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John Mitchell would get thoroughly briefed on whatever the issue was—Haiphong Harbor or Senator Fulbright or the need for increased spending—and then, without ever letting Martha know that he expected her to give a scoop to some lucky reporter that evening, John would simply smoke his pipe and just happen to engage her in casual conversation about the matter. Martha was much too strong-willed to be /nstructed to make a call, but she could be counted on to make the call, even if it was three 0’ clock in the morning when the urge hit her. This was a great joke among the reporters. One little news item quoted her latest pronouncement, and after the quote that sentence was completed with, “Martha Mitchell confided to the Washington Star yesterday..." Confided, indeed—to a newspaper. But in the process of becoming a public character, she developed many contacts in the media. By the time her husband became my campaign manager, Martha Mitchell was already a household word. We thought she would prove to be a wonderful asset until she started blabbing about Watergate. Another Frankenstein monster we created was Henry Kissinger. | never really wanted him in the first place. He had insulted me publicly when | received the nomination in ' 68. But | made an agreement with HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_015107