the optimum environment for the free exchange of ideas. In a few instances we
realized that a comfortable time frame would not afford the opportunity to balance
views on one panel, so another panel devoted exclusively to opposing views
was established. When papers were presented, the discussants had already read
them so they were able to evaluate them and add their own observations. The
discussions have been edited to make them compatible with a written format,
but the flow of thought has been preserved as much as possible. Audio cassettes
were made of all panels for distribution to those who desired to purchase them,
and C-Span televised about half the panels nationally. As a matter of record, in
order to avoid confusion, John Ehrlichman participated in the conference but
not in this book.

This book would not have been possible without the assistance of many people.
We would like to thank all who prepared papers and those who served as
discussants. A special word of thanks goes to Frank Zarb, Hofstra alumnus and
Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the time of the conference, for his help
in recruiting many of the participants who had worked in the Nixon Adminis-
tration. We are grateful to James Hastings and his staff at the National Archives
for acquainting us with the documents of the Nixon Presidency and the researchers
using them. We also thank the staff of the Hofstra University Cultural Center,
capably directed by Natalie Datlof and Alexej Ugrinksy, for coordinating many
of the details and arrangements of the conference along with Athelene A. Collins,
Marilyn Seidman, and Laura J. Tringone. We are especially grateful to Jessica
Richter for the various tasks connected with shepherding the pages of the manu-
script to the publisher.

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