bombing in that year, 1972, ordered the dropping of 1.1 million tons of bombs. >> host: how did alexander butterfieldget to the white house? >> guest: it was an accident.er he knew be haldeman who was nixon's top aide, chief of staff, from ucla.an butterfield was an air force colonel. he asked to interview haldeman, and haldeman realized here's minute out of air force -- here's somebody out of air force central casting, somebody would be perfect to bring in as his deputy. he did that with nixon's approval be, but nixon didn't meet butterfield until the first weeks of the presidency. and on their meeting, the scene is described. it shows how nixon literally could not talk, all he did was mumble. >> host: 202 is the area code. 748-8400 in the east and central time zones. 748-8201 for those of you in the mountain and pacific time zones. and our text number for text message, 202-838-6251. is mr. butterfield still alive? >> guest: he is. he's 09 years old, live -- 90 years old.bu lives in california. he's on a couple of nonprofit boards and is, you know, he was just sitting there, and this, again, is one

. >> host: how did alexander butterfield get to the white house? >> guest: it was an accident. knew haldeman, nixon's top 8, chief of staff from ucla, butterfield was an air force colonel, he asked to interview haldeman and haldeman realized here is somebody out of air force central casting, somebody who would be perfect to bring in as his deputy to get that with nixon's approval but dixon didn't meet butterfield until the first weeks of the presidency and their meeting is described, it shows how nixon literally could not talk. all he did was mumble. >> host: 202-748-8200, or 8201 for those in the mountain and pacific time zone and text number for text messages, 202-838-6251. is mister butterfield still alive? >> guest: he is 90 years old, lives in california, then a couple nonprofits, just sitting there, this is one of the journalistic lessons in all of this. you have got to show up and ask people, who would have ever thought there would be another dimension to nixon, the nixon presidency, there was just sitting. >> host: do you think a lot of the documents, the attitude in th

alexander butterfield is one of the few. >> john dean. >> guest: john dean is, who is nixon counsel who testified so dramatically and 73. he testified for days about his dealings with nixon and the crimes in the cover-up. you know, there are a few people but the main aids are gone. henry kissinger is still alive, he is a figure in this book. i think they're still work to be done on the vietnam war and why nixon continued that more when he had the opportunity, when he became president and 69 to change the policy. he withdrew troops but increase the bombing. so what's the bottom line? what's the lesson? history is never over, there is is always work to be done. >> host: this is a text message from 956 area code, reminder if you send a text message include your first name and city. mr.. mr. woodward, who is the most honest politician you have research? >> guest: i have found in the event that gerald ford who pardon nixon. i thought the pardon was a corrupt act and i examined it in detail and interviewed ford many times. actually what ford did, rather than it being a deal or an act of corru

we sat down with bob woodward and talked about his most recent book, alexander butterfield we talked about watergate as well. so in case that is a topic that is of interest to any mention evan thomas booked, mr. thomas was here last year to talk about his book at the national book festival. you can watch that online at our website, at book tv.org. thought.org. thought the commercials here this time. mary is in pennsylvania, what are you reading? >> actually i have just started the boys in the boat so i'm not very far along in it. but i love c-span, and i love the show but i have a question and that is, why do you not ever have any fiction writing? >> do you think we should have fiction on? >> will i would like it because i love fiction and nonfiction. i'm just wondering what your reason is for not having it. >> what you think your reasoning is? >> not a criticism. >> when you think our reasoning is the? >> i don't know. >> okay, we are part of c-span. c-span covers public affairs, nonfiction issues, washington, public policy and things like that. so book tv as part of c-span, we try