Editors' Note: An earlier version of this transcript was published as: Stanley Kutler, Abuse of Power, pp.31-32.
A dog is barking in the background.
President Nixon: Billy Graham∇ told us an astonishing thing. The IRS are badgering the shit out of him. Some son-of-a-bitch came and gave him a three-hour grilling about how much he, you know, how much this contribution is worth. And he told it to [John] Connally∇. Well, Connally took the name of the guy [unclear]. But, now look, I've just got to get that name out of Connally when you get back. Now, they've gone after Billy Graham and he didn't know it. Now here's the point, Bob: please get me the names of the Jews, you know, the big Jewish contributors of the Democrats.
Haldeman∇: Mm-hmm.
President Nixon: And remember [unclear] [John] Ehrlichman∇, I guess, or somebody.
Haldeman: [Unclear.]
President Nixon: All right. Could we please investigate some of the cocksuckers? That's all.
Now look at here. Here our IRS is going after Billy Graham tooth and nail. Are they going after Eugene Carson Blake?1Â I asked, you know, what I mean is, goddamn, I don't believe--¦ I just don't--”
Haldeman: [Unclear.]
President Nixon: I just don't know whether we are frankly being as tough as we ought to be, that's all.
Haldeman: Well, I know we haven't been up to now because we didn't have a man.
President Nixon: Sure.
Haldeman: We have a man, and . . .
President Nixon: You see--”
Haldeman: This guy's in there now is in supposedly, purely on the basis that he'll do [unclear] this.
President Nixon: [Unclear.]
Haldeman: Yeah.
President Nixon: You call [John] Mitchell∇. Mitchell can go stick his nose into the thing. Tell him about [unclear] went after Graham and say, --œNow, goddamn it, are we going after some of these Democrats or not?-- They've gone after [Robert] Abplanalp. They've gone after [Charles --œBebe--] Rebozo∇. They've gone after John Wayne. They're going after, you know, every one of our people. Goddamn it, they were after me. For example . . . [Unclear.] [tape whip] --“somebody told me that [Ed] Muskie used Frank Sinatra's plane in California. Did you hear about that?
Haldeman: Some.
President Nixon: Maybe we could investigate that?
Haldeman: Yeah. [chuckling] It also, landed at the wrong airport.