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OCR Page 1 of 47Mr. Kissinger/Lester Bernstein
May 25, 1971 5:56 p. m.
jlj
B: Dr. Kissinger. We have been having sort of a Naval Board of
inquiry on this story. There is more than one correspondent involved.
They have a number of sources which form a consistent pattern. It
has sort of a Rashaman (phonetic) effect.
K: There is no Rashaman effect. This is not a world shaking event
but there are no editors or newsmen to whom I talked about editorials
or stories. Acheson did all the calling. Now I do not know where they
could have gotten this information.
B: Our reporters were thorough and I am sure they were acting in good
faith.
K: Oh no. There is no question about that
B: I am embarrassed about this. I hate to feel you have cause for
being upset and on the other hand I have a feeling of loyalty to these
reporters and their sources.
K:
Were any of these White House sources?
B: I am afraid they were. But I am satisfied that everyone was acting
in what they thought were best interests. I am will to speculate that
it might have been done out of spite against you but even that I would
doubt.
K: Yes. Except I take general position - Is the point of not having a
public voice. I called two or three senators about their vote. I did
this
because I was a NATO expert and felt I could do SO on a personal basis.
It just makes me look like I actively took part in this. But your reporters
acted in good faith. I do not want to put you in bad position and if your
reporters had good sources. I can understand that. It is embarrassing
for me because it puts me in the position of being a lobbyist. I happen
to like Mike Mansfield very much and he has behaved very honorably to
us and me personally and I do not want Mansfield and the other senators
to think I am lobbying. However, I do not see what good a retraction
would do now.
B: Trying to detach my ownself from the matter, I do not think a retraction
would serve the point at this stage. A retraction generally does not do
any good and in this case it would be difficult.
K: If I thought that your source was malicious but your reporters were
not being malicious. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx I do not believe the source was malicious.
I won't ask for a retraction.