Ben Bagdikian quotes from The Post (2017)

Daniel Ellsberg

But it didn't take him long to figure out, well, for us to figure out if the public ever saw these papers they would turn against the war. Covert ops, guaranteed debt, rigged elections? It's all in there. Ike, Kennedy, Johnson... they violated the Geneva Convention. They lied to Congress and they lied to the public. They knew we couldn't win and still sent boys to die.

Ben Bagdikian

What about Nixon?

Daniel Ellsberg

He's just carrying on like all the others, too afraid to be the one who loses the war on his watch.

What if we wait? What if we hold off on printing today. Instead we call the Attorney General and we tell them that we intend to print on Sunday. That way we give them and us time to figure out the legality of all of it, while the Court in New York decides the Times case.

Ben Bradlee

Are you suggesting we alert the Attorney General to the fact that we have these documents, that we're going to print, in a few days?

Well, yes, that is the idea.

Ben Bagdikian

Yeah, well, outside of landing the Hindenburg in a lightning storm, that's about the shittiest idea I've ever heard.

Fritz Beebe

Oh boy!

Ben Bagdikian

They're going to lock you up, Dan.

Daniel Ellsberg

Wouldn't you go to prison to stop this war?

Ben Bagdikian

Theoretically, sure.

Daniel Ellsberg

You are gonna publish these documents?

Ben Bagdikian

Yeah.

Daniel Ellsberg

Even with the injunction.

Ben Bagdikian

Yes.

Daniel Ellsberg

Well, then. It's not so theoretical then, is it?