Nixon's Secret (86 page)

II. Overview

A. Startlingly Material Omissions

Dean’s methodology is deeply flawed, and, because of that, his book is glaringly incomplete as a full discussion of the Watergate scandal, particularly as to what has come to light over the past four decades. His sole focus on the tapes has enabled him to skip over hugely controversial and unsettled topics, including the following:

•     Any detailed discussion of the real rationale for the break-in itself, the allegations of his own involvement, and the unresolved factual questions in those first weeks following the break-in arrests. It is interesting to note that Dean never even mentions or recognizes the issues highlighted in the whole series of books presenting differing views on Watergate, especially those by:

   Fred Thompson,
At That Point in Time: The Inside Story of the Watergate Committee
(1975),

   Jim Hougan,
Secret Agenda: Watergate, Deep Throat, and the CIA
(1984),

   Len Colodny and Robert Gettlin,
Silent Coup: The Removal of a President
(1991),

   James Rosen,
The Strong Man, John Mitchell and the Secrets of Watergate
(2008),

   Geoff Shepard,
The Secret Plot to Make Ted Kennedy President
(2008), and

   Phil Stanford,
White House Call Girl
(2014).

•     In addition to starting his book in the middle of the Watergate story, Dean simply and suddenly stops his narrative on July 16, 1973, the point where the White House tape system was disclosed and removed. He thus omits any real review or discussion of the last thirteen months of the Nixon presidency.

•     The questions Dean fears most: any presentation of Dean’s own actions, particularly mention of the many questions that have been raised with regard to his own possibly criminal acts, has also been omitted. In the Preface, Dean asserts that he became the centerpiece of the Nixon defense (p. xxv), but then asserts that his Ervin Committee testimony and first book have already detailed his role, so he has omitted further discussion from this book (p. xxiv). But he never discussed them there either. It is as though he hopes to air-brush any record of own his criminal acts from the Watergate picture. With so many questions remaining outstanding, particularly with regard to information that has come to light since Dean’s July 1973 testimony (as well as allegations in later books by Bob Haldeman, John Ehrlichman, Charles Colson, Gordon Liddy, and James McCord, and the sworn testimony given before the House Judiciary Committee and at the cover-up trial), one wonders about the real reasons for these omissions. Dean might have better explained, for example:

   How he came to be assigned responsibility for campaign intelligence plan by Haldeman (as mentioned in opening of his March 21, 1973, meeting with President Nixon), particularly in light of the differing description contained in Haldeman’s subsequent books.

   How he recruited Liddy and introduced him to Mitchell and Magruder, particularly in light of the dramatically contrasting version in Liddy’s later book.

   How he came to attend and what was said in connection with the two meetings in Mitchell’s office when he was still Attorney General (on 1/27/72 and 2/4/72), again particularly in light of Liddy’s book.

   His participation in the June 19, 1972, meeting in Mitchell’s apartment, when most folks believe the cover-up was undertaken, particularly in light of the conflicting testimony about that meeting that was rendered by other participants during the course of the cover-up trial.

   How he rehearsed Magruder for his perjured grand jury testimony in his two appearances, after asking him to erase his name from Magruder’s datebook.