Audio clips from Very Strange Bedfellows

In June of 1971, Nixon decided to send Agnew to South Korea for the inauguration of President Chung Hee Park, and then on to Singapore, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Africa, and western Europe. At the time, Kissinger, without Agnew’s knowledge, was continuing negotiations with China that would lead to Nixon’s visit to Beijing. On June 4th, Agnew asked for a direct meeting with Nixon and proposed that on his visit to South Korea, he also visit China.

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In April, 1973, when John Dean was about to talk to prosecutors in exchange for immunity, Nixon finally faced reporters in the White House press room and sought to establish that he was in front of the parade to learn the truth about Watergate. Anyone in his administration who was indicted would be suspended, anyone convicted would be fired, and immunity would be granted to no one. With the whole fiasco unraveling, Nixon, in a midnight phone conversation with Kissinger, sounded beaten down. Nixon tells Kissinger he’s thinking of resigning and letting Agnew take over. Kissinger dissuades him.

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Because of Nixon’s reluctance to share information with Agnew, Agnew remained largely removed from the Watergate investigations. In fact, at one point, Nixon considered the possibility of recruiting Agnew to defend him. Some days later, Nixon learned that Agnew had mentioned to Haldeman that it might be better to have the Watergate case go to a grand jury than to have it aired in the “circus” of the Senate. In a hot Oval Office exchange on May 1st, a livid Nixon berated Agnew for getting involved. After relenting a bit, Nixon advises Agnew to stay out of the affair.

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