1
00:00:00,481 --> 00:00:02,442
Did someone
put up a lot of money
2
00:00:02,466 --> 00:00:04,474
to have the Democratic headquarters
infiltrated?
3
00:00:04,497 --> 00:00:06,528
And if so, who and why?
4
00:00:06,548 --> 00:00:10,651
Justice will be pursued
no matter who is involved.
5
00:00:10,719 --> 00:00:13,873
Do you have information implicating
President Nixon in a cover-up?
6
00:00:13,896 --> 00:00:15,056
I'm sorry, I have no comment.
7
00:00:15,071 --> 00:00:17,883
The President of the United States
demanded that the Attorney General
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fire the Special Prosecutor.
9
00:00:19,814 --> 00:00:22,902
That is the definition of tyranny.
10
00:00:22,926 --> 00:00:26,314
People have got to know
whether or not their President is a crook.
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00:00:26,338 --> 00:00:27,685
Well, I am not a crook.
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00:00:27,696 --> 00:00:30,850
I don't think there was ever any discussion
that there wouldn't be a cover-up.
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00:00:30,874 --> 00:00:35,716
Congress must move ahead
with impeachment proceedings.
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00:00:35,740 --> 00:00:39,948
There can be no whitewash
at the White House.
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Sync, corrected by icephoenix
www.addic7ed.com
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00:01:37,774 --> 00:01:40,724
I think what we have to do
is to feel it out.
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00:01:41,992 --> 00:01:44,998
We're going to have to
find out what the mood is.
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00:01:45,021 --> 00:01:49,342
In 1972, Richard Nixon is very much
at the top of his game,
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00:01:49,366 --> 00:01:52,518
and is in a position to
achieve his goal
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00:01:52,529 --> 00:01:54,937
of being the greatest President
in American history.
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00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:57,996
The comments before about Mao...
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00:01:58,019 --> 00:02:00,402
He had desegregated
all the Southern schools.
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00:02:00,426 --> 00:02:04,770
He had ended the draft.
He created the E.P.A., the Cancer Institute.
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00:02:04,794 --> 00:02:08,548
And he had the greatest arms control
agreement in American history.
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00:02:08,564 --> 00:02:12,066
Not a bad record,
and the American people thought so.
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00:02:14,570 --> 00:02:19,707
Air Force One, the Spirit of '76,
has just landed at Peking International Airport.
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00:02:20,371 --> 00:02:22,377
It is a historic moment.
28
00:02:22,444 --> 00:02:24,963
The official beginning
of his visit to China.
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00:02:26,818 --> 00:02:30,086
China was considered
almost a different planet.
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00:02:30,109 --> 00:02:34,489
And the idea that any American
President would go to China
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00:02:34,512 --> 00:02:38,483
was considered a fantasy,
probably, at best.
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00:02:38,894 --> 00:02:43,146
In terms of foreign policy,
it was sort of a moon landing.
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00:02:44,566 --> 00:02:49,593
I think one of the results of our trip,
we hope, may be
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00:02:49,617 --> 00:02:54,600
the walls that are erected,
whether they are physical walls like this,
35
00:02:54,624 --> 00:02:58,718
or whether they are other walls
of ideology or philosophy,
36
00:02:58,741 --> 00:03:01,706
they will not divide
peoples of the world.
37
00:03:02,862 --> 00:03:06,761
In Richard Nixon's own mind,
this was a script.
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00:03:06,785 --> 00:03:12,809
It was designed to result in an overwhelming
election victory in the November election.
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00:03:12,832 --> 00:03:15,440
Who do you think you'll vote for
for President this year?
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00:03:15,464 --> 00:03:17,448
- Nixon.
- Richard Nixon.
41
00:03:17,472 --> 00:03:19,703
- Nixon.
- Yeah, Nixon.
42
00:03:19,721 --> 00:03:21,588
Nixon.
43
00:03:21,611 --> 00:03:23,274
Is anybody else running
but Nixon?
44
00:03:24,801 --> 00:03:27,108
The President was a political animal.
45
00:03:27,594 --> 00:03:30,400
The President was phenomenally skilled.
46
00:03:30,423 --> 00:03:34,525
He was able to handle virtually anything.
47
00:03:35,699 --> 00:03:38,583
Five men wearing white gloves
and carrying cameras
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00:03:38,607 --> 00:03:40,245
were caught earlier today
in the headquarters
49
00:03:40,268 --> 00:03:42,429
of the Democratic National Committee
in Washington.
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00:03:42,446 --> 00:03:44,319
They were caught by
a night watchman
51
00:03:44,343 --> 00:03:46,383
and they did not resist arrest
when the police came.
52
00:03:46,429 --> 00:03:50,139
They apparently were unarmed
and nobody knows yet why they were there.
53
00:03:50,163 --> 00:03:52,503
The film in the camera
hadn't even been exposed.
54
00:03:52,526 --> 00:03:54,381
In any case, they're being held.
55
00:03:55,021 --> 00:03:57,193
The Democratic National Committee
is housed
56
00:03:57,216 --> 00:03:59,289
at the fashionable Watergate Complex.
57
00:03:59,312 --> 00:04:02,349
The break-in apparently planned
well in advance.
58
00:04:02,373 --> 00:04:05,027
Files were ransacked and papers removed.
59
00:04:05,050 --> 00:04:08,257
Also in this area,
ceiling tiles had been removed
60
00:04:08,281 --> 00:04:11,240
for the suspected planting of
bugging devices.
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00:04:13,166 --> 00:04:17,966
It was Saturday morning June 17th.
The phone rang, it was about 6:30.
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00:04:17,990 --> 00:04:21,362
A colleague of my mine,
Chuck Work, was on the phone.
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00:04:21,397 --> 00:04:24,850
He said, "hello, it's Chuck.
We have a hot one."
64
00:04:26,576 --> 00:04:30,308
We have a burglary at the Democratic
National Committee headquarters.
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00:04:30,332 --> 00:04:34,175
And most unusual of all,
the burglars, five of them,
66
00:04:34,243 --> 00:04:36,208
are wearing suits.
67
00:04:36,233 --> 00:04:38,781
The arraignment of the five middle-aged men
was slowed down
68
00:04:38,804 --> 00:04:41,119
by the fact that
each had several aliases.
69
00:04:41,144 --> 00:04:43,069
Four said they were from Miami.
70
00:04:43,093 --> 00:04:45,301
The fifth said he lived in
the metropolitan Washington area.
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00:04:45,324 --> 00:04:47,719
Three were originally from Cuba.
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00:04:47,743 --> 00:04:50,584
The facts presented so far
raise a number of intriguing questions,
73
00:04:50,608 --> 00:04:52,970
such as did someone
put up a lot of money
74
00:04:52,994 --> 00:04:55,107
to have the Democratic
headquarters infiltrated?
75
00:04:55,131 --> 00:04:57,246
And if so, who and why?
76
00:04:57,766 --> 00:05:00,702
The President's press secretary
said of this incident,
77
00:05:00,769 --> 00:05:04,718
"I'm not going to comment from the White
House on a third-rate burglary attempt."
78
00:05:04,742 --> 00:05:09,844
"Obviously," he said, "we don't
condone that kind of second-rate activity."
79
00:05:10,425 --> 00:05:15,037
When the first reports came about
the burglary at the Watergate,
80
00:05:15,061 --> 00:05:17,450
I didn't think very much of it.
81
00:05:17,473 --> 00:05:20,701
But more and more facts
began to come out.
82
00:05:20,725 --> 00:05:24,201
This is a police photograph
of James W. McCord.
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00:05:24,224 --> 00:05:29,299
McCord is a former CIA employee.
Now he runs his own private security service.
84
00:05:29,322 --> 00:05:30,872
And guess what else he is.
85
00:05:30,895 --> 00:05:34,891
A consultant to President Richard Nixon's
Re-Election Campaign committee.
86
00:05:34,915 --> 00:05:38,341
McCord and his accomplices, meanwhile,
have been charged with second-degree burglary
87
00:05:38,365 --> 00:05:39,985
and released on bail.
88
00:05:40,009 --> 00:05:42,689
But I don't think that's the last
we're going to hear of this story.
89
00:05:44,117 --> 00:05:46,855
It's one of the most shocking actions,
I think,
90
00:05:46,879 --> 00:05:49,896
that's happened in this country
in a long time.
91
00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:55,322
But I must say that it's the legacy
of years of wiretapping,
92
00:05:55,345 --> 00:05:59,629
and snooping, and violation of privacy
in which the government itself
93
00:05:59,653 --> 00:06:02,095
has been too deeply involved.
94
00:06:02,892 --> 00:06:07,460
Both Democrats and Republicans
played with pranks,
95
00:06:07,483 --> 00:06:09,761
and tricks all the time.
96
00:06:09,785 --> 00:06:11,943
The difference in Watergate was that
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00:06:11,966 --> 00:06:14,503
these people were foolish
and they got caught.
98
00:06:15,245 --> 00:06:19,130
No one in the White House staff,
no one in this administration
99
00:06:19,153 --> 00:06:23,709
was involved in this
very bizarre incident.
100
00:06:23,732 --> 00:06:27,908
Nixon said this is being investigated
by the Congress, by the FBI.
101
00:06:27,933 --> 00:06:29,682
But even more importantly,
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00:06:29,694 --> 00:06:32,838
I've had my own White House counsel,
John Dean,
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00:06:32,861 --> 00:06:36,258
conduct an investigation,
and he's reported to me that
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00:06:36,281 --> 00:06:38,699
nobody presently employed
in this administration
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00:06:38,722 --> 00:06:40,249
had anything to do with this.
106
00:06:40,269 --> 00:06:43,099
Well, this is the first I heard
of my investigation.
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00:06:43,122 --> 00:06:48,059
And my reaction is, "wow."
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00:06:54,113 --> 00:06:56,332
Seven people were indicted today,
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00:06:56,356 --> 00:07:00,242
the five who were caught by the police,
along with two others,
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00:07:00,260 --> 00:07:03,477
G. Gordon Liddy and E. Howard Hunt.
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00:07:04,952 --> 00:07:08,627
I had never met Liddy,
nor had I met Howard Hunt.
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00:07:08,650 --> 00:07:11,527
I didn't know who they were
when I was in the White House,
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00:07:11,550 --> 00:07:14,732
but when the break-in occurred
I said, "oh, no,"
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00:07:14,750 --> 00:07:19,206
because I knew at once, instinctively,
it was our guys.
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00:07:19,229 --> 00:07:23,215
G. Gordon Liddy, finance counsel
to the Nixon Campaign Organization.
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00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:28,465
Ex-FBI, ex-treasury, ex-justice,
ex-White House consultant.
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00:07:28,489 --> 00:07:30,790
And E. Howard Hunt, Jr.
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00:07:30,814 --> 00:07:35,789
Ex-CIA, ex-Bay of Pigs planner,
ex-White House consultant.
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00:07:35,813 --> 00:07:39,388
They thought they were James Bond.
We didn't think they measured up.
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00:07:39,412 --> 00:07:42,770
It was closer to the typical gang
that couldn't shoot straight.
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00:07:42,794 --> 00:07:46,809
Prosecutor Earl Silbert read the names
of 60 government witnesses.
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00:07:46,832 --> 00:07:50,196
The list included only one
low-ranking White House lawyer
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00:07:50,220 --> 00:07:54,106
and several former employees of
the Committee to Re-Elect the President.
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00:07:54,664 --> 00:07:57,082
If you don't know
Richard Nixon's psychology,
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00:07:57,106 --> 00:08:00,100
if you don't know his background,
you could never understand
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00:08:00,123 --> 00:08:03,373
why the White House reacted to
Watergate the way it does.
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00:08:04,512 --> 00:08:07,711
From day one, there was a great sense
that we were under siege.
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00:08:07,731 --> 00:08:12,105
And we were not deceiving ourselves
that the press did not like us.
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00:08:12,117 --> 00:08:14,700
Both houses of Congress
did not like Nixon.
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00:08:14,723 --> 00:08:18,598
That is the truth.
And the question is how you deal with it.
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00:08:19,196 --> 00:08:23,546
He tries to build a little like
mafioso group out of the Oval Office.
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00:08:23,570 --> 00:08:25,618
People like Haldeman and Ehrlichman.
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00:08:25,642 --> 00:08:31,184
Guys that will take the bullet for you.
Pure loyalty. They fell under his spell.
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00:08:31,208 --> 00:08:36,215
President Nixon created what you'd have to call
a paranoid atmosphere in the White House.
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00:08:36,239 --> 00:08:37,859
You're supposed to get your enemies.
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00:08:37,882 --> 00:08:39,350
They took it literally.
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00:08:39,373 --> 00:08:42,344
If the President says
you've got to go get our enemies,
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00:08:42,367 --> 00:08:44,786
well, we've got to go get our enemies.
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00:08:44,809 --> 00:08:48,278
Nixon, he did not know
that they were doing the break-in.
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00:08:48,302 --> 00:08:53,168
But once it happened, he was convinced
they had to engage in a cover-up.
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00:08:53,685 --> 00:08:59,679
By August 29th, Nixon is deeply involved,
to my surprise
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00:08:59,688 --> 00:09:02,963
in all the key elements of the cover-up.
143
00:09:02,987 --> 00:09:05,805
Who do you think gave the orders
to bug the Watergate?
144
00:09:05,828 --> 00:09:11,519
Well, the persons whom the grand jury
indicted in Washington, D.C. last week
145
00:09:11,543 --> 00:09:14,478
- gave the orders to do it.
- You don't think they were following orders, then?
146
00:09:14,501 --> 00:09:16,221
- No, I don't.
- There's nobody higher?
147
00:09:16,245 --> 00:09:18,528
There has been no evidence
presented that anybody did that.
148
00:09:18,552 --> 00:09:24,528
I think the opposition is disappointed that
after such a thorough intensive investigation
149
00:09:24,552 --> 00:09:26,724
that seven persons were indicted.
150
00:09:29,009 --> 00:09:32,543
At the time,
most of the press was satisfied
151
00:09:32,555 --> 00:09:36,600
that the Nixon White House had nothing
to do with this Watergate break-in.
152
00:09:36,623 --> 00:09:41,504
I have full confidence in
the integrity of President Nixon,
153
00:09:41,528 --> 00:09:46,289
and in his determination and ability
to resolve the Watergate matter
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00:09:46,312 --> 00:09:49,107
to the full satisfaction
of the American people.
155
00:09:49,118 --> 00:09:52,150
Now this is when the Washington Post
156
00:09:52,161 --> 00:09:55,226
really distinguished themself from
the rest of the press pack.
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00:09:56,296 --> 00:09:59,138
October '72, the headline said that
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00:09:59,161 --> 00:10:02,749
the Dirty Tricks Operation had been
run out of the White House.
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00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:05,132
That's a pretty good story.
160
00:10:05,156 --> 00:10:07,348
They don't really crack the case.
161
00:10:07,371 --> 00:10:11,991
What the Post does very effectively
was they kept the story alive
162
00:10:12,015 --> 00:10:14,892
when nobody else
was paying any attention to it.
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00:10:14,909 --> 00:10:20,621
Using innuendo, third person hearsay,
unsubstantiated charges,
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00:10:20,630 --> 00:10:24,246
anonymous sources,
and huge scare headlines,
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00:10:24,270 --> 00:10:27,499
the Post has maliciously sought
to give the appearance
166
00:10:27,510 --> 00:10:30,527
of a direct connection between
the White House and the Watergate.
167
00:10:30,545 --> 00:10:32,529
A charge which the Post knows,
168
00:10:32,541 --> 00:10:36,457
and half a dozen investigations have found,
to be false.
169
00:10:36,475 --> 00:10:39,710
- Thank you very much.
- I want to ask one question.
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00:10:39,733 --> 00:10:44,262
Fairly early on,
we were running into a wall of silence.
171
00:10:44,285 --> 00:10:46,623
We were being stonewalled,
that became clear.
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00:10:46,647 --> 00:10:48,833
None of the seven would talk to us.
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00:10:48,856 --> 00:10:54,104
The White House was basically paying hush
money to keep the Watergate burglars silent.
174
00:10:54,121 --> 00:10:55,718
Hunt is asking for money.
175
00:10:55,742 --> 00:11:00,708
And if the money isn't forthcoming,
these people aren't going to remain silent.
176
00:11:00,732 --> 00:11:05,528
Haldeman, Ehrlichman and yours truly
were obstructing justice.
177
00:11:05,551 --> 00:11:10,045
But nobody was thinking about the criminal law.
We were thinking more about the politics of it all.
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00:11:10,068 --> 00:11:12,640
All of the burglars stay quiet.
179
00:11:12,663 --> 00:11:18,075
Nobody else is indicted, which is exactly
what the White House's strategy was.
180
00:11:18,099 --> 00:11:20,540
The strategy was containment.
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00:11:20,552 --> 00:11:24,691
If it doesn't get widespread coverage
in the country as a whole,
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00:11:24,714 --> 00:11:27,121
then we'll be able to handle this.
183
00:11:28,652 --> 00:11:30,931
This is about the government.
184
00:11:30,953 --> 00:11:34,699
This is about credibility.
This is about bugging.
185
00:11:34,716 --> 00:11:39,254
This is about deception.
This is about the White House.
186
00:11:40,041 --> 00:11:42,765
And this is how you stop it.
187
00:11:43,117 --> 00:11:44,409
With your vote.
188
00:11:45,189 --> 00:11:47,549
While Senator McGovern is out
campaigning tirelessly,
189
00:11:47,561 --> 00:11:49,880
trying to get his message
across to the people,
190
00:11:49,898 --> 00:11:53,044
Mr. Nixon gives the impression of
remaining above the campaign.
191
00:11:53,068 --> 00:11:55,848
Sitting in the White House
carrying out his Presidential duties,
192
00:11:55,860 --> 00:11:58,807
and leaving the hard campaigning
to Vice President Agnew.
193
00:11:58,830 --> 00:12:02,564
The fascinating thing about the role
of Watergate in the 1972 election is
194
00:12:02,588 --> 00:12:04,378
people want to trust the king.
195
00:12:04,401 --> 00:12:06,891
You know, people don't want to
believe this about their President.
196
00:12:06,909 --> 00:12:10,804
Pennsylvania, a decisively important
state for the Democrats,
197
00:12:10,827 --> 00:12:12,870
gone tonight to the Republicans.
198
00:12:12,891 --> 00:12:18,559
Kansas, Connecticut, Texas,
Michigan, Delaware, Arkansas
199
00:12:18,583 --> 00:12:23,843
and North Dakota. Those are the states
that we show for President Nixon.
200
00:12:23,867 --> 00:12:26,814
- Four more years!
- Four more years!
201
00:12:26,831 --> 00:12:30,201
That was one of the greatest victories
any President has ever had,
202
00:12:30,225 --> 00:12:33,853
carrying every state except Massachusetts
and the District of Columbia.
203
00:12:34,522 --> 00:12:39,130
I think that the shadow on his victory
is the Watergate affair,
204
00:12:39,151 --> 00:12:42,579
and I believe that a great many people
very close to the President
205
00:12:42,591 --> 00:12:47,487
would like to have him move on that as one of
the high priorities of his new administration.
206
00:12:47,511 --> 00:12:52,873
Either have these people exonerated
or get them out and persuade the country
207
00:12:52,896 --> 00:12:58,121
that the taint is gone,
as there is a real taint there.
208
00:13:03,374 --> 00:13:07,105
The jury in the Watergate case
reached a quick verdict late today.
209
00:13:07,123 --> 00:13:09,589
Nixon campaign counsel
Gordon Liddy
210
00:13:09,612 --> 00:13:13,782
and campaign security chief
James McCord guilty on all counts
211
00:13:13,806 --> 00:13:17,187
in the break-in and bugging of Democratic
National Committee headquarters.
212
00:13:17,255 --> 00:13:21,363
Liddy, convicted on six counts,
faces a possible 35 years in prison.
213
00:13:21,387 --> 00:13:25,219
McCord, with two more counts against him,
a possible 45 years.
214
00:13:25,243 --> 00:13:30,365
They were all found guilty. All of the
seven men who were originally indicted.
215
00:13:30,388 --> 00:13:32,525
But one of them starts to crack.
216
00:13:32,549 --> 00:13:36,717
Is your client going to spill the beans
on the Watergate affair to the judge?
217
00:13:36,740 --> 00:13:41,340
I've advised Mr. McCord to be guided solely
by his own conscience and convictions.
218
00:13:41,364 --> 00:13:42,679
He'll do just that.
219
00:13:42,698 --> 00:13:46,563
McCord isn't so willing
to go to prison and not speak up.
220
00:13:46,586 --> 00:13:51,384
He feels higher-ups
shouldn't get off Scot-free.
221
00:13:51,408 --> 00:13:54,424
McCord wrote Judge Sirica a letter.
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00:13:54,492 --> 00:13:57,694
It it, he says other people not yet named
223
00:13:57,762 --> 00:14:01,546
were involved in the break-in
at Democratic National Headquarters.
224
00:14:01,569 --> 00:14:06,371
McCord says there are
efforts being made to keep us quiet.
225
00:14:06,395 --> 00:14:10,023
And there are people responsible
who are much higher up than us.
226
00:14:10,046 --> 00:14:11,767
And you're being denied that information.
227
00:14:11,790 --> 00:14:14,479
I think what bothers us as Republicans
228
00:14:14,502 --> 00:14:18,225
is that there is apparently
so much more to be revealed.
229
00:14:18,248 --> 00:14:21,411
And every day, every week,
when something else happens
230
00:14:21,423 --> 00:14:24,076
it's one further dagger in the heart.
231
00:14:24,100 --> 00:14:27,793
By and large it was a national consensus.
232
00:14:27,817 --> 00:14:32,449
Listen, the President is saying one thing.
The prosecutors are saying another thing.
233
00:14:32,473 --> 00:14:36,030
There are a lot of very serious
accusations in the air.
234
00:14:36,054 --> 00:14:37,475
Let's get to the bottom of it.
235
00:14:37,498 --> 00:14:42,372
Senator Sam Irvin of North Carolina
was chosen today by Democrats in the Senate
236
00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:46,188
to conduct a full investigation of
the Watergate case.
237
00:14:46,212 --> 00:14:49,797
Once that Senate committee convenes
in February of '73,
238
00:14:49,820 --> 00:14:53,519
it's the first time that people were
going to have to testify under oath.
239
00:14:53,542 --> 00:14:57,304
This was not good for the President.
240
00:14:57,388 --> 00:15:02,814
I go in on March 21st to see Nixon
and I lay out the mess we're in.
241
00:15:02,838 --> 00:15:07,384
Telling him I thought there was
a cancer on his presidency.
242
00:15:07,408 --> 00:15:11,751
And my hope is by laying it out
as brutally as I can,
243
00:15:11,774 --> 00:15:14,934
that he'll bring his fist down
on the table and he'll say,
244
00:15:14,945 --> 00:15:18,433
"this is unacceptable.
We have to end this."
245
00:15:18,456 --> 00:15:22,681
To my surprise,
I am unable to convince him.
246
00:15:22,693 --> 00:15:24,883
Dean had been caught up in this,
247
00:15:24,906 --> 00:15:29,321
and had done things that really
involved him in the obstruction of justice.
248
00:15:29,344 --> 00:15:33,607
And I think they had decided he was
going to be the sacrificial lamb.
249
00:15:33,631 --> 00:15:36,246
John Dean was in way over his head.
250
00:15:36,270 --> 00:15:41,644
And then when he realized
this ship is going down, he jumped.
251
00:15:41,668 --> 00:15:45,494
This morning, without the President's approval,
Dean issued a statement.
252
00:15:45,517 --> 00:15:47,560
In which, among other things,
he declared,
253
00:15:47,584 --> 00:15:52,153
"some may hope or think that I will
become a scapegoat in the Watergate case.
254
00:15:52,177 --> 00:15:55,579
"Anyone who believes this," Dean added,
"does not know me,
255
00:15:55,646 --> 00:15:59,583
know the true facts,
nor understand our system of justice."
256
00:15:59,667 --> 00:16:02,319
Mr. Dean, do you have information
implicating President Nixon in a cover-up?
257
00:16:02,386 --> 00:16:05,246
I have no comment this morning.
I'm sorry.
258
00:16:05,270 --> 00:16:09,875
We started having secret conversations
with John Dean.
259
00:16:09,899 --> 00:16:15,957
He was disclosing this sprawling conspiracy,
to put it mildly.
260
00:16:15,980 --> 00:16:20,121
When I broke rank and started dealing
with the prosecutors in early April,
261
00:16:20,144 --> 00:16:26,097
I had the naive belief that by breaking rank,
they would do likewise.
262
00:16:26,121 --> 00:16:31,357
John Dean kept upping the ante.
"I want immunity. No? Okay, I'll tell you this."
263
00:16:31,381 --> 00:16:34,752
As we were leaving,
I just remember this lawyer said,
264
00:16:34,776 --> 00:16:36,420
"John has something to tell you."
265
00:16:36,443 --> 00:16:42,552
And Dean told us this same group had broken
in to the office of Ellsberg's psychiatrist.
266
00:16:42,575 --> 00:16:47,358
And as he says it, he says,
"your jaw just dropped beneath the floor!"
267
00:16:47,382 --> 00:16:49,014
Right across the street in the park.
268
00:16:49,038 --> 00:16:54,486
In 1971, Daniel Ellsberg,
who had been a defense consultant,
269
00:16:54,509 --> 00:17:00,607
decided that the war was wrong and so he
took this vast volume of secret papers
270
00:17:00,630 --> 00:17:02,274
and he leaked it to
The New York Times.
271
00:17:02,297 --> 00:17:05,789
I felt that as an American citizen,
I can no longer cooperate
272
00:17:05,812 --> 00:17:09,256
in concealing this information
from the American public.
273
00:17:09,280 --> 00:17:12,943
The Pentagon Papers never mentioned
the name Richard Nixon,
274
00:17:12,966 --> 00:17:16,352
but its leak drove Richard Nixon nuts.
275
00:17:16,364 --> 00:17:19,192
I think it is time in this country
276
00:17:19,216 --> 00:17:23,572
to quit making national heroes
out of those
277
00:17:23,584 --> 00:17:26,816
who steal secrets and publish them
in the newspapers.
278
00:17:26,839 --> 00:17:30,218
This is a product
of the President's paranoia
279
00:17:30,241 --> 00:17:33,502
about his ability to control
his own government.
280
00:17:33,526 --> 00:17:38,524
They actually broke into
the psychiatrist's office of Ellsberg.
281
00:17:38,547 --> 00:17:42,583
Now, come on.
Somebody's psychiatrist office files
282
00:17:42,607 --> 00:17:47,513
are raided by people who were
commissioned by the White House?
283
00:17:48,526 --> 00:17:53,375
It's one thing to disclose breaking into the
offices of the Democratic National Committee.
284
00:17:53,399 --> 00:17:58,676
It's another to have broken into
the offices of a person's psychiatrist.
285
00:17:58,700 --> 00:18:03,152
And the public would really have
an adverse reaction to that.
286
00:18:03,175 --> 00:18:07,410
Much more so than the Democratic
National Committee headquarters.
287
00:18:07,478 --> 00:18:10,680
I hope that whatever comes out,
they get it over with,
288
00:18:10,748 --> 00:18:13,631
they find out what it is,
and it teaches us some kind of lesson,
289
00:18:13,655 --> 00:18:16,969
because this country is coming on
to its 200th anniversary,
290
00:18:16,993 --> 00:18:20,010
and I want to be proud of it when it does.
291
00:18:20,034 --> 00:18:22,887
And I'm not too proud of it right now.
292
00:18:22,910 --> 00:18:26,863
That's when I went to Nixon and I said
get up and clear from this thing.
293
00:18:26,931 --> 00:18:30,667
Whoever's going to have to go
ought to go now.
294
00:18:30,718 --> 00:18:34,677
Good evening. The biggest
White House scandal in a century,
295
00:18:34,701 --> 00:18:37,569
the Watergate scandal,
broke wide open today.
296
00:18:37,593 --> 00:18:41,647
The two closest men to the President,
H. R. Haldeman, his Chief of Staff,
297
00:18:41,670 --> 00:18:45,978
and John Ehrlichman, his Chief
Domestic Adviser, have resigned.
298
00:18:46,001 --> 00:18:50,456
The President's White House legal counsel,
John Dean, has been fired.
299
00:18:50,479 --> 00:18:55,346
Reportedly Dean is implicated in efforts
to cover up the Watergate scandal,
300
00:18:55,370 --> 00:18:58,939
and he may implicate
Ehrlichman and Haldeman.
301
00:19:00,935 --> 00:19:02,499
Good evening.
302
00:19:02,566 --> 00:19:06,518
I want to talk to you tonight
from my heart
303
00:19:06,529 --> 00:19:09,778
on a subject of deep concern
to every American.
304
00:19:10,729 --> 00:19:12,056
Today,
305
00:19:13,394 --> 00:19:16,913
in one of the most difficult decisions
of my presidency,
306
00:19:16,981 --> 00:19:22,350
I accepted the resignations of two of my
closest associates in the White House.
307
00:19:22,369 --> 00:19:24,738
Bob Haldeman, John Ehrlichman.
308
00:19:24,761 --> 00:19:29,762
He thought by throwing out his inner circle,
he would be left alone.
309
00:19:29,785 --> 00:19:33,974
He was throwing his people under the bus
so the bus wouldn't hit him.
310
00:19:33,997 --> 00:19:41,938
Justice will be pursued fairly,
fully and impartially,
311
00:19:42,006 --> 00:19:43,590
no matter who is involved.
312
00:19:43,613 --> 00:19:48,005
Richard Nixon wants to control everything,
but he's extraordinarily delusional.
313
00:19:48,028 --> 00:19:51,011
I mean, he really
doesn't seem to understand
314
00:19:51,023 --> 00:19:54,439
that he's digging himself deeper
and deeper into the crime
315
00:19:54,463 --> 00:19:56,244
when he's trying to
dig himself out.
316
00:19:56,267 --> 00:20:01,586
We must maintain the
integrity of the White House.
317
00:20:01,610 --> 00:20:08,922
And that integrity must be real,
not transparent.
318
00:20:08,945 --> 00:20:13,712
There can be no whitewash
at the White House.
319
00:20:16,307 --> 00:20:18,765
In May of 1973,
320
00:20:18,787 --> 00:20:23,331
Earl Silbert is preparing to
hand the case over to Archie Cox.
321
00:20:23,355 --> 00:20:27,643
And he says there are 39 principals
involved in this case.
322
00:20:27,654 --> 00:20:31,721
This is number 39, Richard M. Nixon,
President of the United States.
323
00:20:31,806 --> 00:20:35,652
What if this trail leads into
the Oval Office at the White House?
324
00:20:35,676 --> 00:20:37,938
Well, as I replied then,
325
00:20:37,962 --> 00:20:41,285
the trail should be followed
wherever it leads.
326
00:20:49,871 --> 00:20:52,263
Watergate Senate hearings.
327
00:20:53,003 --> 00:20:56,542
Good morning. This is the Senate
caucus room in Washington, D.C.
328
00:20:56,566 --> 00:20:59,701
And it's jammed this morning.
Jammed with spectators.
329
00:20:59,724 --> 00:21:04,419
News men, senators and their aides.
And the scene adds to the sense of drama
330
00:21:04,442 --> 00:21:09,573
as the Senate opens what is likely to become the
most serious investigation it has ever made.
331
00:21:09,596 --> 00:21:12,038
I was glued to the hearings
like everybody else.
332
00:21:12,062 --> 00:21:15,252
I was watching my friends
go up there and testify,
333
00:21:15,276 --> 00:21:17,213
and trying to understand
what happened.
334
00:21:17,225 --> 00:21:20,935
I think there was no question that
the cover-up began that Saturday,
335
00:21:20,959 --> 00:21:22,479
when we realized there was a break-in.
336
00:21:22,498 --> 00:21:25,716
I don't think there was any discussion
that there wouldn't be a cover-up.
337
00:21:25,739 --> 00:21:29,014
The President said there is
no problem in raising a million dollars.
338
00:21:29,038 --> 00:21:31,116
We can do that,
but it would be wrong.
339
00:21:31,139 --> 00:21:36,547
Neither Mr. Haldeman nor I were criminally
involved in this matter in any respect.
340
00:21:36,565 --> 00:21:40,193
People are seeing this underside
of the White House.
341
00:21:40,216 --> 00:21:43,476
This kind of Gothic reality
that they never dreamed existed.
342
00:21:43,499 --> 00:21:47,526
Men in trench coats showing up
at phone booths with bags of money.
343
00:21:47,550 --> 00:21:51,632
- It comes from way up at the top?
- Yes, sir.
344
00:21:51,700 --> 00:21:54,858
I believed that he was talking
about the President.
345
00:21:54,881 --> 00:21:55,903
Good morning.
346
00:21:55,926 --> 00:22:00,943
Although this is not ABC's scheduled day
to provide live continuous coverage,
347
00:22:00,967 --> 00:22:05,096
we are going on now with the hearings
because the witness will be John Dean,
348
00:22:05,113 --> 00:22:06,886
the 34-year-old lawyer
349
00:22:06,909 --> 00:22:10,514
who one year ago was just another
anonymous official in the White House,
350
00:22:10,537 --> 00:22:13,145
but who today
is a very well-known figure indeed.
351
00:22:13,168 --> 00:22:16,288
- The truth, so help you god?
- I do, so help me god.
352
00:22:16,311 --> 00:22:18,777
If people knew one thing
about John Dean,
353
00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:22,288
he was the guy that knew
what was going on in Watergate.
354
00:22:22,312 --> 00:22:24,425
So when it was announced
he was going to testify,
355
00:22:24,449 --> 00:22:27,535
people really thought that this was the moment
the thing was going to blow wide open.
356
00:22:27,540 --> 00:22:29,336
I told the President about the fact
357
00:22:29,360 --> 00:22:32,889
there was no money to pay these individuals
to meet their demands.
358
00:22:32,912 --> 00:22:34,964
He asked me how much it would cost.
359
00:22:34,976 --> 00:22:38,299
I told him I could only make
an estimate that it might be as high
360
00:22:38,322 --> 00:22:40,530
as a million dollars or more.
361
00:22:40,553 --> 00:22:43,140
He told me that was no problem.
362
00:22:43,164 --> 00:22:46,451
He also looked over at Haldeman
and repeated the same statement.
363
00:22:46,463 --> 00:22:50,372
This was the first time that a
White House staffer
364
00:22:50,397 --> 00:22:55,165
had ever contradicted,
with criminal consequences,
365
00:22:55,189 --> 00:22:57,866
contradict the President
on live television.
366
00:22:57,889 --> 00:23:01,130
There was also maintained
what was called an "enemies list,"
367
00:23:01,154 --> 00:23:03,995
which is rather extensive
and continually being updated.
368
00:23:04,019 --> 00:23:08,471
The idea that the White House
draws up a list of enemies
369
00:23:08,495 --> 00:23:11,618
and is prepared to use the
agencies of government...
370
00:23:11,641 --> 00:23:15,254
This very, very serious scary stuff.
371
00:23:15,278 --> 00:23:18,719
John Dean talked about a list of enemies
372
00:23:18,743 --> 00:23:20,460
that was compiled at the White House.
373
00:23:20,484 --> 00:23:25,263
Number 1, Arnold Picker of United Artists,
described as a "top Muskie fundraiser."
374
00:23:25,286 --> 00:23:27,781
Second, Alexander Barkan...
375
00:23:27,793 --> 00:23:32,032
Once the enemies list was revealed,
Daniel Schorr, a CBS news correspondent,
376
00:23:32,055 --> 00:23:35,343
is reading off this,
and he reads his own name.
377
00:23:35,354 --> 00:23:40,692
17, Daniel Schorr of the Columbia
Broadcasting System in Washington.
378
00:23:40,715 --> 00:23:43,933
The note here is,
"a real media enemy."
379
00:23:43,944 --> 00:23:46,931
I remember thinking at the time,
what is going on?
380
00:23:46,955 --> 00:23:48,369
Is this really believable?
381
00:23:48,392 --> 00:23:53,453
You're fully aware, Mr. Dean,
of the gravity of the charges you have made
382
00:23:53,476 --> 00:23:56,724
under oath against
the highest official of our land,
383
00:23:56,791 --> 00:24:00,668
- the President of the United States?
- Yes, I am.
384
00:24:00,691 --> 00:24:04,633
And being so aware,
do you still stand on your statement?
385
00:24:04,656 --> 00:24:06,453
Yes, I do.
386
00:24:06,476 --> 00:24:09,280
When I'm finishing my testimony
for the Senate,
387
00:24:09,303 --> 00:24:12,614
I read it and I said,
"you know, it's my word
388
00:24:12,638 --> 00:24:16,659
against Haldeman, Ehrlichman,
Colson, Mitchell and the President.
389
00:24:17,328 --> 00:24:19,828
Those of us who've been attending
these sessions would surmise
390
00:24:19,852 --> 00:24:23,336
that there is another witness
someplace in the building.
391
00:24:23,348 --> 00:24:26,636
A witness will be called,
and as to who it will be,
392
00:24:26,655 --> 00:24:28,575
I think we're just going to have to
wait and see.
393
00:24:29,810 --> 00:24:32,603
Butterfield, are you aware
of the installation of any
394
00:24:32,626 --> 00:24:35,621
listening devices in the Oval
Office of the President?
395
00:24:39,073 --> 00:24:44,055
I was aware of listening
devices, yes, sir.
396
00:24:44,079 --> 00:24:47,766
When he answered yes,
everybody in America just froze.
397
00:24:47,789 --> 00:24:49,915
Like, "uh-oh. Tapes?
What tapes?"
398
00:24:49,938 --> 00:24:53,329
As far as you know,
did Mr. Ehrlichman or Mr. Dean know about
399
00:24:53,341 --> 00:24:55,560
the existence or the presence
of those devices?
400
00:24:55,583 --> 00:24:59,053
That would be very unlikely.
My guess is that they definitely did not know.
401
00:24:59,120 --> 00:25:03,959
From that day forward, the story of Watergate
takes on a whole different complexion.
402
00:25:03,983 --> 00:25:07,722
And the happiest man in America
at that moment is John Dean.
403
00:25:07,745 --> 00:25:11,444
What would be the best way to reconstruct
those conversations, Mr. Butterfield?
404
00:25:13,475 --> 00:25:16,151
Well, in the obvious manner,
Mr. Dash.
405
00:25:16,621 --> 00:25:21,118
To obtain the tape and play it.
406
00:25:21,141 --> 00:25:24,346
Slowly, this smile comes
over my face.
407
00:25:24,369 --> 00:25:26,937
I said, "get those tapes
as fast as you can."
408
00:25:26,961 --> 00:25:28,029
Before they disappear.
409
00:25:28,053 --> 00:25:30,827
This afternoon I received
from the White House a letter
410
00:25:30,850 --> 00:25:34,197
declining to furnish the
eight requested tapes.
411
00:25:35,003 --> 00:25:37,504
Careful study before requesting the tapes
412
00:25:37,527 --> 00:25:39,913
convinced me that any
blanket claim of privilege
413
00:25:39,936 --> 00:25:42,332
to withhold this evidence
from the grand jury
414
00:25:42,355 --> 00:25:44,413
is without legal foundation.
415
00:25:44,436 --> 00:25:46,867
Nixon had a legitimate argument
416
00:25:46,890 --> 00:25:50,004
that Congress shouldn't
be able to delve into
417
00:25:50,028 --> 00:25:52,641
the private discussions of the President
in the White House.
418
00:25:52,665 --> 00:25:55,656
That's a legitimate
constitutional argument.
419
00:25:55,671 --> 00:25:58,447
But to invoke executive privilege
420
00:25:58,470 --> 00:26:02,406
to cover up cover up a third-rate burglary
was suspect.
421
00:26:02,430 --> 00:26:04,530
Now both the Senate Watergate Committee
422
00:26:04,531 --> 00:26:07,716
and Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox
are taking the White House to court
423
00:26:07,739 --> 00:26:10,170
in an effort to gain access to those tapes.
424
00:26:10,581 --> 00:26:12,465
As the weeks have gone by,
425
00:26:12,477 --> 00:26:15,821
many have urged that in order to help
prove the truth of what I have said,
426
00:26:15,844 --> 00:26:19,496
I should turn over to the Special
Prosecutor and the Senate Committee
427
00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:21,902
recordings of conversations
that I held
428
00:26:21,970 --> 00:26:24,591
in my office or on my telephone.
429
00:26:25,718 --> 00:26:30,570
However, a much more important
principle is involved in this question
430
00:26:30,593 --> 00:26:34,341
than what the tapes might prove
about Watergate.
431
00:26:34,364 --> 00:26:37,566
He gathers his legal team, his advisers,
432
00:26:37,590 --> 00:26:41,464
and a number of them say,
"Mr. President, if you destroy these tapes
433
00:26:41,488 --> 00:26:43,828
"it's an admission of guilt.
434
00:26:43,851 --> 00:26:49,446
"And also, theoretically,
it could be obstruction of justice."
435
00:26:49,469 --> 00:26:52,668
He felt it would suggest
he was implicated in Watergate
436
00:26:52,693 --> 00:26:57,026
and he had something to hide if he
refused to give them up and destroyed them.
437
00:26:57,037 --> 00:27:00,242
And that's probably true,
but he still should have done it.
438
00:27:00,266 --> 00:27:02,856
The President gets contradictory advice,
439
00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:05,604
and he the moment passes.
He doesn't destroy the tapes.
440
00:27:05,627 --> 00:27:08,097
So he fights not to release the tapes.
441
00:27:08,109 --> 00:27:11,103
Judge Sirica says the evidence
is not yet conclusive
442
00:27:11,127 --> 00:27:13,770
as to why the President
hasn't fully complied
443
00:27:13,794 --> 00:27:15,635
with subpoenas for those tapes,
444
00:27:15,659 --> 00:27:18,923
and that there is a distinct
possibility of unlawful conduct.
445
00:27:18,946 --> 00:27:22,753
What he is doing is kind of
depersonalizing it all.
446
00:27:22,776 --> 00:27:26,123
In saying, "if I release these,
it will do irreparable damage
447
00:27:26,135 --> 00:27:28,084
to the office of the presidency."
448
00:27:28,107 --> 00:27:32,076
Well, for one thing, the President
still has not said, at any time,
449
00:27:32,099 --> 00:27:35,464
"listen, John John Dean is lying
and I have the tapes to prove it."
450
00:27:35,488 --> 00:27:37,714
Well, maybe there is more on those tapes
451
00:27:37,738 --> 00:27:39,769
than the President
would have us believe.
452
00:27:47,106 --> 00:27:50,719
After hard deliberation and
much prayer,
453
00:27:50,743 --> 00:27:52,744
I concluded several days ago,
454
00:27:52,811 --> 00:27:57,477
that the public interests and the interests
of those who mean the most to me
455
00:27:57,501 --> 00:28:00,803
would best be served by my stepping down.
456
00:28:02,541 --> 00:28:06,626
There is evidence which shows that
Agnew was taking political kickbacks,
457
00:28:06,637 --> 00:28:11,091
not only while governor of Maryland,
but also while he was Vice President.
458
00:28:11,115 --> 00:28:15,798
What is your reaction to the resignation
of Vice President Agnew, just announced?
459
00:28:16,350 --> 00:28:18,136
I said, "uh, who?"
460
00:28:18,203 --> 00:28:22,940
Agnew, just, I don't know too
much about him. But Nixon stinks.
461
00:28:23,765 --> 00:28:25,814
There were developments at
the White House today
462
00:28:25,837 --> 00:28:29,315
that indicate some kind of
major decision is near
463
00:28:29,328 --> 00:28:32,204
on the constitutional issue
of the White House tapes.
464
00:28:35,132 --> 00:28:37,552
Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox,
465
00:28:37,575 --> 00:28:40,351
he wanted the tapes.
He wanted the tapes themselves.
466
00:28:40,374 --> 00:28:42,182
And there's an impasse.
467
00:28:42,206 --> 00:28:44,676
Yesterday Mr. Nixon ordered
Cox to stop going to court
468
00:28:44,699 --> 00:28:47,283
to try and gain access to the tapes.
469
00:28:47,305 --> 00:28:49,759
Today Cox held a news conference
that said in effect that
470
00:28:49,783 --> 00:28:51,897
since the President was defying the court,
471
00:28:51,921 --> 00:28:53,868
he was going to defy the President.
472
00:28:53,880 --> 00:28:58,142
Last night we were told that the
court order would not be obeyed.
473
00:28:58,166 --> 00:29:03,596
That the papers, memoranda,
documents of that kind
474
00:29:03,620 --> 00:29:06,138
would not be provided at all.
475
00:29:06,162 --> 00:29:08,627
Archibald Cox let the President have it.
476
00:29:08,639 --> 00:29:11,330
He said this is obstruction of justice
477
00:29:11,353 --> 00:29:15,237
and that was the turning point.
478
00:29:18,971 --> 00:29:22,916
There was a limousine on the west side driveway
of the White House this afternoon,
479
00:29:22,939 --> 00:29:26,826
with the number 77. It turned out
to be Eliot Richardson's limousine.
480
00:29:26,838 --> 00:29:29,993
And when reporters spotted him
leaving the White House,
481
00:29:30,016 --> 00:29:33,703
they knew that some sort of
denouement was in progress.
482
00:29:33,726 --> 00:29:35,662
General reaction to the developments today?
483
00:29:35,685 --> 00:29:39,519
Well, there'll be an announcement out of the
White House later on. I can't say now.
484
00:29:39,543 --> 00:29:42,079
There will be? Does it have to do with
the resignation of the Attorney General?
485
00:29:42,102 --> 00:29:43,899
Well, it might.
486
00:29:44,019 --> 00:29:48,215
In breathtaking succession tonight,
the following historic events occurred.
487
00:29:48,238 --> 00:29:51,297
The President of the United States
demanded the Attorney General
488
00:29:51,321 --> 00:29:54,009
fire Special Prosecutor
Archibald Cox.
489
00:29:54,032 --> 00:29:58,610
The Attorney General, Elliot Richardson,
refused and resigned.
490
00:29:58,621 --> 00:30:02,557
The President then ordered the assistant
Attorney General, William Ruckelshaus,
491
00:30:02,641 --> 00:30:06,538
to fire the Special Prosecutor.
Ruckelshaus refused.
492
00:30:06,550 --> 00:30:09,603
The President immediately
fired Ruckelshaus.
493
00:30:09,626 --> 00:30:14,234
Solicitor General Robert Bourke quickly
was named acting Attorney General.
494
00:30:14,253 --> 00:30:17,356
Bourke was ordered to fire
Special Prosecutor Cox.
495
00:30:17,379 --> 00:30:19,824
He did.
496
00:30:19,892 --> 00:30:23,977
It was unbelievable. Literally
unbelievable, except that it was real.
497
00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:28,831
You kept thinking that couldn't be,
you know. But it was.
498
00:30:28,855 --> 00:30:34,038
I can make no further comment now, other than
that our offices have been sealed by the FBI.
499
00:30:34,809 --> 00:30:37,198
How could you possibly
bring this man to justice
500
00:30:37,221 --> 00:30:41,028
if it was within his power to
call the investigation to a close?
501
00:30:41,051 --> 00:30:43,596
Please, everyone.
No one is allowed in.
502
00:30:43,619 --> 00:30:48,671
Basically the President has seized full control
of the Special Prosecutor's office,
503
00:30:48,694 --> 00:30:52,407
and is in full possession of
potentially incriminating evidence
504
00:30:52,431 --> 00:30:56,814
that could lead to the conviction of his
closest associates and to his conviction.
505
00:30:56,837 --> 00:31:00,364
And that is the definition of tyranny.
506
00:31:00,953 --> 00:31:03,858
There could be no doubt this
was a constitutional crisis.
507
00:31:03,882 --> 00:31:06,740
This was a President trying to
stand above the law.
508
00:31:06,764 --> 00:31:10,836
And I remember thinking at the time,
the country's not going to stand for this.
509
00:31:10,860 --> 00:31:15,058
I think it's amazing that the country
is not already fighting in the streets.
510
00:31:15,081 --> 00:31:16,782
He's divided the country that much.
511
00:31:16,806 --> 00:31:21,080
Events of the past few days
leave us little choice
512
00:31:21,091 --> 00:31:26,105
but to move ahead with preparation
for impeachment proceedings.
513
00:31:26,129 --> 00:31:29,294
- Do you think the President should be impeached?
- Yes, sir, I do.
514
00:31:29,306 --> 00:31:31,302
- Why?
- I can't trust him.
515
00:31:31,326 --> 00:31:35,329
At the time, the idea of impeaching the
President was a pretty radical idea.
516
00:31:35,352 --> 00:31:37,020
It hadn't happened in over a century.
517
00:31:37,043 --> 00:31:40,471
Impeachment does not mean removing
the President from office.
518
00:31:40,539 --> 00:31:43,687
It does mean putting the President
on trial in the Senate
519
00:31:43,710 --> 00:31:45,805
to determine his fitness
to continue in office.
520
00:31:45,817 --> 00:31:47,790
The whole country is going
bananas over this.
521
00:31:47,813 --> 00:31:50,333
I went by a Howard Johnsons today.
You know what the flavor of the month is?
522
00:31:50,344 --> 00:31:51,530
- No.
- Impeachment.
523
00:31:53,104 --> 00:31:56,168
What is it about the
television coverage of you
524
00:31:56,192 --> 00:31:59,080
that has so aroused your anger?
525
00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:03,777
They say that one can only be
angry with those he respects.
526
00:32:04,705 --> 00:32:08,407
He obviously was having some
sort of mental breakdown.
527
00:32:08,430 --> 00:32:12,692
It became clear that there was
something very wrong with Nixon.
528
00:32:12,716 --> 00:32:16,270
People have got to know whether or not
their President is a crook.
529
00:32:16,293 --> 00:32:17,479
Well I am not a crook.
530
00:32:17,503 --> 00:32:19,847
An awful lot of people want
the President to resign.
531
00:32:19,871 --> 00:32:23,092
They really don't want to put the
country through an impeachment drama.
532
00:32:23,115 --> 00:32:27,385
So they want to create an atmosphere
that essentially forces his hand.
533
00:32:27,452 --> 00:32:30,453
The Senate Watergate Committee
named a new Special Prosecutor.
534
00:32:30,476 --> 00:32:33,870
Conservative Texas Democrat Leon Jaworski.
535
00:32:33,893 --> 00:32:38,020
Whatever I conceive to be necessary
in order to perform my function properly,
536
00:32:38,043 --> 00:32:39,492
I'm going to ask for it.
537
00:32:39,516 --> 00:32:43,625
And if I don't receive it, I'm going
to proceed to undertake to get it.
538
00:32:43,649 --> 00:32:48,465
Jaworski comes to Washington,
is presented with all the evidence.
539
00:32:48,489 --> 00:32:51,467
Couple days later he goes off
to the White House and he says,
540
00:32:51,479 --> 00:32:54,637
"I think the President has
to get a criminal lawyer."
541
00:32:54,661 --> 00:32:58,434
I think it's not excessive to say
that we've been put through too much.
542
00:32:58,458 --> 00:33:02,284
Either the Congress or the President
by his own patriotic decision
543
00:33:02,308 --> 00:33:07,099
should relieve the nation of a burden
that's grown too heavy to carry any longer.
544
00:33:07,122 --> 00:33:12,449
The effect of this was a huge dip
in public support for Richard Nixon.
545
00:33:12,472 --> 00:33:18,442
But the White House thought that it could solve
the tapes problem by producing transcripts.
546
00:33:20,318 --> 00:33:23,488
The idea that he's going to
release these transcripts...
547
00:33:23,512 --> 00:33:27,129
Richard Nixon thinks that he's finally
going to be able to cauterize the wound.
548
00:33:27,152 --> 00:33:29,313
From the text, quote Dean,
549
00:33:29,336 --> 00:33:32,236
"I think there's no doubt about the
seriousness of the problem we've got.
550
00:33:32,259 --> 00:33:35,596
We have a cancer from within,
close to the presidency, that is growing."
551
00:33:35,620 --> 00:33:38,089
The tapes show that the
President
552
00:33:38,156 --> 00:33:41,411
is involved at the times
that Dean said he was.
553
00:33:41,422 --> 00:33:43,900
It shows that Dean's memory is prodigious.
554
00:33:43,912 --> 00:33:45,215
Dean:
555
00:33:45,238 --> 00:33:49,445
I would say that these people are going to cost
a million dollars over the next two years.
556
00:33:49,466 --> 00:33:50,429
The President:
557
00:33:50,435 --> 00:33:55,168
You could get a million dollars. You could get
it in cash. I know where it could be got.
558
00:33:55,192 --> 00:33:58,600
Now, when individuals read
the entire transcript
559
00:33:58,624 --> 00:34:02,696
they may
reach different interpretations.
560
00:34:02,719 --> 00:34:07,257
But I know what I meant
and I know also what I did.
561
00:34:07,269 --> 00:34:11,059
Richard Nixon's problem is they keep
on subpoenaing more and more tapes.
562
00:34:11,071 --> 00:34:15,309
He says he's not going to give them up
unless the Supreme Court demands him to.
563
00:34:15,321 --> 00:34:18,650
The Supreme Court today heard
arguments in the historic case
564
00:34:18,662 --> 00:34:23,987
of the United States of America versus Richard Nixon,
President of the United States.
565
00:34:24,011 --> 00:34:28,388
The television camera saw the two main players
in this classic confrontation arrive.
566
00:34:28,406 --> 00:34:31,887
First, James St. Clair,
President Nixon's attorney.
567
00:34:31,911 --> 00:34:34,928
Then, Leon Jaworski,
the Special Watergate Prosecutor,
568
00:34:34,940 --> 00:34:40,421
to argue his case against the President's
refusal to surrender 64 tapes and documents.
569
00:34:40,444 --> 00:34:44,367
It is a strange notion that the
President of the United States
570
00:34:44,390 --> 00:34:49,504
is the defendant and the government of
the United States is the prosecutor.
571
00:34:49,527 --> 00:34:54,080
Jaworski was even cheered by some in the crowd
as he entered the Supreme Court building.
572
00:34:54,103 --> 00:34:58,003
Much as a Roman gladiator
entering the arena to do battle.
573
00:34:58,027 --> 00:35:00,868
It was a product of this peculiar moment
574
00:35:00,892 --> 00:35:05,147
when the U.S.
government had to test the constitution
575
00:35:05,171 --> 00:35:07,789
to find out what
limits there were on Presidential power.
576
00:35:07,813 --> 00:35:14,204
If it came down to the Supreme Court of the United
States making a decision against the President,
577
00:35:14,216 --> 00:35:20,469
would he obey or would he put himself in a
confrontation with the Supreme Court?
578
00:35:20,493 --> 00:35:26,255
I don't know of anyone here or at the White House
or anywhere else who knows the answer to that.
579
00:35:33,449 --> 00:35:38,123
It would be hard to imagine a more memorable day in
the history of constitutional law than this one.
580
00:35:38,145 --> 00:35:43,128
At 11:00 A.M., the Supreme Court tells the
President he was wrong to withhold those tapes.
581
00:35:43,152 --> 00:35:46,656
At 7:00 P.M., the President announces that,
of course, he will obey.
582
00:35:46,679 --> 00:35:50,089
At 8:00 P.M., the House
Judiciary Committee opens its doors
583
00:35:50,157 --> 00:35:53,635
to the national television audience
for its final impeachment debate.
584
00:35:54,032 --> 00:36:01,414
Now, the American people, the House of
Representatives, and the Constitution
585
00:36:01,438 --> 00:36:06,463
demand that we make up our mind.
586
00:36:06,475 --> 00:36:11,081
All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
587
00:36:11,105 --> 00:36:13,394
All those opposed, no.
588
00:36:13,406 --> 00:36:16,649
- Mr. Donahue.
- Aye.
589
00:36:16,717 --> 00:36:20,089
- Mr. Bruce.
- Aye.
590
00:36:20,112 --> 00:36:22,735
- Mr. Kastenmeier.
- Aye.
591
00:36:22,758 --> 00:36:24,419
It was a Saturday night,
592
00:36:24,431 --> 00:36:29,034
and it was sort of near sundown when they
voted the first article of impeachment.
593
00:36:29,057 --> 00:36:30,225
And the room was quiet.
594
00:36:30,248 --> 00:36:32,796
- Mr. Rodino.
- Aye.
595
00:36:32,820 --> 00:36:35,655
Peter Rodino went in the back and cried.
596
00:36:35,678 --> 00:36:38,426
We took it very seriously.
597
00:36:38,449 --> 00:36:42,946
And with that vote, Mr. Nixon became the
first President in more than a century,
598
00:36:42,965 --> 00:36:45,372
and only the second in all of our history,
599
00:36:45,395 --> 00:36:50,291
to confront removal from office through the
only means provided in the Constitution...
600
00:36:50,315 --> 00:36:52,833
Impeachment.
601
00:36:52,851 --> 00:36:56,444
I stood by Nixon and felt that
he should remain in office.
602
00:36:56,468 --> 00:37:01,283
But then we discovered the tape
of June 23rd. This was fatal.
603
00:37:01,301 --> 00:37:04,576
Good evening.
President Nixon stunned the country today
604
00:37:04,588 --> 00:37:09,046
by admitting that he held back evidence
from the House Judiciary Committee,
605
00:37:09,069 --> 00:37:13,488
keeping it a secret from his lawyers
and not disclosing it in public statements.
606
00:37:13,511 --> 00:37:17,088
Mr. Nixon issued transcripts of
three recorded conversations
607
00:37:17,111 --> 00:37:21,682
he had with H. R. Haldeman
on June 23, 1972.
608
00:37:21,705 --> 00:37:24,814
Six days after the burglars
were caught in the Watergate.
609
00:37:24,934 --> 00:37:31,907
_
610
00:37:32,623 --> 00:37:35,823
The facts came out.
Yes, the President himself
611
00:37:35,846 --> 00:37:40,299
not only was he involved in this,
but he directed this criminal operation.
612
00:37:40,367 --> 00:37:46,997
_
613
00:37:47,021 --> 00:37:51,502
The problem with that tape was not that it
implicated Nixon so much in the Watergate thing
614
00:37:51,525 --> 00:37:55,417
as in it contradicted what had said.
He had not told the country the truth.
615
00:37:55,441 --> 00:37:58,071
The news has caused a storm in Washington,
616
00:37:58,095 --> 00:38:02,169
and some of Mr. Nixon's most loyal
supporters are calling for his resignation.
617
00:38:09,198 --> 00:38:13,893
I'm aware of the intense
interest of the American people
618
00:38:13,917 --> 00:38:17,345
concerning developments today
and over the last few days.
619
00:38:18,658 --> 00:38:21,879
Tonight at 9:00,
Eastern daylight time,
620
00:38:21,903 --> 00:38:27,260
the President the United States will
address the nation on radio and television
621
00:38:27,283 --> 00:38:29,678
from his Oval Office.
622
00:38:30,872 --> 00:38:34,841
As you probably can see behind us,
we have a large number of people
623
00:38:34,865 --> 00:38:40,042
who have been standing by
to watch the various television networks.
624
00:38:40,066 --> 00:38:43,279
Most here out of curiosity and concern.
625
00:38:43,302 --> 00:38:46,848
Only the CBS crew now is
going to be in this room
626
00:38:46,872 --> 00:38:49,035
during this.
Only the crew.
627
00:38:50,221 --> 00:38:52,253
No, there will be no picture.
628
00:38:52,276 --> 00:38:55,898
Just a few moments.
We have 40 seconds to go now.
629
00:38:55,921 --> 00:38:58,884
The President has taken
his place at the table
630
00:38:58,908 --> 00:39:01,538
in the White House
where he's going to speak.
631
00:39:03,921 --> 00:39:11,341
Good evening. This is the 37th time
I have spoken to you from this office,
632
00:39:11,364 --> 00:39:17,530
where so many decisions have been made
that shape the history of this nation.
633
00:39:18,733 --> 00:39:22,118
Throughout the long and
difficult period of Watergate,
634
00:39:22,141 --> 00:39:25,323
I have felt it was my duty
to persevere,
635
00:39:25,346 --> 00:39:30,690
to make every possible effort to complete
the term of office to which you elected me.
636
00:39:31,623 --> 00:39:37,130
But as President, I must put the
interests of America first.
637
00:39:38,221 --> 00:39:44,090
Therefore, I shall resign the
presidency effective at noon tomorrow.
638
00:39:44,971 --> 00:39:49,299
Vice President Ford will
be sworn in as President
639
00:39:49,323 --> 00:39:52,057
at that hour in this office.
640
00:39:52,350 --> 00:39:56,525
When you weigh what happened
against the potential of President Nixon,
641
00:39:56,549 --> 00:39:59,918
this is almost the dictionary
definition of tragedy.
642
00:40:00,482 --> 00:40:03,488
By taking this action,
643
00:40:03,512 --> 00:40:09,904
I hope that I will have hastened the
start of that process of healing,
644
00:40:10,632 --> 00:40:13,469
which is so desperately needed in America.
645
00:40:15,265 --> 00:40:19,764
Good morning, this is Today in Washington,
Friday, August 9th.
646
00:40:19,776 --> 00:40:26,298
The nation awaits the swearing in at noon Eastern
time of our 38th President, Gerald Ford.
647
00:40:26,366 --> 00:40:30,022
And the departure from political
life of Richard M. Nixon.
648
00:40:30,045 --> 00:40:35,150
He and his family are expected to leave by air
for their home in California later this morning.
649
00:40:35,174 --> 00:40:38,762
And we expect to see their
departure from the White House.
650
00:40:47,670 --> 00:40:53,846
In departing the presidency, Richard Nixon
is leaving us with one notable legacy.
651
00:40:53,869 --> 00:40:57,267
Proof that the American system
does work.
652
00:40:57,278 --> 00:41:00,096
That there is equal justice
under the law
653
00:41:00,120 --> 00:41:04,594
and that public office must always
be regarded as a public trust.
654
00:41:12,149 --> 00:41:18,007
I walked out to the helicopter where
the old man gave the double V.
655
00:41:18,030 --> 00:41:21,893
Putting the best face on the
worst moment of his life.
656
00:41:21,917 --> 00:41:25,325
Trying to show that he was not broken.
657
00:41:27,720 --> 00:41:33,583
And so I'd go in the helicopter
and take off for the last time.
658
00:41:34,275 --> 00:41:36,095
It was over.
659
00:41:38,135 --> 00:41:43,137
We think that
when we suffer a defeat,
660
00:41:44,675 --> 00:41:49,605
that all is ended.
Not true.
661
00:41:49,629 --> 00:41:54,429
Because only if you've
been in the deepest valley
662
00:41:54,452 --> 00:42:02,037
can you ever know how magnificent it is
to be on the highest mountain.
663
00:42:02,965 --> 00:42:07,535
And so I say to you on this occasion,
others may hate you.
664
00:42:08,533 --> 00:42:12,971
But those who hate you don't win
unless you hate them.
665
00:42:13,687 --> 00:42:16,200
And then you destroy yourself.
666
00:42:16,538 --> 00:42:19,638
Sync, corrected by icephoenix
www.addic7ed.com