Fellow Travelers

by Thomas Mallon

For a moment Tim thought he could feel the Caucus Room expand with history and purpose. Something important was being offered for discussion. But the senator and the witness soon returned to the question of whether, on or around December 9, Adams had offered to trade Cohn an air force scandal for the Fort Monmouth investigation. “Somebody is not telling the truth,” said Potter, reiterating what had become his catchphrase. “Somebody is certainly mistaken, sir,” responded Cohn. “It is certainly not us, sir.” “So,” said Potter, with the logic Tommy McIntyre had supplied him, “perjury has been committed.” “Well, sir,” answered Cohn, “somebody is certainly mistaken, and, once again, sir, I am not.” Tim noticed that Cohn might be denying no more than stupidity; he had not denied lying—let alone denied that the eleven memoranda over his name had been typed on an office machine he was never even near.