Locker Ray - Nixons gamble: how a presidents own secret government destroyed his administration

Ray Locker is the Washington enterprise editor of USA Today. Before joining USA Today, he was an editor, reporter, and columnist for the Associated Press, Los Angeles Times, Tampa Tribune, and Montgomery (Alabama) Advertiser. He and his family live in North Bethesda, Maryland.

This book would not exist if not for Len Colodny. His exhaustive research for Silent Coup provided the foundation for many historians, including me, and is an invaluable resource. He inspired me with his friendship, steadfast spirit, and energy. Its only fitting that his work for Silent Coup and The Forty Years War is now collected at Texas A&M University, where they will be available to future scholars. Lens wife, Sandy, and his children, Sherry and John, have also been rocks throughout this entire project, and my thanks go out to them.

Ed Gray, author and son of former acting FBI director L. Patrick Gray, provided years of research and encouragement. He was the first to mine the Woodward and Bernstein papers at the University of Texas and expose the numerous inconsistencies between their notes and books. His insights led me to dig further into the life and work of William C. Sullivan, which yielded many of the new details here. He helped make this book what it is today.

Authors, officials, scholars, and advisers essential to the existence of Nixons Gamble include Robert Gettlin, who put his heart and soul into Silent Coup; Luke Nichter of Texas A&M University, who will become one of historys greatest Nixon scholars; Max Holland; Evan Thomas; James Rosen; Brian Robertson; Martin Lobel; and Fred Graboske.

The resources at the University of Texas, the Harold Weisberg Collection at Hood College in Frederick, Maryland, the Lowell Weicker papers at the University of Virginia, the Richard Nixon and Lyndon Johnson presidential libraries, the Defense Department, FBI, CIA, and the State Department Office of the Historian were incredible aids. Their collections provided much of the documentation upon which this book stands.

Friends and colleagues provided incredible support and encouragement. Much of the inspiration came from more than thirty years of conversations with Lee Landenberger, whose fascination with the events of the Nixon era kept me going. Michael Fechter helped expose the flaws in earlier collections of White House tapes and provided critical help with all stages of the manuscript. Gene Brissie at Lyons Press helped shape the book where it needed the most help, and James Jayo helped make it possible by accepting the proposal. Warren and Sandy Johnston have been incredible friends for more than 25 years and insightful critics. Mike Casey, Peter Kelley, and Griff Thomas were great sounding boards at the Present Moment Retreat in Troncones, Mexico. Peter Viles, John Jeter, Allan Katz, Peter Eisler, Fredreka Schouten, Tom Vanden Brook, Chrissy Terrell, David Jackson, Gregory Korte, Jim Michaels, Lee Horwich, Susan Page, Paul Singer, Linda Kauss, Julie Mason, and Cooper Allen provided personal and professional assists along the way. Special thanks to Kelly Kennedy for support and encouragement that extended to introducing me to my agent, the incredible Scott Miller of Trident Media, and to USA TODAY Editor David Callaway for helping with op-eds and overall support.

Any project of this magnitude depends on the help and patience of family. Throughout the researching, thinking, and writing of this project, Margaret Talev has been an incredible sounding board, critic, and cheerleader. I would not have made it without her. My daughters Maggie and Abbey have put up with my time hidden in the office and the various distractions. My parents, Bob and Marge Locker, who voted for Richard Nixon for president three times, provided tremendous support and encouragement. They are everything anyone would want in parents. Finally, to the rest of my extended family, Lauren, David, Marina, Julia, and Henry Piper; Lydia, Steve, Ian, and Paul Josowitz; and Debbie and Richard Etchison, thanks for the kind thoughts and help.

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