon, or representa-
7 tives or Mr. Nixon, by you or your representatives or aides,
8 including the period when you were a Member of Congress
9 or Vice President?
10
4. Who participated in these and subsequent discussions
11 or negotiations with Richard M. Nixon or his representa-
12 tives regarding a pardon, and at what specific times and
13 locations?
14
5. Did you consult with Attorney General William
15 Saxbe or Special Prosecutor Leon Jaworski before making
16 the decision to pardon Richard M. Nixon and, if so, what
17 facts and legal authorities did they give to you?
18
6. Did you consult with the Vice Presidential nominee,
19 Nelson Rockefeller, before making the decision to pardon
20 Richard M. Nixon and, if so, what facts and legal authorities
21 did he give to you?
22
7. Did you consult with any other attorneys or profes-
23 sors of law before making the decision to pardon Richard M.
24 Nixon, and, if so, what facts or legal authorities did they
25 give to you?
FRALO FORD FIRRAN
3
1
8. Did you or your representatives ask Richard M.
2 Nixon to make a confession or statement of criminal guilt,
3 and, if so, what language was suggested or requested by
4 you, your representatives, Mr. Nixon, or his representatives?
5 Was any statement of any kind requested from Mr. Nixon
6 in exchange for the pardon, and, if so, please provide the
7 suggested or requested language.
8
9. Was the statement issued by Richard M. Nixon im-
9 mediately subsequent to announcement of the pardon made
10 known to you or your representatives prior to its announce-
11 ment, and was it approved by you or your representatives?
12
10. Did you receive any report from a psychiatrist or
13 other physician stating that Richard M. Nixon was in other
14 than good health? If so; please provide such reports.
Some items in this folder were not digitized because it contains copyrighted
materials. Please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library for access to
these materials.
LIBRAR
ORO
Ford THURSDAY Disnuted DECEMBER 18, has on Events Preceding Nixon Pardon
1975
By Bob Woodward
One, according to the sources, is a
and Carl Bernstein
continued threat of criminal prosecution.
sprivate assurance that President Ford
It implied that, unless he was pardoned,
tradict President Ford's public
with Haig about the pardon from time to
began seriously on Wednesday, Aug. 28,
Washington Post Staff Writers
gave Gen. Alexander M. Haig Jr., Nixon's
President Ford, in apparent con-
Nixon might take his own life, the sources
statements, including his- testimony to a
time" - possibly on the day of his first
Garment drafted his memo in longhand
chief of staff, that a pardon would be
said.
House Judiciary subcommittee on Oct. 17,
press conference as President
the evening before at home. Using some of
tradiction of his public statements,
granted.
The sources said they were unsure if
1974, when he said:
Haig acknowledged yesterday that be
the same arguments that Mr. Ford was to
granted a pardon to Richard M. Nixon
This was given to Mr. Haig on Aug. 28,
President Ford saw the memo, but they
"At no time after I became President on
had discussions with Mr. Ford about the
cite in announcing the pardon, Garment
after hearing urgent pleas from the former
1974 - the day of Mr. Ford's first press
said Haig used its arguments in making
Aug. 9, 1974, was the subject of a pardon
matter, but refused to discuss exactly
wrote that an immediate pardon would
President's top aides that he be spared the
conference as President and 10 days
the case for the pardon to Mr. Ford.
for Richard M. Nixon raised by the former
what was said. "I don't think I should talk
spare the country the turmoil of possible
threat of criminal prosecution, according
before the pardon was announced.
In addition, former Nixon speechwriter
President or by anyone representing
about these things or conversations with a
indictment, trial and conviction of a for-
to reliable sources.
A second fact is an impassioned three-
him."
Raymond K. Price Jr. drafted a 2 1/2-page
President, especially an incumbent one,
mer President.
Although Mr. Ford said yesterday
page memo written by former Nixon
statement the same day for President
During that same appearance,
and I won't," he said in response to a
There was a need for immediate action,
through his counsel, Philip W. Buchen,
counsel Leonard Garment that same day,
Ford to read announcing the pardon at his
President Ford also. said, "Nobody made
reporter's questions.
Garment wrote, because granting a
that the pleas did not figure in his decision,
urging that Mr. Ford grant a pardon to his
first press conference. It was not used,
any recommendation to me for the pardon
Previously, both the President and Haig
pardon would become politically more
there are several facts which he has not
predecessor. The memo, according to
however.
of the former President.'
implied there were no such conversations.
difficult as Nixon increasingly became the
disclosed in his statements about the
sources, indicated that Nixon's mental and
This information about the events
According to several sources familiar
leading up to the pardon appears to con-
Buchen acknowledged yesterday that
target of federal investigators.
pardon.
physical condition could not withstand the
with events leading up to the pardon,
the President now "recalls that he talked
President Ford's interest in the matter
See PARDON, A6, Col.1
Thursday 12/18/75
5:45 Contacts with Bob Woodward; also Gen. Haig:
Tues. 12/9 12:15 Phone call from Woodward - they talked
3:30 Meeting
Wed. 12/10 4:00 Phone call from Woodward
*
d
yen Haig
Mon. 12/15
12:20
Gen. Haig in Brussels; he was not available
Mon. 12/15 6:00 Bob Woodward -- not there
Tues. 12/16
9:15
Gen. Haig -- not available
9:45
Gen. Blanchard on secure line---Gen. Haig
talked with Mr. Buchen
9:40
Botwoodward
Wed. 12/17 10:27 Bob Woodward -- they talked
* Men. Haig
FORD i LIBRARY GERALD
This Copy For
NEWS CONFERENCE
#395
AT THE WHITE HOUSE
WITH BILL GREENER
AT 12:02 P.M. EST
DECEMBER 18, 1975
THURSDAY
MR. GREENER: One announcement: The President
will attend the swearing-in ceremonies of Judge Stevens
as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court tomorrow, December
19, 1975, at 10:00 a.m. The oath will be administered
in the courtroom.
Those wishing to cover the ceremonies should
apply for special passes to the Court Information Officer,
room 30, on the ground floor of the Court. The passes may
be picked up at room 30 between 8:00 a.m. and 9:45 a.m.
on Friday.
The President is expected to depart the White
House at around 9:45, and return at 10:55.
Any other additional information concerning
coverage should be directed to Mr. Frank M. Hepler, Marshal
of the Court, at 393-1640.
Q
I assume there will be a travel pool?
MR. GREENER: Yes.
Q
Will the President have remarks there?
MR. GREENER: No, I don't believe SO.
Q
That does not apply to the travel pool or
anything, does it?
MR. GREENER: Well, he may have remarks. I will
have to check on that, Aldo.
The question is, what about the travel pool.
Do we get their passes?
MR. SPEAKES: We will take care of that.
MR. GREENER: That does not apply to the travel
pool.
MORE
#395
GERALD FORD LIBRARY
- 2 -
#395-12/18
Q
Bill, in light of the President's statement
that truth is the glue that holds Government together --
Q
Excuse me. Before you get into that, could
I ask a question?
Is that going to be in the Supreme Court Chamber?
MR. GREENER: Yes, in the courtroom.
Q
So that means there is no coverage of that,
television or radio; is that correct?
MR. GREENER: I don't know. Those wishing to cover
the ceremonies -- the information should come from Mr.
Hepler.
Q
The procedure is you never get anything.
Q
Bill, in the light of that statement about
truth, I am just wondering how do you explain the President's
telling the Judiciary Committee "At no time after I became
President was the subject of a pardon for Richard Nixon
raised" in light of the Garment memo and the reported
conversation with General Haig?
MR. GREENER: Well, let's get that in some context.
One, in his testimony before the Judiciary Committee,
or the Hungate subcommittee, to be exact, and I am sure
you have gone over it very thoroughly --
Q
It was not under oath I discovered.
MR. GREENER: Well, at any rate, whether under
oath or not --
Q
Are you sure of that?
Q
Yes, I checked.
MR. GREENER: He stated in that that "At no time
after I became President on August 9, 1974, was the subject
of a pardon for Richard M. Nixon raised by the former
President or by anyone representing him. Also, no one on
my staff brought up the subject until the day before my
press conference on August 28, 1974."
Secondly, as for any assurances, as the story reports,
that were given to General Haig by the President on the
pardoning, the President gave no assurances to General Haig
on the pardoning of President Nixon on August 28 or any
date prior to that.
MORE
#395
COMLOR FORD VISRARY
- 3 -
#395-12/18
Q Bill, if my memory of the transcript serves
me correctly, where he says "until the day before August
28" he said then the subject was only raised in reference
to the possibility of a pardon being discussed at the
press conference.
MR. GREENER: That is correct.
Q
Well, Mr. Buchen is quoted as saying, "The
President now recalls" --
MR. GREENER: Mr. Buchen is not being reported
as saying "now."
Q
It was quoted on the front page of the paper
this morning, Bill, was it not?
MR. GREENER: Read it, Les. It does not say that.
Q
"Now recalls he talked with Haig." Isn't
that the quote?
MR. GREENER: The President did talk with Haig as
noted here in reference to the press conference.
Q
I see.
Q
Is that the only way in which the President
before August 28 ever discussed the matter with Haig or
anyone else?
MR. GREENER: Except as outlined in the testimony
on August 1, which is also in the testimony.
Q
What did he do on August 1, Bill?
MR. GREENER: I will have to find it for you.
In his testimony before the House Judiciary
Subcommittee on October 17, the President testified that
the first talk about a pardon with General Haig came in a
meeting with General Haig at 3:30 p.m. on August 1.
Q
Bill, the implication of the Washington
Post story is that the President was somewhat less than
truthful in his prior comments on the matter. The pardon
otherwise -- if we are picking nits, you don't run it eight
columns across the top of the page.
Are you prepared to say here that the President's
position is absolutely without any change or evasion at
any time?
MR. GREENER: Yes.
MORE
#395
FORD LIBRARY
- 4 -
#395-12/18
Q
Would you ask the Washington Post for a
retraction, Bill?
MR. GREENER: Pardon me?
Q
Would you be willing to ask the Post for a
retraction if they put this on the top of the page?
MR. GREENER: I don't know what I should ask them
to retract, the report sources and things, and that is
the way they plan to report it.
Q Bill, let me put it another way: Are you
saying that the President has always dealt with the public
on the matter of the pardon with complete candor?
MR. GREENER: Yes, I am.
Q
Now Bill, let me see if I can understand
this. On October 17 he says, "At no time after I became
President on August 9 was the subject of a pardon for
Richard M. Nixon raised," right?
MR. GREENER: Until --
Q Now, you are saying that --
MR. GREENER: Let me finish reading the sentence.
Don't stop in the middle of the sentence.
Q I am sorry.
"At no time after I became President on August
9, 1974, was the subject of a pardon for Richard M. Nixon
raised by the former President or by anyone representing
him."
MR. GREENER: That is correct.
Q Okay.
MR. GREENER: "Also, no one on my staff brought
up the subject until the day before my first press conference
on August 28, 1974.'
Q Can you keep reading beyond that a little?
MR. GREENER: "At that time I was advised that
questions on the subject might be raised by media reporters
at the press conference."
Q
Did President Ford consider --
MR. GREENER: Tom, let Mort finish his question.
Q I am sorry.
MORE
#395
FORD is LIBRARY CTUNED
- 5 -
#395-12/18
Q
Now, did you say that the President testified
that the first talk about the pardon came on August 1?
MR. GREENER: In the same testimony, yes.
Q
But aren't those on the very face of them
conflicting?
MR. GREENER: No, because he was not President
on August 1.
Q
Bill, how did the President view General
Haig's role? Haig was Chief of Staff to President Nixon.
Did the President ever view him after he became Chief of
Staff to President Ford as a representative of former
President Nixon?
MR. GREENER: I would have no way of knowing that,
Tom.
Let me go back to my statement. The President --
Q
It is a crucial point because if the
President in preparation for that news conference considered
Haig staff it would be a different position than if he
considered him a representative of former President Nixon.
MR. GREENER: Well, in preparation for the briefing
he obviously considered himself part of his own staff at
that point.
Q
Not an advocate or a representative of the
former President?
MR. GREENER: Not in preparing for a press
conference, no.
Q
Did Haig at any time make a plea to the
President to pardon Nixon?
MR. GREENER: Not according to General Haig.
Q
Well, what about according to the President?
MR. GREENER: Not according to the President.
Q
What was the tenor of the discussion on
August 1, then?
MR. GREENER: According to the testimony, when
Haig mentioned a pardon as one of the options involved in
a possible Nixon resignation.
Q
Well, you are just interpreting that as not
being a suggestion.
MORE
#395
TORO
LIBRARI
- 6 -
i 395-12/18
MR. GREENER: I am not interpreting it; I am
reading it from the testimony.
Q
Yes, but you just said that he never raised
it as a suggestion and the testimony says he 1 aised it as
an option. It does not seem to me there is a .ig difference,
Bill.
MR. GREENER: Bob, I don't know how it can be
a difference. I am going to have to reread the whole
testimony for you.
Q No, you don't have to reread it.
You just made a judgment call on what Haig calls
an option.
MR. GREENER: No, I didn't. Let me finish reading.
"Shortly after noon, General Haig requested
another appointment as promptly as possible. He came to
my office about 3:30 p.m. for a meeting that was to last
for approximately three-quarters of an hour. Only then
did I learn of the damaging nature of a conversation on
June 23, 1972, and one of the tapes was due to go to Judge
Sirica the following Monday. I described the meeting at
one point. It did include references to a possible pardon
for Mr. Nixon to which the third and fourth questions in
House Resolution 1367 are directed. However, nearly the
entire meeting covered other subjects, all dealing with the
totally new situation resulting from the critical evidence
on the tape." Then -- I am jumping now.
"On the resignation issue, there were put forth
a number of options which General Haig reviewed with me.
As I recall his conversation, various possible options
were being considered, including:
"One: The President temporarily step aside
under the 25th Amendment;
"Two: Delaying resignation until further along
in the impeachment process;
"Three: Trying to first settle for a censure vote
as a means of avoiding either impeachment or need to resign;
"Four: The question of whether the President
could pardon himself;
"Five: Pardoning first the Watergate defendants,
then himself, followed by resignation;
"Six: A pardon to the President should he resign.
MORE
#395
- 7 -
#395-12/18
"The rush of events placed an urgency on what
was to be done. It became even more critical in view of
a prolonged impeachment trial which was expected to last
possibly four months longer."
Then he goes on and he just outlined the various
options, Bob, and that is all.
MORE
#395
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Q You do not agree that the word "recommendation"
is similar to the word "option?"
MR. GREENER: No, I don't. If I tell you, Bob, we
have four or five things we can do today -- we can either go
here, we can go there, we can go here, we can go there, we
can go there -- and don't tell you which one I recommend
you do, then I don't consider myself recommending anything.
Q But does it not depend a little on how it is
presented, and that we don't know? All we have is that
it was presented as an option. We don't know the words that
were used.
MR. GREENER: Well, there is nothing new in the
conversation we are having today, Bob, beyond what was held
on the Hill at the time of the testimony. I am saying those
facts are still there in answering your original question that
the President has dealt with candor and truthfulness at all
times on this matter.
Q
Was this August 1 that you are reading from?
MR. GREENER: Yes. Why don't I just have this up
here, Ted.
Q
That meeting was the August 1 meeting?
MR. GREENER: Yes, it was.
Q
Before he was President?
MR. GREENER: Yes.
Q
Bill, after General Haig became President Ford's
Chief of Staff, President Ford made the decision to pardon
former President Nixon. Can you tell us when General Haig
was advised of that decision?
MR. GREENER: I cannot, Bob, at this time. It was
not on August 28 or before and I would have to find the
exact date from somebody. I don't know.
Q
Bill, could you tell me,when General Haig
briefed the President for the press conference on the pardon
issue, did he use the words or refer to "the alarming state of
President Nixon's health?"
MR. GREENER: Phil, I don't know the exact words
nor was anyone else taking a transcript of the discussion
during a press conference preparation meeting. I am simply
stating that there was no impassioned plea by General Haig
or any other member of the staff to the President to pardon
President Nixon; two, that the President, as reported in the
story, did not assure Haig on August 28.
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Q
Except that it is possible that in the context
of at least -- refute me if I am wrong, but isn't it possible
that in the context of the discussion of the pardon in
preparation for the news conference the following day that
General Haig could have recommended a pardon at that time,
in the context --
MR. GREENER: Very doubtful, since Phil Buchen
prepared the question and answer that they went over.
Q Bill, could I just make sure that at least I
understand. When you say there was no impassioned plea by
General Haig or anybody else --
MR. GREENER: I am refuting the quote in the front --
the lead of that story only.
Q
You are referring --
MR. GREENER: I am not trying to use any technical
terms that the plea was made but not impassioned. Is that
what you mean?
Q No. What I mean is that you are referring to
August 28 or prior to that, is that correct?
MR. GREENER: No. On the plea, there was none made
by any member of the staff, to the President, prior to his
decision as he stated in his testimony.
Q Prior to his decision?
MR. GREENER: As is stated in his testimony.
Q Did he ever see that Garment letter or the
memo or whatever it is?
MR. GREENER: Not to his knowledge; nothing --
nor to General Haig's knowledge.
Q Representative Elizabeth Holtzman questioned
the President at that subcommittee meeting about a deal
and he interrupted her and he said, "Miss Holtzman, there was
no deal." Does he still stand on that? Can you speak for him
for that point?
MR. GREENER: I can speak for anything in this
testimony. The President stands on that testimony.
Q Yes, but he had already, on August 1, had a
meeting on the subject of the pardon.
MR. GREENER: He did not have a meeting on the
subject of a pardon. He had a short meeting that covered
a number of subjects and one of the things that was brought up
was an option of it and there was no meeting on it and he
explains that, evidently, to the satisfaction of Miss Holtzman
also.
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Q
Bill, did you talk with the President this
morning about this matter?
MR. GREENER: Yes, I did.
Q
Did the matter come up in your conversation
with the President whether Al Haig recommended or advocated,
whichever word you want to use, a pardon for f ormer President
Nixon?
MR. GREENER: Yes, it did.
Q
And the answer was?
MR. GREENER: No.
Q
Thank you.
MR. GREENER: Don't you want to ask me if I talked
to Al Haig?
Q Yes. Did you?
MR. GREENER: Yes, I did.
Q
And?
MR. GREENER: The same answer.
Q
All right.
Q
Which is what, please? That Haig told you --
MR. GREENER: Exactly what I have been saying, that
I talked to both Haig and the President. Well, I did not talk
to Haig. I sat beside Dick Cheney while he talked to Haig
and listened to the questions and answers.
Q
Bill, Leonard Garment says that he gave a copy
of his --
Q
Finish the sentence, please.
MR. GREENER: What sentence?
Q
Tell us what Cheney asked and what Haig said
on this subject, if you can approximate his words.
MR. GREENER: I don't plan to approximate it, I
just plan to state that the President's testimony remains
valid, true and truthful.
Q
So Haig never made any recommendation for a
pardon at any time?
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Q
According to Haig?
MR. GREENER: According to Haig.
Q
And according to the President?
MR. GREENER: And according to the President.
Q
Bill, you said you refuted the lead in this
story. What part of the story will you accept? (Laughter)
MR. GREENER: It is not my jot to accept.
Q
No, I just want to know. This is a very serious
charge, Bill -- a very serious charge -- raised on the top of
the Post.
MR. GREENER: What is the charge?
Q Well --
MR. GREENER: If you can outline the charge to me --
Q
This is what other people have been asking
about this, Bill, and I never got a good answer.
MR. GREENER: Well, I have answered everybody
else. If you can give me a new charge, I will answer it.
Q
All right. You refute the lead in the story,
that's it? Is there anything else in the story that you
refute?
MR. GREENER: Yes, the second paragraph.
Q
And the second. Anything else?
MR. GREENER: I don't know.
Q
Does the President have any reaction to the
House sustaining his veto on the tax bill?
MR. GREENER: He is, ,obviously, quite pleased with
it.
Q
We could not hear you.
MR. GREENER: It was something about the tax bill.
He asked me if the President was pleased about the
House sustaining the veto and I said he was, obviously,
quite pleased.
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Q
Bill, does the President expect any kind of
action between now and the end of the year, a new tax bill or
anything else?
MR. GREENER: Well, the President outlined that
last night in his message that he read down here.
Q
He only said if there is time.
MR. GREENER: Well, he certainly hopes that something
will be done.
Q
Bill, what steps is the President taking
between now and Christmas to get something done? Is he
going to send another bill up there?
MR. GREENER: I don't know exactly what they are
working on up there but the President stated last night what
he thought should be done.
Q
Has the President indicated his intention to
sign or veto the energy bill?
MR. GREENER: He has not.
Q
When do you expect him to disclose his decision
on that?
MR. GREENER: When he makes up his mind.
Q
Bill, House Democratic leaders previously said
that if the veto is upheld on this bill they will simply
send the same bill back to him. Would it be his intention to
veto the same bill again and would he hold Congress over in
a special session until he gets a bill he can accept?
MR. GREENER: Those are decisions that have not been
made at this point, Russ.
Q Bill, last night he indicated a commitment to
holding down Federal spending accompanied with another bill
like the one he vetoed would satisfy him. Is he tempering
his previous demand for a specific figure on a spending
ceiling?
MR. GREENER: I think I will just stand on his
words.
Q Bill, is it the President's belief that the
Congress will go home without passing an extension of the
tax cut?
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MR. GREENER: It certainly is not the ?resident's
hope that they will.
Q
That was not my question. My question was
does the President now think that Congress will just go home
and let the taxes jump in January?
MR. GREENER: I have not heard him address that
particular point. He certainly said last night that there was
plenty of time and he hopes that they will take the necessary
action.
Q
Bill, can we pursue that question about the
special session?
MR. GREENER: I don't have an answer on that for you
beyond what he has already stated.
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Q
Well, we were led to believe last week,
I guess, that if the President were to call them back into
special session he would not do so until after New Year's.
Is the President still considering a special session now,
and has he indicated that he would not ask them to come
back until after the recess?
MR. GREENER: Dick, I just said to that specific
question I do not have an answer yet.
Q
You said those decisions which have not
been made yet.
MR. GREENER: That is correct.
Q
Then, in fact, they are still open; is
that right?
MR. GREENER: Yes, they are still open.
Q
Bill, can you say whether he is considering
trying to get this done before Christmas as he stated
yesterday, or would he be more inclined to try to get
something worked out between Christmas and New Year's?
MR. GREENER: He is hopeful that it will be done
before Christmas, as he stated last night. As to what he
is doing on that, Ann, I will just have to get on it. It
has only been a few moments since the vote was taken, as
you know.
Q
Bill, is the President considering any kind
of Executive action that would make it unnecessary to
increase withholding?
MR. GREENER: I don't know that.
Q Bill, is there concern in the White House
that a tax increase in January would harm the economy?
MR. GREENER: I believe Secretary Simon already
addressed that question and I will stand on his words on it.
Q
Bill, a technical question: How does it
work if the President wants to keep the Congress in session?
Can he in fact do so? Does he have the power to do so?
MR. GREENER: It is my understanding that he does,
Bob, but I would have to get the full parliamentary
procedure.
It is in the Constitution that he can keep them
in session.
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Q
He calls them back into special session.
He can't keep them.
MR. GREENER: They recess and then he calls them
back into special session; is that correct?
Q
Bill, does the President have the authority
to temporarily maintain account withholding rates by
Executive Order?
MR. GREENER: That is the question he asked,
and I don't know that.
Q
He asked whether he is going to do it.
MR. GREENER: He does not have the authority.
John checked on it this morning.
Q
Bill, it has been repeatedly said from
that platform that the President would accept a concurrent
resolution or possibly a sense of Congress resolution. Now,
if Congress sends the same bill back along with one of
these resolutions, would that take care of it?
MR. GREENER: The President will look at it and
I think he made a statement last night of what he wanted
and I will just stand on his words, Howard.
Q
Bill, do you have any new word for us on the
Angola situation and the Administration's view on it now?
MR. GREENER: Nothing beyond what was said
yesterday, Fran.
Q
Yesterday a Congressional Black Caucus
charged that there were 25 to 50 U.S. advisers in the
Angolan area. Do you stand by your statement yesterday?
MR. GREENER: Certainly.
Q
Are there any U.S. advisers in the Angolan
area, neighboring Zaire?
MR. GREENER: I will have Margie get that double-
checked again. I stated on it yesterday and whatever I
stated yesterday is still true today. I checked on it just
before I came out.
Q
Bill, the letter to Senator Stennis, if I
could -- why has the President changed his mind about
Mr. Bush as a possible Vice Presidential running mate?
He had said earlier he would not rule him out and now he
says that he will not consider him for Vice President. Why
the change?
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MR. GREENER: Well, one, as stated in the letter,
Ambassador Bush asked him to do that because of the
importance of the job and, two, I believe he also outlines
the second reason there and that is he did not think that
the post should ever be entailed in a six-month job. That
is in the letter, though, Ted.
Q
Bill, on Angola again, yesterday I had a
vague feeling we were not asking the right questions and
I am going to try again.
MR. GREENER: I can't believe it.
Q
You said in several different ways yesterday
that there are no Government sponsored advisers in Angola.
There is a report today that there are from five to eight
CIA "reporters" or employees reporting on Angola and
developments there. Is that true? They are there not
advising.
MR. GREENER: I have nothing beyond what I said
yesterday. I will run that down again, if you like.
Q Now wait a minute.
MR. GREENER: You want me to answer?
Q
I am very aware of what you said yesterday.
MR. GREENER: And you want me to answer whether
or not there are five to eight CIA employees in Angola?
Q Right.
MR. GREENER: I don't have the answer to that;
I will try to get it, Bob.
Q
Bill, a related question: What information
does the Government have about technical representatives
of American firms in Angola at this point?
MR. GREENER: Technical representatives of American
firms in Angola?
Q
Right.
MR. GREENER: That is another question I will
have to run down.
Q
Bill, on the Post story, did Dick Cheney
ask Haig whether he had told other people in the White House
that the President had assured him there would be a pardon?
The Post story says that various people, including Buchanan
and Garment and others, were informed by Haig that the
President was favorable toward a pardon.
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MR. GREENER: That is not quite what it says,
is it? What does it say?
Q
Well, it says here, for one example, "A day
or two after his meeting with Mr. Ford, Haig told another
Nixon speech writer, Buchanan, that the President had
agreed to a pardon for Nixon. This was after the 28th
meeting."
MR. GREENER: Keep reading.
Q
"Buchanan confirmed yesterday that he, too,
had urged Haig to bring up the matter of a pardon and that
afterward Haig indicated that a pardon was assured. Haig
implied strongly that it was his personal intervention with
the President that had secured the pardon, Buchanan said
yesterday."
Do you want me to continue reading?
MR. GREENER: No. What is your question?
Q
The question is whether Cheney asked Haig
whether he had been going around the White House saying
that a pardon was assured and that he had had an agreement
from the President that there would be a pardon?
MR. GREENER: No, that question didn't come up.
Q
What happened to the Leonard Garment
memorandum that went to Buchen and to Haig?
MR. GREENER: I have no idea what happened to it
except Mr. Buchen gave it back to Leonard Garment.
Q
Was the President aware that this existed?
You said he didn't see it. Was he aware that it existed?
Q
Did Buchen discuss it with him?
MR. GREENER: No, he did not.
Q
Why not, Bill? That seems kind of strange.
MR. GREENER: Well, he said that he used it in
preparation for the Q and A's that he put together on the
press conference and that after the press conference he
handed it back to Garment.
Q
That Buchen used it --
MR. GREENER: Himself.
Q
-- in preparation --
MR. GREENER: Just had it there.
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Q
Was he aware that the memo existed?
MR. GREENER: He does not recall it, no.
Q Not only did he not see it but he does
not recall its existence?
MR. GREENER: No.
Q Although it was used as part of the basis
for answering questions?
MR. GREENER: No, it was not used as part of the
basis for answering questions. It was used as part of the
basis of what Phil Buchen did in preparing Q's and A's.
Q
Bill, the Vice President said yesterday
that he will not campaign in Florida nor in New Hampshire
because in his words Callaway says that he, the Vice
President, is a liability. How does the President feel
about, number one, that the Vice President will not campaign
for him, and how does he feel about Rockefeller's description
of being a liability?
MR. GREENER: It is not a question I discussed
with him today, Cliff.
Q Can you raise it with him?
MR. GREENER: I certainly will.
Q
When you said yesterday that if anything
was going to be said about the Angola situation from here
the President would say it, do you expect a Presidential
statement on American involvement in Angola today or any
time soon?
MR. GREENER: There are no plans at this time.
Q
Bill, can you tell us of any further U.S.-
Soviet communications on Angola?
MR. GREENER: No.
Q
Bill, I believe on a question -- this has
been brought up at the White House, and that is this report
for the Secret Service, why does it take so long for them
to report on how a guy managed to jump over the fence twice?
I think you said -- I am not sure, but I think you said
you would check on that, Bill. I am not sure.
MR. GREENER: Check on why it took so long?
Q Yes. What is the Secret Service report?
I mean, how have they explained it and why are they taking
so long to do it, and so forth? Could you give us some
enlightenment on that?
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MR. GREENER: Nothing beyond the fact that I am
sure they are trying to be as careful and accurate as
possible.
Q
It takes three days for them to discover
why a guy got over a fence?
MR. GREENER: I am not an expert on that subject.
I am just saying that I am sure they are trying to be
careful and accurate in their report, Les.
Q Reflective.
Q
Bill, to go back to the tax cut thing, you
were asked a little bit ago if the President would accept
this same bill that he vetoed if it came to him accompanied
with a resolution to cut spending by an equal amount and
you said, "I just refer you to the President's statement."
Well, looking at his statement, he said, "The Congress
still has time before Christmas to send me back a tax cut
extension for 1976 coupled with a clear commitment to cut
the growth of Federal spending."
Can we take that to mean he will accept just
an extension of this year's package rather than the $28
billion one he proposed if it has the equal spending cut?
That seems to be what the President is saying here but, is
that right?
MR. GREENER: I don't think I want to interpret
his words. It is right there; it is exactly what he said.
Q
Bill, have you talked to Phil Buchen about
this story?
MR. GREENER: Yes, I have.
Q
The story says that Buchen indicated that
the President probably discussed the pardon with Haig after
Ford's August 28 press conference. According to Buchen,
the discussion occurred because Haig could have been upset
at the answers at the press conference.
Does Buchen, in fact, think that the President
did discuss with Haig a pardon after the press conference?
MR. GREENER: There is no recollection of it
on the part of the President or General Haig.
Q
What about Buchen? Does Buchen still think
that they probably had that discussion?
MR. GREENER: They may have had a discussion
on the questions and answers as given at the press conference
but not to the extent that this --
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Q
Did they in fact have a discussion about
the answers and questions at the press conference?
MR. GREENER: Not to the President.
Oh, on the questions?
Q
Yes.
MR. GREENER: What did you ask me? Excuse me.
Q
Did Haig and the President talk after the
press conference about the answers on the subject of the
pardon that the President had given?
MR. GREENER: Yes.
Q
And what did Haig say about the answers?
MR. GREENER: There were five questions and
General Haig mentioned that he thought that answer 4
was a little bit confusing in the context of the other four
that were asked, and the President said to General Haig
that as he recalls, to me, that he said to General Haig that
he felt that he could have answered that question a little
bit better himself in light of the other four.
Q
And you are saying that the substance of
the question -- that is, whether Nixon would be pardoned or
not -- did not come up in that August 28 discussion?
MR. GREENER: Mort, all I can try to say once
and for all is that the President of the United States has
testified on this completely; he did it with candor and
with truthfulness, and he stands on that testimony. I
checked on the two specific items which everyone seemed to
be interested in and that is, one, the allegation that he
assured him on August 28, and he did not do that -- both
General Haig and the President say it. I just don't see
what we can gain by me going through that story step-by-step-
by step, line-by-line-by-line, except to say that the
President's statement was truthful and candid and clear.
Q
I understand. Did Haig on the 28th, after
the press conference, urge the President to pardon Nixon?
MR. GREENER: Again, the President states and
General Haig states that at no time-and, as a matter of fact,
as long as you are quoting from it, General Haig says in
the same story that he did not do it; that is in the last
paragraph if you want to find it.
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Q
Does President Ford feel that the American
aid to Angola has accomplished its purpose?
MR. GREENER: What American aid to Angola?
(Laughter)
THE PRESS: Thank you.
END (AT 12:35 P.M. EST)
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