Nixon Page #4

HALDEMAN:

It's possible they were looking for

evidence of an illegal Howard Hughes

donation to the Democrats, so the

Democrats couldn't make an issue of

your Hughes money.

NIXON:

Contributions! It was a legal

contribution. Who the hell authorized

this? Colson?

EHRLICHMAN:

(shakes his head)

Colson doesn't know about it; he's

pure as a virgin on this one. It's

just not clear the burglars knew what

they were looking for. They were

heading to McGovern's office later

that night.

NIXON:

Jesus! Did Mitchell know?

EHRLICHMAN:

Mitchell's out of his mind now.

Martha just put her head through a

plate-glass window.

NIXON:

Jesus! Through a window?

HALDEMAN:

It was her wrist. And it was through

a plate-glass door.

EHRLICHMAN:

Anyway, they had to take her to

Bellevue. Maybe she'll stay this

time.

A beat.

NIXON:

Martha's an idiot, she'll do anything

to get John's attention. If

Mitchell'd been minding the store

instead of that nut Martha we wouldn't

have that kid Magruder runnin' some

third-rate burglary! Was he smoking

pot?

EHRLICHMAN:

Mitchell?

NIXON:

No! Magruder! That sonofabitch tests

my Quaker patience to the breaking

point.

DEAN:

The bigger problem I see is this guy

who was arrested, McCord -- James

McCord -- he headed up security for

the Committee to Re-Elect. He turns

out to be ex-CIA.

NIXON:

"Ex-CIA"? There's no such thing as

"ex-CIA," John -- they're all Ivy

League Establishment. Is he one of

these guys with a beef against us?

EHRLICHMAN:

McCord? ...

NIXON:

Find out what the hell he was doing at

"CREEP." This could be trouble.

These CIA guys don't miss a trick.

This could be a set-up.

INTERCUTS of all of these people arise as the scene runs --

McCord, Liddy, Magruder, Mitchell, Martha, Hunt, etc.

HALDEMAN:

(with a look to Ehrlichman)

We feel the bigger concern is Gordon

Liddy ...

NIXON:

That fruitcake! What about him?

HALDEMAN:

Well, you know, sir, he's a nut. He

used to work here with the "Plumbers"

and now he's running this Watergate

caper. You remember his plan to

firebomb the Brookings using Cubans as

firemen? He wanted to buy a damned

fire truck! Magruder thinks he's just

nutty enough to go off the

reservation.

NIXON:

What's Liddy got?

HALDEMAN:

Apparently he was using some campaign

cash that was laundered for us through

Mexico. The FBI's onto it. We could

have a problem with that.

DEAN:

... But it'll just be a campaign

finance violation ...

HALDEMAN:

... And if Liddy takes the rap for

Watergate, we can take care of him ...

NIXON:

I don't have time for all this sh*t!

(to Haldeman)

Just handle it, Bob! Keep it out of

the White House. What else?

Kissinger's waiting -- he's gonna

throw a tantrum again if I don't see

him, threatening to quit ... again.

(sighs)

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote