Daily Dialogue — February 22, 2012

Richard Nixon: These men, Haldeman, Ehrlichman, I knew their families, I knew them since they were just kids. But you now, politically the pressure on me to let them go, that became overwhelming. So, I did it. I cut off one arm then I cut the other and I’m not a good butcher. And I have always mantained what they were doing, what we’re all doing was not criminal. Look, when you’re in office you gotta do a lot of things sometimes that are not always in the strictest sense of the law, legal, but you do them because they’re in the greater interest of the nation.

David Frost: Alright wait, wait just so I understand correctly, are you really saying that in certain situations the President can decide whether it’s in the best interest of the nation and then do something illegal…

Richard Nixon: I’m saying that when the President does it, that means it’s not illegal!

David Frost: I’m sorry?

— Richard Nixon (Frank Langella), David Frost (Michael Sheen), Frost/Nixon (2008), screenplay by Peter Morgan, based on his play

http://static.movieclips.com/embedplayer.swf?shortid=5zCS

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is American presidents, suggested by Phil. Today’s suggestion by lizswan.

Trivia: The phone conversation at midnight between Frost and Nixon never actually happened. Screenwriter Peter Morgan got the inspiration from well-known phone calls at midnight that Nixon did to some government members during Watergate.

Dialogue On Dialogue: Liz did a great thing. She found the tape from the original interview of this very exchange. And here it is: