The Post

Dan. Your rifle.

All right, do them all.

First and second squad, too.

Who's the longhair?

That's Ellsberg. Works for Lansdale at the embassy.

He's observing.

Let's move out.

Let's go. Moving out.

I'll take good care of it.

- (GUNFIRE) - (MEN SHOUTING)

Bravo 27, this is Kilo 4 Tango.

Fire mission. Grid 298471.

- (GROANS) Lay down.

Just hang in there, buddy. They're gonna fix you up.

Dan?

Dan?

Dan!

Secretary would like a word. You wanna follow me?

Well, you can say what you want to the President.

I've read every one of Ellsberg's reports...

and I'm telling you, it's just not the case.

Dan, you know Mr. Komer.

He's been discussing the war with the President...

and, well, his sense is that we've made

real progress over the past year...

but I've been doing my own review, and it seems to me...

that things have gotten worse.

But neither of us have been in the field.

You have, you're the one who knows.

So, what do you say?

Are things better or worse?

Well, Mr. Secretary...

what I'm most impressed by is how much things are the same.

You see, that's exactly what I'm saying.

We put another hundred thousand troops

into the field, things are no better.

To me, that means things are actually worse.

Thank you, Dan.

Mr. Secretary! - (REPORTERS CLAMORING)

Mr. Secretary! Sir!

How was your trip, sir? Sir.

Good afternoon, gentlemen.

I don't have any prepared remarks...

but I'd be very happy to take your questions one at a time.

- Jim. - Mr. Secretary...

I'm wondering if the trip left you

optimistic or pessimistic...

about our prospects in this war and our ability to win it.

He asked whether I was optimistic or pessimistic.

Today, I can tell you that military progress

over the past 12 months...

has exceeded our expectations.

We're very encouraged by what we're seeing in Vietnam.

In every respect, we're making progress.

And I'm especially pleased to have had

Bob Komer along for the trip.

So he could see for himself

that we've been showing great improvement...

in every dimension of the war effort.

Derek.

Good night, Dan.

- Good night, Dan. - Night, guys.

You okay, Dan?

Yeah. Yeah, thought I'd forgot something.

I didn't.

Next left on Melrose.

We have committed ourselves to the cause...

of a just and peaceful world order

through the United Nations.

"May 3rd, 1950.

"President Truman approved $10 million

"in military aid to Indochina."

America's leadership

and prestige depend...

on how we use our power in the interests of world peace.

"I feel concerned about paragraph six...

"which gives authority to control

"general elections in Vietnam."

The United States, as the world knows,

will never start a war.

"May 11th, 1961.

"President Kennedy orders

"a full examination by the Defense Department...

"of a possible commitment of U.S. forces to Vietnam."

We are not about to send American boys...

9 or 10,000 miles away from home...

to do what Asian boys ought to be doing for themselves.

"President Johnson chose to reaffirm the Kennedy policies.

"Military operations should be initiated

"under close political control."

(STUTTERING) Can we just do the numbers

just one more time?

The company's selling how many shares?

1.35 million shares.

And the price range is?

Between $24.50 and $27 per share.

Not exactly a huge difference.

For them. But, you know, the bankers

always do fiddle with the prices.

But for us, that's over $3 million...

and that represents over five years' salary

for 25 good reporters.

Good. But why spend in the newsroom?

You're far less profitable

than Gannett or Knight or Ridder.

Gannett and Knight and Ridder

own monopoly papers in smaller cities.

And our readers are leaders, you know.

They're educated. They demand more.

That's why we invest in really good reporters.

And so...

Because quality and profitability

do go hand in hand.

- See? - Yeah.

- You know all this already. - (LAUGHS) Oh, gosh!

I don't know if I do.

- I should get to breakfast. - Yeah.

We don't want Paul or Arthur too antsy this afternoon.

No.

Good luck.

- And thank you, Fritz. - Mmm-hmm.

- See you downtown. - I'll see you.

You think this is really necessary?

Oh, God, yes.

Darling, you should hear how they talk at these meetings.

It's as if it's in a foreign language.

No, I meant taking the company public.

It seems we are cash poor.

You know, barely solvent.

That's the newspaper business.

That's our newspaper business...

and we need the public offering

to stay in business and to continue to grow.

That's what Fritz says.

And he also says that the family

can maintain control if we...

Anyway, I'm just not sure your grandfather...

would have wanted us to give up any control at all.

- Hello? Mrs. Graham?

Yes? This is she.

Please hold for the Chief of Staff.

Who is it?

Haldeman.

Mrs. Graham, Bob Haldeman.

Yes, hello.

We've got a bit of an issue over here.

Oh?

Well, that makes perfect sense.

Do you agree with that?

Without a doubt.

Oh, Jesus.

I'm so sorry.

- Sorry, sorry, sorry. - Good morning.

So late. I had to get all this stuff together...

and then I had an unexpected call.

Well, what is with the suitcase?

Ben, I told you, this is the day.

We're meeting with the bankers today.

- Oh, yes. Right, right. - You know this.

I bet you every dollar in my wallet

that you are the only person...

in that boardroom who's read through all that nonsense.

I'm probably the only one who needs to.

What do you think of Neil Sheehan?

Oh, gosh, his coverage of Vietnam

is just absolutely marvelous.

Why?

You thinking of trying to steal him from The Times?

I'm not sure we can afford him.

He... He hasn't had a piece in three months.

Oh?

Do you think he's onto something?

Well, I saw Abe at a dinner party last week

and he was looking mighty, mighty smug.

Doesn't he always? (CHUCKLES)

So who was it?

Who was what?

Your unexpected call.

Oh, I buried the lede.

The White House.

- Haldeman rang. - Yeah?

It seems the President has decided

not to provide Judith...

with credentials to cover the Nixon wedding.

- Jesus Christ. - Yeah.

They said we could send another reporter.

- Oh, yeah? Can't believe that. - (SIGHS)

I know, I know.

- But... - But what?

I'm not sure I entirely blame