Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 29, 1973 (1/2)
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 29, 1973 (1/2)
[00.49.14-DEAN discusses making his "CANCER ON THE PRESIDENCY" appeal to NIXON to end the COVERUP before it ruined his Presidency] Senator BAKER. Where did you meet with the President? Mr. DEAN. This was in the Oval Office. Senator BAKER. And who was present? Mr. DEAN. NO one Other than the he President and myself. Senator BAKER. And it was at 10 o'clock in the morning. Mr. DEAN. That, is correct, approximately 10 o'clock, as best, I can recall. Senator BAKER. Would you proceed with as much exactitude as you Can. [00.49.30] Mr. DEAN. I then told the President that what I would like to do is give him a broad overview and let him come back and ask any questions he might like to ask. I wanted to explain to him how the continued Support would be necessary how continued perjury would be necessary to perpetuate the coverup. Senator BAKER. Did you use those terms? Mr. DEAN. Yes, I did use those terms. Senator BAKER. All right, sir. go ahead. [00.50.01] Mr. DEAN. That was my definition to him of how the cancer was growing in other words that more people would have to perjure themselves--- Senator BAKER. Did you say these things as an advocate, that is, that, other support and perjury should continue--or as, examples as to why it should not continue? Mr. DEAN. As to why it should not continue. Senator BAKER. Did you make this clear to the President? Mr. DEAN. Absolutely. Senator BAKER. In what terms? [00.50.24-DEAN does not leave much doubt as to his intentions and possible interpretations-no one knows at this point that the conversation was TAPED] Mr. DEAN. As I say, I tried to make it as dramatic as the fact that this type of cancer was going to kill him and kill the Presidency if this type of thing was not stopped by surgery and ending that type of activity. Senator BAKER. Go ahead, sir. Before you do, what was the President's reaction to that? [00.50.45] Mr. DEAN. The President, if I recall--and I was not looking for reactions at that point as much as trying to be as forceful and dramatic in my presentation--it is like asking me what was reaction to they answer to any member of this panel to a particular question. In my now sitting here and answering these questions, I really haven't watched for the, reactions of the Senators and the like. I think you can understand that circumstance. Senator BAKER. I understand. It is fair to say, then, that you do not recall the reaction? Mr. DEAN. I do not recall the, reaction, no. Senator BAKER. Go ahead, if you would. [00.51.28] Mr. DEAN. I then proceeded to give the President the broad overview of what I knew of the entire situation--where it started. Senator BAKER. You might take us through that, if you will. 'Tell us as close as you can what you him. Mr. DEAN. Well, as I recall, I told him about the meetings that had occurred in Mr. Mitchell's office; that the fact that I had come back from Mr. Mitchell's office--- Senator BAKER. Is this the first time you told him of the meetings in Mitchell's office? Mr. DEAN. It is. Senator BAKER. Go ahead sir. [00.52.09-- A key point is whether DEAN informed HALDEMAN-such would make it a strong likelihood that NIXON was informed immediately thereafter by HALDEMAN] Mr. DEAN. That I had come back to Mr. Haldeman and told him of the circumstances of those meetings, what, had been presented. Senator BAKER. Just, for clarity, these. were the meetings at which the plan for bugging and Mr. DEAN. Mugging---- Senator BAKER [continuing]. And illegal entry were discussed in Attorney General John Mitchell's office? Mr. DEAN. That is right. There, were two meetings, the, second meeting at which I don't know the full extent of the discussion there, but I know that, you know, what at I did here was Senator BAKER. All right, but you began telling the President of those meetings, and would you continue from that point? Mr. DEAN. When I was telling him the broad overview, I did not get into an awful lot of specifies, because I told him, I said any point that you want to either question me. or if -we can come, back and have, I will answer any of your questions subsequently. Then I told him of the fact that I had reported this to Mr. Haldeman, that, I had been distressed by the situation myself, had told Mr. Haldeman what I had seen and advised Mr. Haldeman that I didn't think anybody in the White House should have any involvement at all in this, and that I told him I was not going to have any involvement in it, -and Mr. Haldeman had agreed that I should not have any involvement, in it. [00.53.35] Senator BAKER. Did you tell the President when that conversation with Mr. Haldeman took place? Mr. DEAN. Yes, I did. I told him it occurred shortly after the meeting in Mr. Mitchell's office, after the second meeting in February. Senator BAKER. All right, sir; go ahead. Mr. DEAN. I also recall that I told him I did not know how the plans had been finally approved; I didn't know -what precisely had happened as to the final decision to sign off on some phase of the plan. [00.54.10]