Page 2 - May 1973 News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

I don't give a [ bleep ] what comes out on you or john. even that poor damn dumb john mitchell. there is going to be a total pardon. >> don't -- don't even say that. >> you know it. you know it and i know it. >> nope. don't say it. >> forget you ever heard it. >> no, i -- >> it has to be done, bob. >> so, that's may 1973. what i mean to say is this. talking in the confidence of this room, i don't give a bleep what comes out on you or john ehrlichman. even that poor damn dumb john mitchell. there's going to be a total pardon. haldeman, don't, don't, don't even say that. nixon, you know it, you ...

>> nope. don't say it. >> nope, don't say it. don't say it. because of course under the constitution a president has the power to pardon people. but you can't legally offer a pardon to someone if that would reasonably be construed as an effort to protect yourself from your own presidential criminal liability. pardoning someone who's in trouble with the law, fine. pardoning someone who's in trouble with the law because that person is in a position to testify or not against the president, that is not a legal use of the pardon power. that is criminal obstruction of justice by the president. or at...

To someone if that would reasonably construed as an effort to protect yourself from your own presidential criminal liability. pardoning someone who's in trouble with the law, fine. pardoning someone who's in trouble with the law because that person is in a position to testify or not against the president, that is not a legal use of the pardon power. that is criminal obstruction of justice by the president. or at least that was believed to be the case during watergate, including by some of the people who went to prison for watergate. but here's the fascinating part. that specific tape i just pl...

Then nixon says forget you ever heard. no, i -- it has to be done, bob. that's may 1973. it turns out that tape is red hot legal trouble for the president of the united states. it's may 1973. haldeman is out as chief of staff. he hasn't yet been criminally charged. of course he will be months later with all the rest of them. with all led to the blockbuster of a front page. if anyone wants to needle point me a page of the "new york times," this is the one i'd want. but even before haldeman was criminally charged here was nixon on tape in the white house telling haldeman about the fact, well, we...

Means. >> what i mean to say is this. talking in the confidence of this room. i don't give a [ bleep ] what comes out on you or john. even that poor damn dumb john mitchell. there is going to be a total pardon. >> don't -- don't even say that. >> you know it. you know it and i know it. >> nope. don't say it. >> forget you ever heard it. >> no, i -- >> it has to be done, bob. >> so that's may 1973. what i mean to say is this. talking in the confidence of this room, i don't give a bleep what comes out on you or skron ehrlichman. even that poor damn dumb john mitchell. there's going to be a total...