President Nixon: I know that this is a tough one, but I have gotten to the point I don't want any goddamn liberals around. I mean, I am very much afraid. You see, the difficulty--you show me a liberal, John, and I'll show you a man who believes in the higher morality. The arrogance [unclear]--
John N. Mitchell∇: Their opinion of higher morality.
President Nixon: What?
Mitchell: Their opinion of higher morality.
President Nixon: Their--that's right. But no, no. But do you see that is what [unclear--overlapping voices]. They are taught, John, John, the liberals think [unclear] our kids. You're taught in the colleges and universities today that the law--you should be the judge of the law. So if you don't believe, whether it's the religious law or whether it's the law of the land or something of that sort, the highest thing to worship is the intellect, and so an individual who intellectually reaches the conclusion that a law is wrong has an obligation to disobey it. That's what they're saying.
Mitchell: Well, this is the--
President Nixon: I'm afraid of the liberals. I really am.
Henry A. Kissinger∇: [b82:40] The Swedish prime minister [Olof Palme] has popped off, too. We just got a press ticker. I talked to Bill [Rogers∇] about it.
President Nixon: The Swedish prime minister?
Kissinger: He said that this proves that it was a war prepared by deceit, that the American government has undermined democracy, and it must withdraw unconditionally from Vietnam. I told Bill we have to call our ambassador back. [b83:03]
NARA Excision
Category: National Security
Duration: 22s
President Nixon: [b83:33] But you know, now isn’t that a hell of a damn thing?
Kissinger: Yeah.
President Nixon: ‘It proves the war—’ But also it shows that that’s part of the conspiracy, in my opinion.
Kissinger: Oh, yeah.
President Nixon: He wouldn’t otherwise pay any attention to it. Somebody got to him. Henry, there is a conspiracy. You understand?
Kissinger: I believe it now. I didn’t believe it formerly, but I believe it now.
President Nixon: There is. The fellow who leaked the papers, whether it’s [Leslie] Gelb∇ or the Rand Corporation guy, he’s in conspiracy. [New York Times Reporter] Neil Sheehan’s a bastard. I’ve known him for years.
Kissinger: Oh, yes.
President Nixon: Terrible son—why [unclear]—
Kissinger: Well, the whole syndrome—[Clark] Clifford, the New York Times, the veterans—they don’t all happen at once by accident.1
President Nixon: Yeah. [b84:12]
1 Clifford had recently stated that the administration could negotiate the release of the POWs in 30 days and an end to America’s involvement in Vietnam by the end of 1971. Vietnam Veterans Against the War had demonstrated in Washington, DC, earlier that spring. (↑)