provider. >> next on the presidency, joe haldeman offers an insider's view of richard nixon's white house and the watergate scandal that ended with his resignation. her husband, hr bob haldeman served as 37th president's chief of staff. she shares experts from her book -- excerpts from her book. the richard nixon foundation hosted this hour-long program at the nixon presidential library and museum. >> good morning, welcome. this is the new richard nixon library and museum. i am the president of the richard nixon foundation.

i'm glad you are here on a very important day for the foundation and library. joining me is michael elzie, national archives director of the presidential library, and all of those present today. [applause] >> before he introduced larry hickey -- larry higby, i'd like to recognize three of joe and bob's children -- sue & bob's children. thank you. [applause] two of our foundation friends who knew bob alderman well are also here. now a board member of the next foundation, cindy quinn. [applause] and a truly remarkable and very special woman who was a use it -- at ucla with bob alterman in the post-world war ii years, she

took a train to washington dc after graduating. in july of 1951, rosemary woods hired her to join the staff of the newly elected california senator, richard nixon. since then, she's been a mainstay of every next in office and campaign, friend of the next family --.net and family, and for many years the assistant secretary-treasurer of our foundation board. her loyalty and dedication, intelligence, integrity have guided and inspired generations of her colleagues and friends. we are delighted she is here today. [applause] we are here this morning to welcome joel alderman, president nixon's chief of staff, bob

haldeman, and to celebrate the publication of her first book: "i in the shadown of the white house -- the washington watergate years, 1968-1970." larry higby who had the honor of o, and i have the owner of introducing larry. larry is a native angelino, a true bruin. at the age of 23 he begin -- became deputy assistant to president of the united states and right-hand man to richard nixon's chief of staff hr bob halderman. after the next in administration, he worked for pepsico, mean a call -- munich cal, and another company. he receid operatg officer when he retired of the house -- health care group.

in his retirement, though i think his wife might quarrel with the word, larry has been busy serving on boards, working for nonprofits, and keeping up with kids and grandchildren. under his chairmanship, warned county performing arts center was built -- orange county performing arts center was built and opened. he is the chair of the majority nonprofit republican think tank. as a member of the nixon foundation board, larry has played a prominent and generous part in opening our new look -- nixon library. it is my pleasure to introduce larry bigby. [applause]

>> thank you very much, bill. good morning. let me at my welcome. a special into our c-span audience across america and the world. i want to thank bill also for that generous introduction. my job this morning is to introduce joe halderman who will read from her remarkable book, in the shadow of the white house, about the wife and times -- life and times with her husband bob. this mostly covers the historic and dramatic years of 1968-1974. begins in the fall of 1968 with president idol -- president-elect's and asking bob to be the white house chief of staff. at an end of the fall of 1978,

with bob's release from prison. before he introduced joe, i thought it would be a good idea to begin by saying a few words about her husband, bob. the many years have passed, a reviewer wrote just last week in the wall street journal, bob haldeman quote, and then to both the modern president -- presidential campaign -- unquote. from his time in the nixon administration quote, for the next two generations, the haldeman system helped one white house after another attain a level of professional excellence and staff work and efficiency and organization amid the growing responsibilities of government and the demands of global leadership. every president needs and also be in by elections -- slb, and i am nixon's - sob. it didn't help bob when watergate focused a national spotlight on him. let me tell you. people didn't know and only saw

him as a top white house t -- chief of staff whose crewcut was as intimidating as his style. missed the whole point. far from being everybody's slb, bob haldeman was one of the most thoughtful, human, and humane people i've ever met. he was a demanding but fair boss, a true patriot. bob was born in los angeles in october 1926. he was an eagle scout, was in the naval reserve at the end of world war ii. he graduated from ucla in 1948 trade in 1949, he joined the advertising agency, j walter thompson. before he reached the white house, bob had a life of impressive accomplishment. over the course of a 22 year career he rose to the highest corporate ranks of j walter thompson. he was the primary fundraiser for the building of poly pavilion at ucla.

he was the chairman of disney's california institute of the arts. he was a member of the state college board of trustees and a regent of the university of california. all of this was done before he was 40. i have met bob in 1967 when i was vice president of the student body at ucla, and he was president of the alumni association. these were very turbulent times on american campuses, and the two of us were setting up programs to him make sure the communication lines between student and community leaders stayed open, unlike was happening up north -- on graduation day bob offered me a job working for him, which i politely refused. the result of that conversation and several more that followed resulted in a work hour for me that begin with 30 hours a week working for bob then working late nights on my mba.

as it worked for bob, two things happened to read first we became very good friends. second i figured out that he was far more interested in the opportunity to spend time in public service them to continue in advertising. we shared an interest in politics. in january 1968, did a careful study and concluded that richard nixon had a whopping 16% chance of winning the presidency. by the end of that tumultuous year, things have changed. the richard nixon was the 37th resonance alexa -- elect of the united states. with that nixon victory and thanks to bob i began to see -- few people have been able to experience as deputy assistant to the president, working in the office of the chief of staff. after nixon's victory in november 1968, bob and the president elect had 60 days to organize and staff the world's

largest corporation: the government of the united states. he did a great job. bob haldeman cated the modern office of the president. on his first day on the job, as white house chief of staff, bob was 43 years old. even more strange, i was 23 years old! [laughter] over the next five years, from 1959-1973, i became known as haldeman's halderman. i took that is the highest praise come about to be honest, i'm not sure most people thought that way. [laughter] i was privileged to go to china and the soviet union and many other places. president and worked to end the vietnam war and set the world on a path to lasting peace. in addition to running the white house office every day, bob had a strong sense of history and his duty to it.

he applied this extraordinary discipline in writing and later recording a daily diary of events he experienced and observed. haldeman diaries, available on kindle, is increasingly considered to be one of the most remarkable and insightful windows into the american presidency. at first, bob wrote his diary and longhand. this is what they looked like. here's the title page with the dates and he filled in, january 18 through april 25. when it came to the last page he began the next volume. his work is typically clear and disciplined handwriting haldeman is famous for looked like. bob is also interested in developing technology and movie cameras which became -- portable for the first time.

he had one of the earliest super rates -- super 8's, and later on he had a can on 518. bob used his total access to nexen to film everything. from talking to the apollo 11 trauts, to the president walking on the great wall of china. bob created the unique archive of home movies. but in bob's case, the home happened to be the white house. bob's movies became the made -- main basis of an award-winning documentary, our nixon. in 2008 the family donated bob's extraordinary white house super eight collection, 25 hours, 20,000 feet of film to the national archives still below is

now here is the next and library. bob was president nixon's strong right arm as well as being a wonderful family man. that brings me why we are hearing -- here today. we will hear from -- as she writes, her book is not nixon's story. it is her story. it is compelling and moving, that she tells with great skill and subtlety. jolene horton was born as a third-generation californian also in los angeles. joe's best friend in high school set up and it would show and that's how the 15-year-old joanne horton meant the 17-year-old bob haldeman. because her friends latest love with sources, joe and bob each

mistakenly assumed the other was into horses. but, once they got past that, they discovered they really did have some interest in common. that was the beginning of a wonderful 48 year love story-marriage. john bob avenue more children, susan, hank, peter, and. in addition to being a full-time mom and wife of a rising advertising executive, joe was always active in community and church groups. service was something joe and bob had in common, and what bob was working in the white house, joe volunteered at the district of columbia city hall complaints center, and as a caseworker assistant juvenile hall. after bob left the white house and his legal case made its way to the courts, he served his sentence among park. suddenly confronted with having to be a family's red winner, joe became a licensed real estate agent and was a successful associate in the hancock park office. bob later became a senior executive at the murdoch organization. in 1986, joe and bob retired to

a santa barbara where they enjoyed church work, spending time with their extended family, kids, and grandkids. we are proud and happy to have more than 70 members, 70 members, of the family here today with us. i think so. [applause] after bob passed away in 1993, joe continued to do church work and devote herself to her family and grandchildren. she decided to write a book about the time when the haldeman family had a rendezvous with richard nixon and american history. working an average of 12 hours a day for a those years as i did, and also became a member of the haldeman family. jo was and is a remarkable and inspiring person treated during those white house years with their good times and bad times,

jo was supportive and strong and refreshing and capable of observing -- whatever joys of sorrows the days dealt as she supported bob and raced for wonderful children. jo haldeman's strength and faith played a central part in bob's life, and therefore in the life of our nation. i'm proud to call her my friend and it is my privilege to introduce her to you this mine. please join me in welcoming joe haldeman. [applause] >> thank you for the lovely introduction, larry. i have always taken his confidence in you as the highest compliment.

you referred to box diary and i would like to share his entry from the administration's first full day in office. january 21, 1969. quote, lots of last-minute getting ready at the white house so we can move with minimum disturbance. things are well set. all plans -- excuse me -- all plans working out reasonably well. really spoke with the office assignments and equipment phones, etc. tough job for 23-year-old. [laughter] he's doing great. [laughter] [applause] i would also like to recognize the richard nixon foundation for sponsoring this event in the richard nixon library for hosting it. i want to specifically recognize bill their bald, frank gannon, barry, and all of the incredibly

timed and helpful -- kind and helpful people who make things happen vote -- so smoothly and graciously here at the library. thank you, all of you. [applause] last but not least, i would like to thank my wonderful supportive family, many of whom are here today. so thank you. [applause] welcome. with my now a 34-year-old grandson here today, was in the seventh grade, he offhandedly mentioned his class was studying watergate. 22 years later, here i a presenting the result of his remark. my memoir. it has been a long haul but i was determined to give bob's and

by grandchildren a full or picture and appreciation of our life and experience in washington than what they would get from their textbooks. my story covers, as you have heard several times now, the 10 year period from president nixon's nomination in july 1968, to the day bob walked out of prison on december, 1978. it was an turbulent time in our country's history. the generation gap was widening, and counterculture values were replacing past social and moral codes. growing frustrations over the vietnam war had racial and

gender inequalities -- divided our nation. we lived in a world without cell phones, computers, the internet. we had no voicemail, caller id, let alone texting or email. a gallon of gas costs -- cost $.35. a double cheeseburger $.49. a luxury lincoln continental filled with $6,046. -- sold for $6,046. what i have written is not bob's story, nor is it the story of our family, or an explanation of watergate. what i wrote is my story. today, i'm going to read several selections from the book. the first one takes place two months after the first inauguration. bob was immersed in his new job in washington and there was still living in los angeles with our four children until they completed the school year. susan was in the ninth grade in

high school -- pardon me, was a senior in high school. hank a sopmore, peter in the six grade, and an fourth-grade -- anne in fourth grade. bob was 42, i was 40. this was my first visit to what -- to see bob who is living from a few walks in the jefferson hotel -- a few blocks from the white house. first excerpt is titled, first ladies dinner party. on the evening of friday, march 14, 1969, bob and i attended two different functions read while he dresses for the gridiron dinner, where members of the administration are traditionally roasted by the press, i dress for mrs. nixon's dinner -- [coughs] honoring the white house.

the protocol is intimidating. i wish bob were going to be at the white house with me. asking for it fights. just follow the other ladies, he says. do it they do. i'm sure you won't be the only one there for the first time. dressed in white tie and tails -- bob leads first. the zipper in the back of my dress gets stuck and i have to ask the doorman at the hotel to zip me up. the white house car takes me to the south entrance of the white house, where we wait in a long line of government will most look exactly like our black

mercury sedan. winter head. suddenlyy door was oned a uniformed white house socialite stepping -- stepping out of the car i simply repeat bob's words like a mantra. follow the ladies, do what they do, just follow the ladies. do what they do. swept up in a study stream of elegantly dressed women, i entered a diplomatic recession room, expecting to see others who were obviously here for the first time -- disappointed. no one looks lost. for a moment i feel terribly -- terribly alone. check my first golf -- and as i start to fashion, stairs to the entrance hall, a woman breezes by me. isn't it time to be here without your husband for a tan --change? [laughter] she asked in a bubbly, enthusiastic voice. sure is, i replied. [laughter] halfway up the red carpeted stairs, an attractive woman with red hair taps me on the shoulder. would you mind zipping me up,

she asked, pointing to the back of her dress. jerry had to leave before i dressed this evening. i'm happy to help. when i discovered the woman is betty ford, wife of the representative gerald ford i realized that sometimes it makes no difference who you are or where you are. certain situations are universal. on the upper landing i am given a card -- my number on it. i am seated next to julie nixon eisenhower. effervescent and gregarious, julie is a good hostess at the table for eight. as she talks, she gestures a lot and guitar care bounces on the shoulders of her white laced dress. when the army strolling strings cause our table to play laura's theme from dr. chicago, i get goosebumps. the feeling of getting

surrounded by 20 violinists playing my favorite song in the state's of the white house is surreal. the only thing missing is. -- is bob. after dinner, coffee is served in the main hall where i notice an older woman standing. sensing that i finally discovered someone else who might he -- be here for the first time, i introduced myself. i know who you are, my dear, the woman says, extending her right hand. i am mrs. warren. it's nice to meet you, i say. is your husband part of the white house, nixon white house? [laughter] no, dear. he is the chief justice of the supreme court. [laughter] she smiles, pleasantly and drifts away. [laughter] the next selection takes place in november of 1969. at that time, demonstrations against the vietnam war are growing in size and becoming a nationwide movement.

the scene begins with the launch of the apollo 12 mission to the moon at cape canaveral florida, which our family attended along with -- as guests of nasa. this chapter is called, shade of gray. the rocket moves slowly, struggling to gain the tremendous course and needs to break free. when the sound catches up with us, the powerful for causes the grandstand -- powerful roar causes the grandstand to rumble. on the launchpad, the scaffolding collapses, and apollo 12 climbs upward. it turns into a deep -- a deep rumble as it is swallowed up by storm clouds. soon, only a dual glow is left. as soon as it launches for bob

and john -- they leave to join the president on air force one for the return flight to washington. they are concerned about the peace march that will take place tonight, as well as the demonstration tomorrow. the second car takes to them and me to patrick air force base where nasa 1 -- with e of our children and the director of nasa and his wife. a violent thunderstorm surrounds our gulfstream turbo prop, and there is silence come as wild gust of wind and rain, and hail, buffet us on all sides. when one of the children asks for a throw up bag, gina and i tried to reassure everyone by reciting the lord's prayer out loud and unfortunately, this has the opposite effect.

[laughter] only conveys a greater sense of doom. the skies clear on a reproach to washington. looking down, i can easily be the capital and many government buildings. it's a beautiful site. even more spectacular by a long procession of twinkling lights. a serpentine line stretches all the way from arlington cemetery to the white house. tom ehrlichman says with his head glued to the window. candles. air force base, were to white house cars wait for the haldeman and ehrlichman family. our driver asks if the children and i would like to drive past the arlington memorial bridge on the way home. you be able to see the peace march up close, he says. it is quite a sight.

our driver assures us, there will be a problem. -- will not be a problem. our cars slow down to keep pace with the demonstrators. i expected to see angry hippies with clenched fists, shouting obscenities. instead i observed a great variety of people. their peace symbols and crosses, color beads and gold jewelry, tie-dye t-shirts and button-down oxford cloth shirts, peers and shaved faces, long hair clipped the haircut. each faces is looked by flickering candle representing the loss of american life in vietnam. the line moves in silence, and all i hear is the muffled sound of shuffling feet.

the impact of the scene is overwhelming. up until this moment, i've generally regarded life in terms of black and white. i considered the anti-war demonstrators a bunch of hippies -- this cause and tactics, i did not sit or. to me, the march was on the patriotic disruptive, therefore must be that. in contrast, the moon launch was patriotic, and unifying, therefore must good. tonight however, i see the hippies as individual people expressing great sensitivity and compassion. i can no longer define life so simply. my thinking changes. i now fear the protesters in

-- view the protesters in shades of gray. the next excerpt takes place about a year later. titled, growing swim. generate 20, 1971 as a second anniversary of the president's inauguration command bob steadfastly maintains that nixon is capable of becoming one of history's greatest leaders. the president has a brilliant mind, and an unbelievable rest of global affairs. bob believes in him, and serve same with his whole heart. on january 29, i accompany bob and a few white house staff mbers to the virgin islands come over the president will spend a long weekend at camille bay, the rockefeller resort. in that the meantime and i have been invited to join our friends on the 45 foot yacht. sailed fromay, we

island to island, swimming and snorkeling in the hidden days. at tonight, we anchor in the shelter of a co-and sleep on the boat. sunday afternoon bob and his assistant larry higbee join us. bob is on call command they are most -- army signal or will contact him via shortwave radio if he is needed. he and larry are both eager to take turns skipper in, and soon the five of us are flying along, on a -- with billowing sails. suddenly, while that study -- and the message comes over the radio. i make up words. searchlight. nixon's secret code -- secret service codename. and welcome, bob's secret service codename. he considers a president call urgent. he asked george to return.

george reverses our course. the boat heels we're down to water. larry's right leg nervously jiggles. when we enter the protective co. the wind dies. , bob becomes frustrated -- and decides there's a faster way to make it to land. he walks to the bow of the boat, and dives into the water. larry follows. [laughter] swimming as hard as they can, they finally reached the beach, where they run further keep. -- run for their part jeep. they speed away and disappear into a grove of tamarind trees, leaving a billowing cloud of dust. kathleen and george are speechless. [laughter] i am often asked, how we learned

about the watergate break-in, which leads me to june, 1972. this chapter is, the watergate break-in. june 16, 1972, the first lady leaves for three-day campaign swing through texas, california, and south dakota. she is out of town, the president will spend the weekend in florida. it's his last chance to be here before the weather gets too hot and humid. her best friend, and i accompany bob on air force one. june 18, warm and windy. celebrating father's day access by the pool, the four of us return to the villa. although the president is at cay bob says something has come up and he needs to spend time on the phone. armed with his sunday papers, i

sent -- settle on the terrace while the girls swim in the ocean. i crammed the papers i am not reading under my shapes to keep them from -- shades for to keep them from blowing away. the herald said was about to withdraw from troops from vietnam and there is a feature article on george's campaign. when i see that the watergate complex is mentioned in a small story in the middle of the front page, i'm interested. watergate. that's where mother and i stayed -- will we were decorating our new home. the headline, miami ends held in d.c. try to vote -- demo headquar, the already -- the article describes a burglary that took place after midnight yesterday. on june 17, five men were

arrested into the democratic national committee headquarters in watergate, dressed in business suits. they wore rubber surgical gloves and carried -- burglary tools, surveillance equipment, walkie-talkies, and cameras. four of the men are from miami, but the fifth is a former employee of the caa, present -- cia, presently working as a security consultant in washington. the story is weird. i am curious to hear what bob has to say. i don't want to interrupt him while he is working. through the glass doors, i see him seated on the red, white, and blue striped couch in the living room. in front of him the white house phone before marble replica of the washington monument sit side-by-side. on white glass top coffee table. i wave to the girls and go back to my reading.

two hours later, bob's blinking in the bright sunlight that she sits down next to me. what's the deal about this break in the watergate, i ask without wasting any time. the whole thing is ridiculous, bob says. can't imagine why anyone would want to get the democratic headquarters. it's the last week -- place in the world to get inside information. [laughter] have you talked to the president, i ask? >> they just got back. i do not think he knows about the break in yet on this he read in the paper. i suggest we eat lunch by the . -- by the pull. on the way out i toss this morning's papers into the kitchen wastebasket. frequently i find -- i quickly find an article i want to save the others nothing special today.

little did i realize, this crazy break and story would take us -- the story did not go away, which brings us to almost a year later, april of 1973. after two weeks of agonizing back and forth on whether john ehrlichman and bob should stay -- take leaves of absence, or resign, we finally have the answer. this chapter is called, resignation. on sunday morning, april 29, i retrieve the washington post from under the aclu's -- in the patio of our townhouse on her street in georgetown. i should explain there were so many reporters looking at our

front door, and intimidated -- he would go around the alley throw our paper into our patio where it invariably ended up in azaleas or something. rather than getting the paper on the front door, had to pick it up -- out of the plants in the patio. using my apron to wipe off that of dirt, while i -- john dean reportedly is spreading to swear that he gave both ehrlichman and haldeman progress reports on the cover up. there's more speculation about removing bob and john. boy, bob says at breakfast, as soon as the president reads all this stuff, you will want john and me to come up camp david immediately. what do you mean, i question? he will want a resignation. i thought you said -- you wanted him to take a leaf of a. -- a leave of absence. things are moving too fast and the other direction, bob says. either way i will be white ash

out of the white house." hetands and walks to the kitchen window, where he looks at the reporters on the sidelk. "it's time for me to tell our families i might have to take a leave of absence, then be prepared if i have to resign. as usual, bob has covered all the bases. his decision is clear to him, he is in control. however, i feel lost and empty, as if i run out of gas. i am glad we are going to church this morning. i need to turn to a greater power to sustain me. true to his word, as soon as we get home gets our calls -- three out-of-town children. as well as our parents. i try not to think about the future, keep busy. i make bob's lunch, cottage cheese, pineapple -- canned

pineapple, iced tea. the white house phone rings, and i instantly assume it is the dreaded call from next. -- from nixon. the conversation is to presently be great they want -- us to meet at camp david at 1:30 today. bob's eyes and demeanor are reassuring. when the white house phone rings again i fight to stay composed. that was ron zigler, press secretary. president now feels very strongly that john and i should volunteer to resign. my heart does a nosedive. is this it? "i'm afraid so. they figure we will be eaten alive if we take leaves of absence." he puts on his blazer and terms

to me. our eyes meet. he gives me a tender hug, and we kissed. stepping out of the bedroom, bob collides with anne in the hall, a faded jeans and aggie sweatshirt. she is clutching a basketball -- and is in a hurry to leave. "i'm going to the park." wait a minute, he said, i'm taking off and i want to take you something before i go. ann stopped on the landing, bob his hand on her shoulders. "there's a good chance i will have to take a leave of absence in the white house." " are things that bad?" "yes." bob wraps his arms around his daughter in the basketball at the same time.

my heart breaks as he follows and downstairs, father and daughter step outside together with the press surrounds them, putting her head down -- and charges through the crowd and makes her way down the sidewalk. bob climbs into the waiting white house car and is driven away. i am alone. even the press has gone. i anticipate a long, agonizing wait, so i try to keep as he -- i try to keep busy with mundane chores. i pay bills, ketchup on ironing, walk dogs, sweep up trash left by reporters. and straightening up the living room when the ring of the white house phone startles me. i reach for the receiver then drop a back. standing motionless, i eye the white instrument.

if i don't answer i won't to hear any bad news. on the fourth ring i given, gripping the receiver, i slowly bring it to my ear "good evening mrs. haldeman." the voice of the white house operator is cheery and respectful. "mr. haldeman is going from camp david and would like to speak to you." all of a sudden, bob is on the line, my heart is pounding. he tells me that he just finished meeting with the president. it is just what i expected, he said. the president asked john and me to commit our resignations. there's no turning back this time. keep talking bob, if you expect me to say something, i don't think i can. keep talking. "i'll come home before long, as if this were any normal day.

call the children and our parents, give them the news?" of course. my reply study but my head just checking. i'm so sorry, bob, i hope you are all right. i love you. it's all i can say. there's so much more, so much more. after hanging up my standard -- stair at the phone. this constant intruder into my life has finally had the last word. in march of 1974, bob was charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice, obstruction of justice, and three counts of perjury, in connection with the watergate cover-up, along with four other defendants. he went through a 55 day trial that fall. the next meeting is at the end of the trial of to the final arguments have been made by the prosecution and defendant.

when the prosecution gets to have the last word, by making rebuttal arguments. susan has been attending the trial, and peter and anne are visiting over christmas break. this chapter is called, jar of jam. december 27, 1974. trial date, 52. friday, the courtroom is packed. anne and i have to share a small space on the bench, while peter gets a bench in the aisle. after lunch the government -- presents its rebuttal. i feel my heart pounding, as richard stands. bob has been singled out. the 31-year-old assistant prosecutor will be delivering a separate rebuttal only against him. jim nail, chief prosecutor will follow, taking on the other for

four defendants -- jim neal will follow. cocky, self-importance, annoys me. i don't want them to be suggested -- subjected to his work grading -- doug grading remarks about their father. he pauses to adjust his glasses. a voice laden with sarcasm, he compares bob to a little boy who gets caught with jam on his face. "here's the jam, ladies and gentlemen. it is on mr. haldeman's face, it is on his hands, and he can't get it off." the time sites more evidence against bob, he repeats the story of the boy and the jam is the jurors turned to look, i know they visualize him smeared with bright red strawberry jam. that's the exhibit image that captures the imagination.

i'm chagrined. do our children really have to hear this? at the end of half an hour -- he concludes his rebuttal. with a self-satisfied exession, he wks back to the prosecutor's table. during the break, a crowd gathers in the hall and i have trouble getting past it. when i see what the attraction is, i am sickened. standing in the middle of an admiring group of people, he is grinning. obviously enjoying the attention, he raises his right hand high above his head for all to see. in it, he holds a jar of jam. later in the afternoon it is jim neal's term to deliver the rebuttal against all of the defendants.

hunched over the lecturn, he addresses a jury. this no fun casting stones, he says. keep society going -- stones must be cast. people must be called to account. speaking for four hours, the chief prosecutor very system of voice, soft and delivered on some occasion, and other times loud and vigorous. as always, he is a spellbinder compared to his final argument earlier, was he says today rushed. everyone blames john dean, he concludes. also blames mr. mr. ehrlichman blames the president. mr. marley and claims the white house, and, he pauses, mr. haldeman can't recall enough to blame anybody. people around me snicker under their breath.

after 52 days, everything has been covered. the opening statements, testimony of witnesses, 22 hours of taped conversations, the final argument, and the rebuttals. oit was boring,ome it was fascinating, and so much of it was frustrating. last, it's ov. on monday, the case will go to the jury. living the courtroom, i feel weak -- singing accusations about the jam, and neil's exaggerations stay with me. i take them personally, become obsessed with one objective to get out of his building as quickly as possible. desperate to be alone, i give no thought to bob and the children. putting the head down i plow through the crowd.

mrs. haldeman, jim neal calls out, stopping me in the hall. i want to wish you well, no matter what the outcome might be. the heartfelt message from bob's adversary -- puts my emotions over the top. fighting to hold back tears, i am more determined than ever to get away. once outside, the tears come -- i can no longer hold them back. by the time bob and the three children find me, i have my emotions under control. it's been a crying day and no one feels like talking. the festivus onto a bird car with one thought in mind -- to get home as quickly as possible. bob told skate -- in the ignition, but nothing happens. he tries again, but the engine won't turn over. people ignore us as they get into their cars and drive away.

winding a scarf around his neck -- from bitter cold, leads to get help. an hour passes before he returns. he is a prisoner. obtaining the assistance of two policemen, bob has returned with them in their patrol car. unfortunately, the only seat available is the one in the back behind the plates of steel. hit -- steel mesh. the doors have no inside handles, an officer has to let him out. two officers jumpstarted the battery, and at last, on her way home our -- our way home. our car stalls in the middle of traffic. cars was passed on both sides, too dangerous to get out. there's nothing to do but sit

here and wait to be rescued. remember, there were no cell phone. and prints -- he prints sos across the back window. [laughter] after a short wait, a small pickup truck approaches from behind and slowly pushes us over to the center guard rail. he drives away, and once again, we wait. eventually, a tow truck with drinking led -- red emergency lights comes to our rescue. attaching a hook to the front number of our car, the driver uses a crane to hoist us up to a 45 degree angle. with the front wheels completely off the ground, the only thing we can see is the hook in the flashing red lights. eying her father sitting hopelessly behind the wheel -- susan smiles. he looked ridiculous dad -- and

you look ridiculous, dad. this whole day has been ridiculous, but responds. i've been smeared with jam, imprisoned in a police car, and hauled away by a tow truck. the car gives a lurch in their had stopped in unison. the bizarre scene suddenly becomes hilarious. giving in to our pent up emotions, the five of us burst out laughing. bob ultimately was convicted and sentenced to serve two and a half-eight years in federal prison. he ended up spending 18 months at a federal prison camp, 150 miles north of los angeles, where we were living. the next scene is my first visit to bob at the camp i had drifted him up the day before and left him. now i am returning with his mother.

this chapter is titled handelman -- you have a visitor. arriving in, we parked the car and followed the stream of families carrying picnic baskets into the visitors center. she is upbeat and excited about seeing her son. suddenly i feel out of place and become filled with misgivings. get a hold of yourself. room is crowded. people are divided into two lines for processing a uniform guard is seated at his table, checking out our names, as well as bob's. he asked if we have brought in anything illegal. as soon as we are cleared, bob is notified of her loudspeaker. you have a visit. she looks crestfallen, they didn't get the name right.

don't worry, he will know. looking across the paved area, i see a chain-link fence in the distance. realize bob isi one of the men waiting patiently at the gate. he's coming over here, non-explains. it's the same related tone she used whenever she spotted her son at a white house event. as soon as bob steps inside the room, he identifies himself to the guard. haldeman, number 148963 the. i cringe. we pushed forward to greet him, but b is distracted, guiding us towards the door in the opposite side of the room. he tells us to hurry if want to get seats at the table in the patio. the guys told me outside his best place to be explained. the three of us step out into a small, grassy area, which is enclosed on three sides by the l-shaped visitors center and the

camp chapel. it's open to the road -- and painted white line runs along the edge of the asphalt. but doesn't relax until we are seated at one of the picnic tables. as we need bob and his mother are both at ease and animated. i feel restrained and out of sorts. sharing stories with us about when in the camp -- bob described an overly strict guard named, deputy dog. he talks about one of the guys try to blow up his mother's plane after he took out life insurance on her. [laughter] bob tells us he lives in a multistory dorm with over 400 other inmates. he is signed cubicle, which he refers to as his house, a five foot high partition defines his personal area which contains a

bed, desk, chair, and cover. bob is subjected to inspections demerits.ts, and tan khaki pants and blue oxford cloth -- are the camp uniform. these are issued each week along with shorts, socks, towels, sheets. a washer and dryer are available as well as laundry service. requests for certain personal items from home, such as clothing, books, sports key or, or toiletries, must be in writing. all letters and packages will be opened and approved before they are distributed. before long, i will be assigned to a job, bob says, looking pleased. in the meantime, i have a temporary assignment took the flour -- power plant.

you were such a good manager, so organized. i will not tell you where bob ended up working. [laughter] you have to read the book. [laughter] before we know it, our visit is over. the air is cooler, fog is starting to creep across the patio. along with the other families, with follow-up to the edge of the line. this is as far as i can go, he says, coming to an abrupt halt at the white line on the road. i'm not allowed to step over that. bob's words tell it like it is, and the line is a blunt visual reminder of where he is. we tried to put up a good front as we kiss him goodbye, but it is difficult. punching a leftover picnic supplies, we join a procession of mostly women and children, on their way back to the parking lot. behind us, bob stands with his feet firmly planted with his he

-- his feet on his side of the white line. my story ends on december 20, 1978. david bob was released from prison. i will conclude today with an excerpt from my epilogue.