could.
Yes, sir. Thank you.
l just got off the phone with
the White House librarian.
You want to look at the notes on it?
Oh, this is some stuff from
the Eisenhower campaign in 1952...
...that Hunt was connected with.
Did you call the White House
Communications Office?
No, l just got off the phone
with the librarian.
-524-743.
-l know the number.
Between the first and second quote
there's a complete contradiction...
...in a space of about five seconds.
Mr. Clawson's office.
This is Bob Woodward
of the Washington Post.
-Could l talk to Mr. Clawson, please?
-One moment, please.
When she came back on the phone....
-Ken Clawson.
-Mr. Clawson, this is Bob Woodward.
Carl Bernstein of the Washington Post
had a conversation...
...with the White House librarian...
...on some books Mr. Howard Hunt
took out on Senator Edward Kennedy.
She first said that Howard Hunt
had taken out books on Senator Kennedy.
Then she denied even knowing
who he was.
l was wondering if you'd like
to comment on this confusion.
Listen, let me call you back on this matter.
-I'm going to check on it for you.
-All right, thank you. Bye.
This was all one conversation?
She says first,
''l think l got some books for Hunt.''
Five seconds later, she says,
''l don't even know a Mr. Hunt.''
Obviously, someone got to her.
That's not enough proof.
lf there was a piece of paper...
...that said Hunt was taking out books
on Kennedy and Chappaquiddick.
Like a library slip.
He also took out books
from the Library of Congress...
...but what's more important,
somebody got to her in that space of time.
-How do you know?
-Because she said that Hunt....
There's a lot of books
that Hunt checked out.
Then she comes back
and doesn't even know him.
Mr. Woodward, Ken Clawson calling back.
-I've just talked with the librarian.
-Yes, sir.
And she denies that the conversation
with Mr. Bernstein ever took place.
She said she referred him
to the Press Office.
Sir, you say she denies even knowing
about the conversation taking place?
That's right. She said someone
did call her asking about Mr. Hunt...
...but all she did was refer him
to the Press Office...
...and she denies that
any other conversation took place.
-I hope that's been of some help to you.
-Thank you.
-We've got to get something on paper.
-The Library of Congress.
You want all the material
requested by the White House?
All White House transactions
are confidential.
Thank you very much, gentlemen.
-We need a sympathetic face.
-We're not going to find one here.
You want every request since when?
-When did he start?
-July of '71 .
l imagine the whole last year.
l'm not sure you want them,
but l've got them.
Maybe they pulled the cards.
Maybe they changed the names.
There might have been a card there,
and we missed it.
Hey, wait a minute.
l met a White House aide
once at a social key.
So?
He might confirm.
l want to know about Colson.
What is his job at the White House?
Special consultant to the President.
These notes on the White House librarian,
are they accurate?
The notes, are they accurate?
Okay, let's have it.
Here you are, Ben.
lt's a good, solid piece
of American journalism...
...that the New York Times doesn't have.
You haven't got it.
A librarian and a secretary
saying Hunt looked at a book.
That's not good enough.
A White House aide told me Hunt
was investigating Kennedy.
Who was it?
You want the name, you mean?
No, how senior, how high up?
l don't know titles.
''Showed a special interest....''
No, we said the White House
was investigating Kennedy.
''Showed special interest....''
Jesus, the story's stronger than that!
The White House librarian says
Hunt checked out a lot of books.
A secretary in Colson's office
said Hunt was sitting at the desk....
All right, Carl.
Ben, that's a page-one story.
Stick it inside someplace.
This is a goddamn important story!
Get some harder information next time.