CABLE TO HENRY A. KISSINGER FROM BRENT SCOWCROFT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-506-6-56-2
• Release Decision: RIFLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: December 14, 2012
• Sequence Number: 56
• Publication Date: November 6, 1973
• Content Type: CABLE

No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/12/17: LOC-HAK-506-6-56-2
FLASH
DE WTE #3776 3101927
Z'>061926Z NOV 73
FM THE SITUATION ROOM TOHAK 25
To PETER.RODMAN FOR SEC. KISSINGER
ES ONLY WH32729
TOHAK ;~5
VIA WHITE HOUSE CHANNELS
DELIVER IN SEALED ENVELOPE,
RETAIN NO FILE COPIES.
DESTROY ALL TAPES.
NOVEMBER 6, 1973
FROM: BRENT SCOWCROFT
To:. HENRY A. KISSINGER
REPORT ON THE TUESDAY MORNING STAFF MEETING: PETER FLANIGAN
DISCUSSED DEVELOPMENTS IN THE TRADE BILL ALONG THE LINES PRE
VIOUSLY.REPORTED TO YOU. I GAVE A QUICK RUN-DOWN ON THE CEASE-
FIRE AND MOVEMENTS OF UNEF CONTINGENTS INTO THE AREA. HAIGTHEN
TURNED TO THE ENERGY SCENARIO. THERE WILL BE A CABINET MEETING
AT 3:00 P.M. THIS AFTERNOON A BIPARTISAN LEADERSHIP MEETING AT'
8:30 A.M. WEDNESDAY MORNING, A PRESS BRIEFING AT 6:00 P.M. AND
THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH AT 7:00 P.'1.
HAIG THEN TURNED TO THE WATERGATE SITUATION. HE OPINED THAT THE
OPPOSITION HAD BEEN OUT TO GET AT THE TAPES BECAUSE. THEY FIGURED
THAT, THEY CONTAINED INCRIMINATING. INFORMATION. NOW THAT THE
PRESIDENT HAS DECIDED TO RELEASE THEM, THE CONCLUSION IS THAT
THE TAPES ARE EXCULPATORY AND THUS THE ATTACK HAS TURNED TO
TRYING TO FORCE THE PRESIDENT TO RESIGN. HAIG SAID THAT THE
PRESIDENT WOULD NEVER RESIGN AND THAT WE ARE NOW MOVING TO
DEVELOP A PROGRAM OF LEADERSHIP FOR THE PRESIDENT TO GET OUT
IN FRONT ON THE ISSUE. THE FIRST PROBLEM IS THE OVERWORKED
AND.UNDERMANNED LEGAL STAFF OF THE PRESIDENT. STEPS-ARE NOW
BEING TAKEN TO ASSEMBLE A TOPNOTCH LEGAL STAFF WHICH CAN GET
AT ALL THE INFORMATION AND LAY OUT IN SYSTEMATIC FASHION RE-
FUTATION OF ALL THE CHARGES. AT THIS POINT, LAIRD INTERJECTED,
IN HIGH DUDGEON, THAT IT WAS ABOUT TIME THAT THE FACTS WERE PUT
OUT, AT LEAST TO THOSE TRYING TO DEFEND THE PRESIDENT. HE.SAID
HE HAD BEEN MADE TO LOOK LIKE A FOOL WHEN HE WENT ON TELEVISION
TALKING ABOUT'THIRTEEN TAPES WHEN THE PRESIDENT KNEW AT THAT
TIME THAT THERE WERE NO THIRTEEN TAPES. HAIG REPLIED THAT THE
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *WHSR COMMENT * * * * * *. * *.* *? * .* '* :* *
S'COWCROFT,.HOWE
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No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/12/17 : LOC-HAK-506-6-56-2
 No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/12/17: LOC-HAK-506-6-56-2
PRESIDENT DID NOT KNOW THAT THE TWO TAPES WERE IN FACT MISSING
UNTIL FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26. SHULTZ CHIMED IN, SAYING THAT LAIRD
WAS RIGHT, THAT HE WAS BEING SUBPOENED TO TESTIFY ON THE MILK
CASE AND THAT WHEN HE ASKED FOR THE FACTS HE WAS TOLD THERE
WEREN'T ANY. THE DISCUSSION BECAME FAIRLY HEATED FOR A FEW
MINUTES, WITH HAIG ARGUING THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A WEEK THAT
THE PRESIDENT.HIMSELF HAS NIOT BEEN SURPRISED BY SOMETHING NEW.
THAT WE HAD NIJT HAD THE LEGAL STAFF TO FERRET OUT ALL THE IN--
FORMATION ON ALL THE CHARGES BEING MADE, AND THAT THAT WAS WHY
WE ARE NOW ASSEMBLING AN OUTSTANDING LEGAL STAFF. LAIRD MADE
ONE FINAL COMMENT, THAT OUR FRIENDS HAVE GOTTEN TO THE POINT
THAT THEY DO NOT BELIEVE US. THE BASIC ISSUE IS CREDIBILITY.
AND HE SAID PERHAPS WE NEED A COMPLETELY NEW WHITE HOUSE STAFF.
VIA WHITE HOUSE CHANNELS .-2-
THERE WAS SOME SLIGHT DISCUSSION ON POSSIBLE NEW HORRORS TO COME
"-SUCH AS THE CRP TELLING GSA WHO SHOULD GET VARIOUS ENGINEERING
CONTRACTS AND SOME PERSONNEL SHENANIGANS OF MALEK INVOLVING ES
PECIALLY HUD AND SBA. HAIG CONCLUDED THE DISCUSSION BY SAYING
THERE MAY BE ANOTHER BIG ONE BREWING BUT HE WOULD KNOW MORE IN
A DAY OR SO.
WARM REGARDS.
600
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No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/12/17: LOC-HAK-506-6-56-2