All the President's Men quotes
53 total quotesBen Bradlee
Bob Woodward
Carl Bernstein
Harry Rosenfeld
Multiple Characters
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[about Martha Mitchell] I just don't get it; a CREEP secretary being scared, that's one thing. But what does the wife of one of the most powerful men in America have to be afraid of?
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It's like they taught us at Harvard: few things are as gratifying to the soul as having another man's nuts in a vise.
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Foreign editor: I don't think either Metropolitan or National should cover the story. I don't think we should cover the story, period.
Bradlee: Go on.
Foreign editor: It's not that we're using unnamed sources that bothers me, or that everything we print the White House denies, or that almost no other papers are reprinting our stuff.
Simons: What then?
Foreign editor: I don't believe the goddamn story, Howard, it doesn't make sense.
Bradlee: It will, it just hasn't bottomed out yet, give it time.
Foreign editor: Ben, Jesus, there are over two thousand reporters in this town, are there five on Watergate? Where did we suddenly get all this wisdom?
Bradlee: Go on.
Foreign editor: It's not that we're using unnamed sources that bothers me, or that everything we print the White House denies, or that almost no other papers are reprinting our stuff.
Simons: What then?
Foreign editor: I don't believe the goddamn story, Howard, it doesn't make sense.
Bradlee: It will, it just hasn't bottomed out yet, give it time.
Foreign editor: Ben, Jesus, there are over two thousand reporters in this town, are there five on Watergate? Where did we suddenly get all this wisdom?
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This is terrific work, if you like rejection.
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Nixon: [on television] No one in this administration, presently employed, was involved in this very bizarre incident. What really hurts in matters of this sort is not the fact that they occur, because overzealous people in campaigns do things that are wrong. What really hurts is if you try to cover it up.
Woodward: Did he just say what I think he said?
Bernstein: You voted for him.
Woodward: Did he just say what I think he said?
Bernstein: You voted for him.
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Judge: Will you please state your professions.
Barker: Anti-communists.
Judge: Anti-communists? That, sir, is not your average profession. Your name, please.
McCord: James McCord.
Judge: Will you step forward, sir? And what is your occupation, Mr. McCord?
McCord: Security consultant.
Judge: Where?
McCord: Government, uh, recently, uh, retired.
Judge: Where in the government?
McCord: Central Intelligence Agency.
Judge: Where?
McCord: The C.I.A.
Woodward: Holy shit.
Barker: Anti-communists.
Judge: Anti-communists? That, sir, is not your average profession. Your name, please.
McCord: James McCord.
Judge: Will you step forward, sir? And what is your occupation, Mr. McCord?
McCord: Security consultant.
Judge: Where?
McCord: Government, uh, recently, uh, retired.
Judge: Where in the government?
McCord: Central Intelligence Agency.
Judge: Where?
McCord: The C.I.A.
Woodward: Holy shit.
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Woodward: According to White House personnel, Hunt definitely works there as a consultant for Colson. But when I called the White House Press office, they said he hadn't worked there for three months. Then the P.R. guy said the weirdest thing to me. [reading] "I am convinced that neither Mr. Colson nor anyone else at the White House had any knowledge of, or participation in, this deplorable incident at the Democratic National Committee."
Simons: Isn't that what you'd expect them to say?
Woodward: Absolutely.
Rosenfeld: So?
Woodward: I never asked them about Watergate. I only said what were Hunt's duties at the White House. They volunteered that he was innocent when nobody asked was he guilty.
Simons: Isn't that what you'd expect them to say?
Woodward: Absolutely.
Rosenfeld: So?
Woodward: I never asked them about Watergate. I only said what were Hunt's duties at the White House. They volunteered that he was innocent when nobody asked was he guilty.