[LC]

94.

NIXON (looks up at Lincoln)

That man up there lived in similar times. He had
chaos and civil war and hatred between the
races... Sometimes I go to the Lincoln Room at the
White House and just pray. You know, the liberals
act like idealism belongs to them but it's not
true. My family went Republican because Lincoln
freed the slaves! My grandmother was an
abolitionist. It was Quakers who founded Whittier,
my home town to abolish slavery! They were
conservative Bible folk, but they had a powerful
sense of right and wrong... Forty years ago I was
looking, as you are now, for answers.

(then)

But you know, ending the war and cleaning up the
air and the cities, feeding the poor -- my mother
used to feed hobos stopping over at our house --
none of it is going to satisfy the spiritual
hunger we all have, finding a meaning to this
life...

HALDEMAN arrives with SEVERAL SECRET SERVICE AGENTS looking
very worried. The crowd around Nixon has grown much larger.

HALDEMAN

Mister President!

NIXON

It's okay, Bob, we're just rapping, my friends and
I. We actually agree on a lot of things...

YOUNG WOMAN

No, we don't! You're full of shit! You say you
want to end the war, so why don't you? My brother
died over there last November. Why? What good was
his death?

NIXON

I know. I know. I've seen a lot of kids die too,
in World War II.

[LC]

95.

STUDENT TWO

Come on, man. -- Vietnam ain't Germany. It doesn't
threaten us. It's a civil war between Vietnamese.

NIXON

...but change always comes slowly. I've withdrawn
more than half the troops. I'm trying to cut the
military budget for the first
time in 30 years. I want an all-volunteer army.
But it's also a question of America's credibility,
our position in the world...

YOUNG WOMAN

You don't want the war. We don't want the war.
The Vietnamese don't want the war. So why does it
go on?

Nixon hesitates, out of answers.

YOUNG WOMAN

Someone wants it... (a realization) You can't
stop it, can you. Even if you wanted to. Because
it's not you. It's the system. And the system
won't let you stop it...

NIXON

There's a lot me at stake here than what you want.
Or even what I want...

YOUNG WOMAN

Then what's the point? What's the point of being
President? You're powerless.

The girl transfixes him with her eyes. Nixon feels it. The
nausea of "the Beast" makes him reel. The students press on
him from all sides.

NIXON (stumbling)

No. No. I'm not powerless. Because... because I
understand the system. I believe I can control
it. Maybe not control it totally. But...tame it
enough to make it do some good.

YOUNG WOMAN

It sounds like you're talking about a wild animal.

NIXON

Maybe I am.

A silence. Nixon looks at her.

Haldeman and the SS MEN fill the succeeding beat of silence
by moving Nixon off. He allows himself to be herded, waving
absently to the protesters.

[LC]

96.

NIXON

She understood something it's taken me twenty-five fucking years in politics to understand. The CIA, the Mafia, the Wall Street bastards...

HALDEMAN

Sir?

NIXON (climbing into the limo, mutters)

..."The Beast." A 19 year old kid. She understands the nature of "the Beast." She called it a wild animal.

The door closes. The LIMOUSINE is whisked away under searchlights and heavy security.

SUBTITLE READS: "JUNE, 1971 - A YEAR LATER"

DOCUMENTARY FOOTAGE --- The White House is still ringed. ARMED TROOPS patrol Pennsylvania Avenue. The BUSES are drawn up. SMOKE is in the air. The SOUNDS of cherry bombs going off. Signs that read: "End the war! Throw the facists out! Dick Nixon before he dick you."

72 EXT. WHITE HOUSE - ROSE GARDEN - DAY

72

Inside the barricades, a fairyland. A white lattice gazebo draped with flowers. TRICIA'S wedding is in preparation. GROUNDSKEEPERS and various PERSONNEL lay out the carpet to the altar.

73 INT. EXECUTIVE OFFICE BUILDING - PRESIDENT'S OFFICE - DAY

73

J. EDGAR HOOVER joins NIXON, pulling on his wedding tuxedo, at a window, looking out at the PROTESTORS. Intermittenly, Hoover helps him with his clothes.

NIXON (musing)

There must be a quarter million out there, Edgar. They've been at it now for a year. Young kids just like Tricia. I don't know. Do you think they have a point, Edgar? Maybe this whole damned system of government is...

HOOVER (suspecting 'softness')

Remember what Lenin said in 1917, Mr. President: 'the power was lying in the streets just waiting for someone to pick it up!' The Communists have never been closer. Now is the time to go back to the old themes. The ones that made you President. Let the Communists know you're onto them.

[LC]

97.

NIXON

We can't keep a goddamn secret in this government,
Edgar. They're stealing papers right out of this
office.

*

*

*

HOOVER

Johnson had the same damned problem till he
bugged his own office.

*

NIXON (nods)

We took his system out.

*

HOOVER

That was a mistake. The White House was full of
Kennedy people then. It still is.

NIXON

Who do you think is behind it?

*

HOOVER

Well, you have CIA people all over this place.
Helms has seen to that.

*

(beat, Nixon remains poker-faced)

Then there's Kissinger's staff. Kissinger himself
I believe may be the leaker.

*

NIXON (stunned)

Kissinger?

HOOVER

He's obsessed with his own image. He wants his
Nobel Peace Prize a little too much. As the late
'Doctor' King proved -- even an ape can win a
prize with good press.

*

*

*

*

NIXON

Jesus, I'd like to book him into a psychiatrist's
office. He comes in here ranting and raving,
dumping his crap all over the place... Could you
prove it, Edgar?

*

*

*

*

HOOVER

I always get my man.

NIXON

Yeah, you do. (then) I'd be bugging myself,
Edgar... Who'd get the tapes?

HOOVER

No one. Your property. It would prove your case.
Why do you think Kissinger's taping your calls?
For history. His word against yours--and right now
he's got the records.

98.

NIXON

This damned tie, will you help me Edgar? (then)
Churchill used to say to me, 'If you want your own
history written properly, you must write it
yourself'...(walking out) All right, Edgar, but
just don't let it come back and haunt me.

HOOVER (a reminder)

It won't. As long as I'm here.

Nixon absent-mindedly shows Hoover through a small door into
his BATHROOM...There is an awkward pause, as both men are too
proud to pretend they are cramped in this place together.
Hoover clears his throat and exits the regular door. As we
hear the Love Theme from "Doctor Zhivago":

CUT TO:

74 INT. EAST ROOM - DAY

74

The White House GUARDS wear German comic opera uniforms
including tall cylindrical hats with beaks. We see champagne,
white lace, the MUSICIANS wearing morning coats. HOOVER and
TOLSON are together, very happy. To the sound of wedding
MUSIC, NIXON takes a turn with his daughter TRICIA in gown.
He has never seemed happier.

NIXON

I am very proud of you today, princess. Very.

When one of the GROOMSMEN cuts in, Nixon asks several OTHERS
to dance. He retreats to JULIE's side. Julie says something
sweet but unheard to him.

PAT is at a window, upset, looking out at the PROTESTORS as
Julie comes over to get her.

JULIE

Come on, mother, join the... (sees her look)
What's the matter?

PAT

We're just not going to buckle to these people.

Pat puts on her party face and rejoins the crowd.

99.

75 INT. WHITE HOUSE - CABINET ROOM - DAY (1971) - RAIN

75

CABINET MEMBERS chat, lean back in their chairs, smoking -- as NIXON suddenly erupts into the room, a focused fury on his face. He sits, slams The New York Times down. CLOSE -- we can make out the words "Pentagon Papers."

NIXON

Gentlemen, we've had our last damned leak! This is no way to run a goddamn government. We're going to prosecute the hell out of Ellsberg and anyone else who wants to leak. And that means any one of you who crosses the line, I'm personally going after him...

INTERCUTTING among the faces -- KISSINGER predominant. Nixon glances in his direction, pauses on him.

NIXON

The permissiveness of this era is over. The belts are coming off and people are gonna be taken to the woodshed. The government cannot survive with a counter-government inside it. I know how traitors operate--I've dealt with them all my life. This bullshit to the effect--some stenographer did it--that's never the case. It's never the little people--little people do not leak. It's always a sonufabitch like Ellsberg who leaks! The Harvard boys with the private agendas who wanna be heros.

Nixon grabs the paper, shakes it.

NIXON

Ellsberg did this "for the good of the country". I suppose you've never heard that one before. Alger Hiss and the Rosenbergs said the same damn crap, and you know what happened to them? They've always underestimated Nixon, the intellectuals. Well, we're gonna let them know we can fight just as dirty. This is sudden death, gentlemen. We're gonna get 'em on the ground, stick in our spikes and twist, show 'em no mercy!

Nixon looks around the room. The Cabinet Members are stunned.

100.

NIXON

This administration is a goddamn disaster. We got
bums out there at the gates. We've got 38 of 40
pieces of our domestic legislation defeated in
Congress. Unless we turn things around, we'll all
be looking for jobs next year.

(then)

Starting today, nobody in this room talks to the
press without clearing it first with Haldeman.
That means a complete freeze on the New York
Times, CBS, Jack fucking Anderson and the
Washington Post! From now on, Haldeman is the
Lord High Executioner. So don't you come whining
to me when he tells you to do something. That's
me talking. And if you come to me, I'll be
tougher than he is. Anybody tries to screw us,
his head comes off. Good day, gentlemen...

He walks out, leaving them stunned and silent.

HALDEMAN

Well, I guess that's it for today's meeting...

76 INT. POULTRY PROCESSING PLANT - MIAMI - NIGHT

76

A chicken's head flies off. The CUBAN CROWD is going crazy as a FIGHTING COCK is moving in for the kill. The ring is surrounded by impromptu bleachers, the walls lined with metal cages filled with chickens. The slaughterhouse is adjacent.

HOWARD HUNT stands at the edge of the crowd, holding a greasy wrapper of churos, as the fight ends.

Cheers and groans. Fistfuls of money are exchanged.

FRANK STURGIS turns from the ring makes his way to Hunt, hands him a twenty.

STURGIS

How the fuck did you know?

HUNT

Injections. Even this noble sport's been fixed.
(pockets the twenty)
Seen the guys?

STURGIS

They're around.

Sturgis snags a piece of the churro, swallows it.

STURGIS

Why, you got a customer?

[LC]

101.

HUNT

The White House.

STURGIS (stops)

You're fucking me.

HUNT

We're gonna be plumbers, Frank. We're gonna plug
leaks.

STURGIS

Who we working for?

HUNT

A guy named Gordon Liddy. Thinks he's Martin
Borman. You wanna meet him? (He motions).

GORDON LIDDY comes out of the edges of the crowd, shakes
hands with Sturgis.

HUNT

Gordon Liddy... Frank Sturgis.

They turn the handshake into a parallel of the cock fight,
iron grips subtly crushing the other's hand.

LIDDY (after they break)

Y'ever put your hand over a fire?
(pulls out a zippo lighter)

HUNT

That's okay, Gordon (motions him off).

As Liddy drifts off.

STURGIS

Where'd you find him?

HUNT

Just don't tell him to do anything you don't want
him to do.

STURGIS

So does Tricky Dick know about this?

HUNT

I won't tell him if you won't.

The HANDLERS throw TWO NEW FIGHTING COCKS into the ring. They
start to rip at each other.

HUNT (chewing on his churo)

The claws are out, Frank.

101A.

77 INT. FIELDING PSYCHIATRIST OFFICE - NIGHT (1971)

As seen before. A GLASS shatters, a CROWBAR jacks open the door marked: "Dr. Lewis J. Fielding, Psychiatrist."

NIXON (V.O.)

History will never be the same.

Cabinets full of pills are overturned. The disguised HUNT and LIDDY with the three CUBANS go to work. A FILE FOLDER is ripped from a cabinet. In the flashlight beam, the file reads "Daniel Ellsberg." A VOICE calls out, "Howard, I got it!".

NIXON (V.O.)

We've taken a step into the future. We have changed the world.

102.

"America the Beautiful" MUSIC takes us into:

78 INT. MAO-TSE-TUNG'S OFFICE - BEIJING - DAY (1972)

78

SUBTITLE READS -- "FEBRUARY 1972"

NIXON beams, standing under a huge red flag bearing the hammer and sickle. The "America" theme is being played on traditional Chinese instruments as CHINESE PHOTOGRAPHERS are allowed to take stiff portraits. The MEN chit chat.

NIXON

... I must say you look very good, Mister Chairman.

MAO

Looks can be deceiving...

NIXON

...We know you've taken a great risk in inviting us here.

MAO stares at Nixon and replies in Chinese, which the INTERPRETER repeats:

MAO (half smiles)

I took no risk. I'm too old to be afraid of what anyone thinks.

Nixon forces a rigid smile as they move to chairs.

TIME CUT TO:

MAO and NIXON are seated in armchairs opposite each other, KISSINGER and CHOU EN LAI to either side of Mao. An INTERPRETER between. In media res:

MAO

Don't ever trust them. They never tell the truth or honor their commitments. Vietnamese are like Russians. Both are dogs.

NIXON (clears his throat)

Mister Chairman, there is an old saying: 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend.'

MAO (smiles)

That has the added virtue of being true.

Mao doesn't seem to be taking any of this too seriously; in fact, he seems a little medicated.

[LC]

103.

### KISSINGER

You know, Mister Chairman, at Harvard I used your writings in my class.

### MAO

What a waste of time. My writings means absolutely nothing.

### KISSINGER

But your writings have changed the world, Mister Chairman.

### MAO

Fung pi! (Bullshit!) I've only managed to change a few things around the city of Beijing. (then: to Kissinger) I want to know your secret.

### KISSINGER

Secret, Mister Chairman?

### MAO

How a fat man gets so many girls?

Mao howls at his own joke.

### KISSINGER

Power, Mister Chairman is the ultimate aphrodisiac. (laughter)

### MAO (turns to Nixon)

You know I voted for you in your last election.

### NIXON (self-effacing)

I was the lesser of two evils.

A moment. Mao levels a gaze at him, deadly serious.

### MAO

You're too modest, Nixon. You're as evil as I am. We're both from poor families. But others pay to feed the hunger in us. We're the new emperors. In my case, millions of reactionaries. In your case, millions of Vietnamese.

### NIXON (taken aback)

Civil war is always the cruelest kind of war.

### MAO

The real war is in us. (then)
History is a symptom of our disease.

CUT FORWARD TO:

[LC]

104.

79 DOCUMENTARY FOOTAGE -- The BOMBING of HANOI... SUBTITLE READS 79 CHRISTMAS 1972...Hundreds of B-52 strikes, bombs pouring over the city.

REPORTER (V.O. BBC accent)
In a surprise Christmas bombing to Hanoi, President Nixon today delivered more tonnage than was used at Dresden in World War Two. It is without doubt the most brutal bombing in American history.

CROSSCUT:

DOCUMENTARY FOOTAGE -- 1. HANOI -- the devastation of the city. It's on fire. Bodies are being carried from a collapsed HOSPITAL. 2. The USA -- in contrast, shots by the media of Christmas trees (Rockefeller Center, etc.); families shopping; a children's choir singing "Gloria in Excelsis Deo."

REPORTERS (V.O.)

...This Christmas bombing has shaken up the Paris peace talks and created a huge amount of criticism across the globe. Newspapers are calling it a "Stone Age tactic," and Nixon a "maddened tyrant" ... Nixon's only response: 'When the Vietnamese take the peace talks seriously, I'll stop.'

STOCK FOOTAGE --moving through a bank of clouds towards the sun.

80 INT. AIR FORCE ONE - MAIN CABIN - SUNSET (1972)

80 *

NIXON is looking out the window, PAT next to him. HALDEMAN and EHRLICHMAN are out of earshot.

PAT

Penny for your thoughts?

NIXON

Is that adjusted for inflation?
(she laughs)
Think of the life Mao's led. In '52 I called him a monster. Now he could be our most important ally.
(then)
Only Nixon could've done that.

PAT

You're a long way from Whittier.

A beat. He shares her look.

[LC]

105.

Pat puts her hand on his hand.

PAT
Congratulations, Dick.

NIXON (smiles)
How am I going to break this to Bob Hope?

KISSINGER walks into the cabin.

KISSINGER
We've got the Russians where we want them! They're calling us. We will have a SALT treaty with them this year.

HALDEMAN
In time for the election? Brezhnev's tough. He knows McGovern's right on our ass...

KISSINGER
He doesn't have a choice! He has to shift missiles from Europe to the Chinese border. With one stroke, the balance of power moves completely in our favor. This is a coup, Mr. President!

EHRLICHMAN
For you, Henry? Nobel Peace Prize, maybe... (sees the look on Nixon's face)

NIXON
Not for the Pentagon it isn't. I'm kissing Mao's butt. And the press is gonna find some way to shaft Nixon on this one.

PAT
It's not the press that matters. Nixon's wife is proud of him.

He squeezes her hand.

HALDEMAN
And his staff. Come on, chief, the copy they were filing from China was great.

NIXON
Wait till the _mai-tais_ wear off.

EHRLICHMAN
The country's loving it.