the senate watergate committee found donald segretti ran 22 people that were all spies in the muskie campaign. they were sending out funny literature. >> guest: but let me tell you something, that was coming back to the white house. >> host: but that was an operation that was set up by in part the president -- >> guest: we can probably debate this for a full hour and more and you and i have agreed to disagree on this point because you know i get your point. >> host: i get your point but what i think and i think this is important and i think it's validated by your book is there's a mindset. if we can achieve our means, our political means and have a public relations victory go to it. there is no barrier and if you look in detail as the senate watergate committee did, what the nixon operatives did to muskie, they really drove him from the race were certainly helped and got the nominee they wanted, george mcgovern who is much more to the left and it was a big political victory that worked. if you look -- if you think of watergate as a burglary or just a cover-up of it masks the dimensio

the senate watergate committee found donald segretti ran 22 people, there were spies in the muskie campaign, send ought phony lilt tour -- literature -- >> guest: that was coming back to the house. >> host: that was an operation that was set up by in part the president's -- >> guest: as you know, we can probably debate this for a full hour or more, and you and i have agreed to disagree on this point. >> host: that's right. >> guest: because i get your point -- >> host: and i get your point. but what i think -- i think this is important -- i think it's validated by your book -- is there was a mindset here. and if we can achieve our means, our political means, and screw somebody or have a public relations victory, go to it. there's no barrier. and if you look in details at senate watergate committee did, what the nixon operatives did to muskie, they really drove him from the race, or certainly helped, and got the nominee they wanted, george mcgovern, who was much more to the left, and it was a big political victory that worked, and if you think of watergate as a burglar or just a coverup of i