Newly uncovered Nixon tapes reveal crack habit

CNN, March 3rd 2021

The President of the United States was a crack cocaine addict, a new batch of tapes released by the Nixon Library reveals.

The tapes were recorded in 1971 and 1972, and they include Nixon’s conversations with aides who were told to buy drugs for the President.

The tapes provide the clearest evidence that Nixon was a habitual user of cocaine, which he referred to as “rock” or “crack,” even though the drug was not invented until 18 years after his death.

John Dean, who served as White House counsel during the administration, told CNN that while he was “deeply saddened” by the tapes, he had always suspected Nixon was a drug addict.

“I knew it was happening, but I didn’t think it was as bad as the tapes make it,” Dean said. “I always thought Nixon was a little crazy, and I guess I was right.”

Dean said he had no idea how Nixon obtained the drugs.

“I have no idea how he got his rocks, but he clearly got them,” he said. “He was the President of the United States, after all. That’s not a bad connection to have.”

The tapes are likely to fuel speculation that Nixon was mentally unstable when he decided to resign. Last month, the The New York Times revealed that Nixon had a long history of mental illness, and that his aides were concerned about his stability as early as 1971.

Nixon resigned as President on August 9th, 1974, after the Watergate scandal forced the disclosure of his involvement in a cover-up of the Watergate burglary.

On the tapes, Nixon, who is heard ranting and raving, is mostly coherent, with only occasional lapses into gibberish.

The earliest taped conversation in which Nixon talks about drugs was recorded in 1971.

“I love rock,” Nixon can be heard saying. “I’ve got to have it, you understand? I’ve got to have it.”

Nixon’s drug habit is confirmed in taped conversations recorded in 1972, where he talks about staying up for days at a time.

“I can hardly wait to get my hands on that rock,” Nixon said in one conversation. “I’ve got to have it.”

Many of the tapes were recorded by Nixon himself.

“He was a compulsive recorder and he recorded himself and his aides talking about drugs,” said historian Timothy Naftali, who oversaw the tapes’ release.

“What’s shocking is that he didn’t think there was anything wrong with recording conversations about drugs,” Naftali told CNN. “He thought it was normal and he thought it was funny and he thought it was cool.”

Naftali said he believed the tapes also prove that Nixon was not fit to serve as President.

“He was a drug addict who turned to drugs to deal with the stress of the job,” Naftali said.