Dean lays out to the President what he believes Nixon needs to know so he can proceed with the most accurate knowledge. Dean tells him “We have a cancer within – close to the Presidency, that’s growing.” Dean believes there are two immediate issues. The first is the ongoing blackmail. The second is that very soon people will begin to perjure themselves. He tells Nixon they will likely need “a million dollars over the next, uh, two years.” Nixon tells him, “…You could get a million dollars, and you could get it in cash. I know where it could be gotten.” At several points, Nixon makes clear he is well informed about items Dean does not expect he had prior knowledge of. Rather than give up on the blackmail and face the repercussions, Nixon decides they should “fight it out.” It is determined that Haldeman, Dean, Ehrlichman, and Mitchell should sort out the next steps. Privately, Dean wonders if he’s going to be left out in the cold as Gray’s testimony has brought the heat on him.