A: Well, he doesn't say that.

Q: Doesn't he ask...

A: You should read it more carefully.

Q: I read it very carefully.

A: He says in substance, You can't pay blackmail--you end up losing. And we can't do it.

Q: I just wanted to nail down this one point, because it was confusing to me.

A: I'm glad you will admit that, all right?

Q: Not the information, but your position was confusing to me.

A: Well, my position is very clear to me, and clearly stated in our brief, and I'll stand on it, all right?

Q: Well, let me just ask it one more time and then I'll move on to something else. The same day that the hush money was paid, didn't President Nixon tell Dean that he better damn well get that done, meaning pay the hush money?

A: No.

* * *

Nixon does tell Dean to pay the blackmail. This is evident from one portion of the White House transcript of the March 21, 1973 meeting between Nixon, Haldeman and Dean. The section reads:

D--They're going to stonewall it, as it now stands. Excepting Hunt. That's why his threat.

H--It's Hunt's opportunity.