All language subtitles for Watergate.High.Crimes.In.The.White.House.English-WWW.MY-SUBS.CO

>> Secretary: MR. COLSON

MR. PRESIDENT.

>> President Richard Nixon:
YEAH.

>> Charles Colson: YES, SIR, MR.
PRESIDENT.

>> Nixon: I REALLY GOT TO TEND
TO THE BUSINESS OF THE COUNTRY,

YOU KNOW.

I'M TRYING TO KEEP PEOPLE
FROM KEEPING ME OUT OF THE

GODDAMN THING BECAUSE I KNOW
NOTHING ABOUT IT.

>> Colson: I THINK YOU SHOULD
KEEP OUT OF THIS, MR. PRESIDENT.

THE BIGGEST NEGATIVE TO THE
WATERGATE, IN MY MIND,

EVENTUALLY IT'S GOING TO
COME OUT.

THERE'S TOO DAMN MANY PEOPLE
INVOLVED.

>> Nixon: OH, SURE, THE
WHOLE GODDAMN STORY'S GOING TO

COME OUT.

>> Mike Wallace: EXPLAIN
SOMETHING TO ME, WILL YOU,

MR. EHRLICHMAN?

BREAKING AND ENTERING,
WIRETAPPING...

>> Bob Woodward: FIVE BURGLARS.

BUSINESS SUITS.

$100 BILLS IN THEIR POCKETS.

>> Walter Cronkite: ...CAUGHT IN
THE ACT OF BURGLARIZING AND

BUGGING DEMOCRATIC HEADQUARTERS
IN WASHINGTON.

>> Nixon: I HAD NO PRIOR
KNOWLEDGE OF THE WATERGATE

BREAK-IN.

>> Cronkite: ...BUT THE EPISODE
GREW STEADILY MORE SINISTER...

>> Wallace: ...CONSPIRACY TO
COMMIT KIDNAPPING, DESTRUCTION

OF GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS...

>> John Dean: I REMEMBER WELL
HIS INSTRUCTIONS.

HE TOLD ME TO SHRED THE
DOCUMENTS AND "DEEP SIX" THE

BRIEFCASE.

>> Alexander Butterfield: IT
WAS, IN MANY WAYS, A CESSPOOL.

>> Wallace: ...SECRET SLUSH
FUNDS, LAUNDERING MONEY IN

MEXICO, PAYOFFS TO SILENCE
WITNESSES...

>> Nixon: YOU COULD GET A
MILLION DOLLARS.

AND YOU COULD GET IT IN CASH.

I KNOW WHERE IT COULD BE GOTTEN.

>> Stahl: NIXON WAS DARK AND
PARANOID.

HE TRIED TO USE THE F.B.I.

HE TRIED TO USE THE C.I.A.

>> Woodward: IT IS A LEVEL OF
UNIMAGINABLE CORRUPTION.

>> Carl Bernstein: IT WAS
INTENDED TO UNDERMINE THE VERY

BASIS OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY:
FREE AND UNFETTERED ELECTIONS.

>> Wallace: ...SPYING BY
UNDERCOVER AGENTS, PLANS TO

FIREBOMB A BUILDING, CONSPIRACY
TO OBSTRUCT JUSTICE...

>> Hugh Sloan: IT'S A CAUTIONARY
TALE, AND I THINK IT'S ONE OF

THE REASONS YOU'RE STILL TALKING
ABOUT IT 50 YEARS LATER.

>> Wallace: ...ALL OF THIS BY
THE LAW-AND-ORDER ADMINISTRATION

OF RICHARD NIXON.

>> John Ehrlichman: IS THERE A
QUESTION IN THERE SOMEWHERE?

>> John Ehrlichman: IS THERE A
QUESTION IN THERE SOMEWHERE?

>> Richard Nixon: AMERICA IS IN
TROUBLE TODAY, NOT BECAUSE HER

PEOPLE HAVE FAILED, BUT BECAUSE
HER LEADERS HAVE FAILED.

AND WHAT AMERICA NEEDS ARE
LEADERS TO MATCH THE GREATNESS

OF HER PEOPLE.

( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> Stahl: EVERY COUPLE OF

( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> Stahl: EVERY COUPLE OF

GENERATIONS, WE GET A MOMENT OF
SCANDAL...

>> Nixon: I SHALL RESIGN THE
PRESIDENCY, EFFECTIVE AT NOON

TOMORROW.

>> Stahl: LOSS OF CONFIDENCE IN
OUR LEADERSHIP, LOSS OF

CONFIDENCE OUR SYSTEM.

>> President Bill Clinton: I DID
NOT HAVE SEXUAL RELATIONS WITH

THAT WOMAN, MS. LEWINSKY.

>> Dan Rather: THIS IS THE FIRST
TIME AN ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE

UNITED STATES HAS BEEN IMPEACHED
BY THE HOUSE.

>> Stahl: THE PERSON AT THE TOP
INFECTS EVERYTHING BELOW.

>> President Donald Trump: OVER
THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS, WE'VE

AMASSED OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE
ABOUT A FAKE ELECTION.

>> Stahl: WE'VE SEEN IT.

WE'VE SEEN IT RECENTLY, AND WE
LIVED THROUGH IT DURING

WATERGATE.

I CAME ALONG IN APRIL OF 1972--
BRAND NEW.

I HAD JUST STARTED.

TOMORROW, UNITED STATES PILOTS
WILL ASK THE INTERNATIONAL

PILOTS ASSOCIATION TO JOIN THEM
IN A WORLDWIDE BOYCOTT OF

COUNTRIES THAT HARBOR HIJACKERS.

LESLEY STAHL, CBS NEWS,
WASHINGTON.

THE WASHINGTON BUREAU OF CBS WAS
HUGE.

BUT, IT WAS ALSO THE MIDDLE OF
THE 1972 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN.

SO, MOST OF THE REPORTERS WERE
OUT COVERING CANDIDATES.

>> Reporter: IT IS THE CONSENSUS
OF REPUBLICAN OPINION HERE THAT

RICHARD NIXON IS THE ONE WHO
WILL WIN THE NEW HAMPSHIRE

PRIMARY.

THE QUESTION IS, BY HOW MUCH?

>> Ted Kennedy: I'D LIKE TO
INTRODUCE THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF

THE UNITED STATES, GEORGE
McGOVERN!

( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> Stahl: IT'S JUNE 17, 1972.

( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> Stahl: IT'S JUNE 17, 1972.

THERE'S A CRACKLE OF NOISE ON
THE POLICE RADIOS THAT THERE'S A

BREAK-IN AT THE WATERGATE, AT
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY

HEADQUARTERS.

>> Charles Osgood: GOOD EVENING.

WE HAVE A MYSTERY STORY OUT OF
WASHINGTON.

FIVE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED
AND CHARGED WITH BREAKING INTO

THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE IN

THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

>> Stahl: VERY FEW NEWS
ORGANIZATIONS THOUGHT IT

REGISTERED AS A STORY AT ALL,
BUT CBS HAD A SORT OF SCENT

ABOUT THIS.

THE ASSIGNMENT EDITOR SEIZES A
BREAK-IN AT THE NATIONAL

DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE.

HE LOOKS AROUND THE NEWSROOM,
THERE'S NO ONE.

SO HE SENDS THE NEW KID.

>> Daniel Schorr: POLICE
ARRESTED FIVE MEN IN THE

WATERGATE WITH BUGGING EQUIPMENT
AND COPYING CAMERAS.

>> George Herman: ARRESTED AT
GUNPOINT, THE MEN REFUSED TO

GIVE THEIR NAMES, OR TO SAY WHY
THEY HAD BROKEN IN.

THE FIVE MEN ALSO HAD ON THEM 11
CRISP NEW $100 BILLS, ALL WITH

CONSECUTIVE SERIAL NUMBERS, AS
THOUGH SOMEONE HAD GONE TO THE

BANK AND CASHED A LARGE CHECK
ALL IN $100 BILLS.

>> Angelo Lano: I WAS CALLED IN
AROUND 8:00 THAT MORNING.

THE ARRESTS HAD ALREADY BEEN
MADE.

I WOULD SAY THAT IT WAS NOT THE
BEST ORGANIZED BURGLARY.

THE QUESTION WAS, WHO ARE THESE
INDIVIDUALS?

SO, MY PARTNER AND I WENT TO THE
LOCKUP AND ATTEMPTED TO

INTERVIEW THE ARRESTEES, AND
THEY REFUSED TO SAY ANYTHING.

>> Stahl: THEY SENT ME TO THE
ARRAIGNMENT.

AS THE TESTIMONY WENT FORWARD,
YOU BECAME MORE AND MORE

SUSPICIOUS.

THERE WERE $100 BILLS WITH
CONSECUTIVE NUMBERS.

THESE GUYS WERE CUBANS.

YOU KEPT SITTING UP, THINKING,
"MY, THIS IS NOT JUST A

THIRD-RATE BURGLARY."

THERE WERE ONLY TWO OTHER
REPORTERS THERE.

I TURNED TO THE GUY FROM THE
"WASHINGTON POST" NEXT TO ME,

AND I KEPT SAYING "AM I HEARING
THIS RIGHT?"

AND HE SAID, "YOU ARE.

MY NAME IS BOB WOODWARD."

>> Woodward: I WAS ASLEEP, AND
I GOT A CALL FROM THE

"WASHINGTON POST" ON THIS
WONDERFUL, BEAUTIFUL SATURDAY

MORNING, JUNE 17, 1972.

SAID THERE HAD BEEN A BURGLARY
AT THE DEMOCRATIC HEADQUARTERS.

COULD I COME IN?

>> Bernstein: I SAW ALL THIS
COMMOTION OUT AT THE CITY DESK

AND HEARD ABOUT THIS BREAK-IN AT
THE DEMOCRATIC HEADQUARTERS.

I SAID, THIS IS A BETTER STORY
THAN THE ONE I'M WORKING ON.

AND SO I TOLD-- I SAID TO THE
CITY EDITOR, WHAT IF I JUST MAKE

A FEW PHONE CALLS?

>> Lawrence O'Brien: THERE WERE
TAPS ON AT LEAST TWO TELEPHONES.

IT BECOMES CLEARER BY THE DAY
THAT A MOST SERIOUS CRIME HAS

BEEN COMMITTED.

>> Schorr: THIS FILE CABINET
WAS FOUND WITH THE LOCK PICKED,

THE BAR THAT HOLDS THE CABINET
IN PLACE LYING ON THE FLOOR, A

DRAWER OPEN.

>> Bernstein: THEY WANTED TO
KNOW WHAT WAS IN THE FILES.

THEY WANTED TO FIND OUT
EVERYTHING THEY COULD ABOUT THE

CAMPAIGN.

>> Woodward: THEY'D GONE IN IN
MAY, THE MONTH BEFORE, TO PLANT

EAVESDROPPING DEVICES.

IT WAS A BASIC NIXON OPERATION.

GET DIRT ON THE OTHER SIDE THAT
CAN BE USED AS LEVERAGE.

>> Wallace: ONE OF THE MEN
APPREHENDED YESTERDAY WHILE

ALLEGEDLY ATTEMPTING TO BUG THE
OFFICES OF THE DEMOCRATIC

NATIONAL COMMITTEE IN WASHINGTON
HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS THE

SECURITY COORDINATOR FOR THE
PRINCIPAL REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE

TO RE-ELECT PRESIDENT NIXON.

>> Woodward: WHEN THE
ARRAIGNMENT JUDGE ASKED JAMES

McCORD, "WHERE DID YOU WORK?"
McCORD WENT...

AND THE JUDGE SAID, "SPEAK UP."

FINALLY, McCORD SAID "C.I.A.,"
AND I THINK I BLURTED OUT,

"HOLY ( BLEEP )."

>> Schorr: THE FIRST ARRESTS
WERE DISMISSED BY THE WHITE

HOUSE AS A MINOR INCIDENT.

THE WATERGATE AFFAIR BEGAN TO
LOOK LESS MINOR WHEN, ALONG

WITH THE FIVE, TWO OTHER MEN
WERE INDICTED WHO HAD ESCAPED

IMMEDIATE ARREST.

G. GORDON LIDDY, FINANCE COUNSEL
TO THE NIXON CAMPAIGN

ORGANIZATION, EX-F.B.I.,
EX-TREASURY, EX-WHITE HOUSE

CONSULTANT;
AND E. HOWARD HUNT JR., EX-

C.I.A., EX-BAY OF PIGS PLANNER,
EX-WHITE HOUSE CONSULTANT.

>> Woodward: THERE WAS THIS
ENTRY IN THE ADDRESS BOOKS OF

THE WATERGATE BURGLARS.

"H.HUNT-DASH-W.HOUSE."

SO I CALLED THE WHITE HOUSE AND
ASKED FOR H. HUNT, WHO TURNED

OUT TO BE HOWARD HUNT.

I SAID, "HOW IS IT THAT YOUR
NAME AND PHONE NUMBER IS IN THE

ADDRESS BOOKS OF TWO OF THE
BURGLARS CAUGHT AT THE

WATERGATE?"
AND HUNT SCREAMED OUT, "GOOD

GOD," HUNG UP THE PHONE AND
LEFT TOWN.

>> H.R. Haldeman: THE BIG FLAP
OVER THE WEEKEND HAS BEEN NEWS

A GROUP OF FIVE PEOPLE HAVE
BEEN CAUGHT BREAKING INTO THE

DEMOCRATIC HEADQUARTERS.

THE REAL PROBLEM HERE IS WHETHER
ANYTHING IS TRACEABLE TO GORDON

LIDDY.

>> Wallace: HALDEMAN WAS THE
GATEKEEPER FREQUENTLY CRITICIZED

FOR ISOLATING THE PRESIDENT.

HE ONCE SAID, "EVERY PRESIDENT
NEEDS AN S.O.B., AND I'M

NIXON'S."

>> Haldeman: THE PRESIDENT WAS
CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT OUR

COUNTERATTACK IS, OUR P.R.

OFFENSIVE TO TOP THIS.

WE'VE GOT TO HOPE THAT THE
F.B.I. DOESN'T GO BEYOND THE

NECESSARY IN DEVELOPING
EVIDENCE, AND THAT WE CAN KEEP A

LID ON THAT.

>> Lano: PEOPLE WERE BEING
CALLED, QUESTIONED BY THE F.B.I.

WE DID THE JOB THAT WE WERE
ASKED TO DO, AND LET THE CHIPS

FALL WHERE THEY MAY.

AND IF IT LED TO THE WHITE
HOUSE, LET IT FALL.

>> E. Howard Hunt: I HAVE NO
COMMENT TO MAKE.

>> Stahl: AS WE GO THROUGH THE
VARIOUS MOMENTS IN THIS STORY...

>> Reporter: WHO POSTED YOUR
BOND, MR. McCORD?

>> Stahl: ...YOU GET THE SENSE
OF ONE REVELATION AFTER THE NEXT

THAT'S EXPLOSIVE.

EACH ONE WAS A PEELING AWAY AT
NIXON.

IT WAS AS IF HE WAS COVERED IN
BAND-AIDS, AND WE WERE JUST

RIPPING THEM OFF, ONE AFTER THE
NEXT.

>> Woodward: WATERGATE WAS NOT
ABOUT THE BURGLARY.

>> Bernstein: THAT'S RIGHT.

>> Woodward: WATERGATE WAS ABOUT
A WHOLE CAMPAIGN OF SABOTAGE AND

ESPIONAGE, ABOUT COVER-UP, ABOUT
A WAR AGAINST THE PRESS-- A WAR

AGAINST THE SYSTEM OF JUSTICE.

>> Stahl: IT WAS A SUBVERSION OF
OUR DEMOCRACY.

>> Nixon: PEOPLE HAVE GOT TO
KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THEIR

PRESIDENT IS A CROOK.

WELL, I'M NOT A CROOK.

>> Stahl: HE SAID HE WASN'T A
CROOK.

BUT THAT WAS THE POINT.

HE WAS A CROOK.

THE CENTRAL MYSTERIES STILL
REMAIN: WHAT WERE THOSE MEN

AFTER AT THE WATERGATE?

WHO SENT THEM?

HOW WERE THEY PAID?

WHAT'S MAKING THE REPUBLICANS
NERVOUS IS, IT'S BEGINNING TO

LOOK AS THOUGH SOME MEMBERS OF
THE PRESIDENT'S RE-ELECTION

COMMITTEE MAY KNOW THE ANSWERS.

>> Nixon: SOME PUBLIC MEN
ARE DESTINED TO BE LOVED, AND

OTHER PUBLIC MEN ARE DESTINED
TO BE DISLIKED.

BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING
ABOUT A PUBLIC MAN IS NOT

WHETHER HE'S LOVED OR DISLIKED,
BUT WHETHER HE'S RESPECTED.

AND I HOPE TO RESTORE RESPECT TO
THE PRESIDENCY.

>> WE WANT NIXON!

WE WANT NIXON!

* *
>> Dwight Chapin: WHEN HE WAS

RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT IN THE
1968 PERIOD, THE NATION REALLY

WAS UNDERGOING ALL KINDS OF
STRESS AND STRAIN.

* *
WE HAD, THAT YEAR, THE

ASSASSINATION OF MARTIN LUTHER
KING.

WE HAD THE ASSASSINATION OF
BOBBY KENNEDY.

WE HAD FIRES IN THE MAJOR
CITIES, RIOTS.

* *
I MEAN, IT WAS JUST UTTER

TURMOIL.

>> Nixon: LET'S MAKE AMERICA
FIRST AGAIN IN RESPECT FOR ORDER

AND JUSTICE UNDER LAW.

NOW ISN'T THAT WHAT YOU WANT?

ISN'T THAT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO
GO?

>> Chapin: I WAS THE PRESIDENT'S
APPOINTMENT SECRETARY.

I BELIEVE I KNEW HIM VERY WELL.

I'VE HEARD THAT TERM, THAT NIXON
WAS "AN INTROVERT IN AN

EXTROVERT'S JOB," AND I THINK
THERE'S A LOT OF TRUTH TO THAT.

* *
>> Nixon: AS FAR AS THE CHARISMA

AND ALL THE P.R. TRICKS AND
EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S SUPPOSED

TO MAKE YOU LOOK LIKE A MATINEE
IDOL, FORGET IT.

IF THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT IN A
PRESIDENT, I'M NOT THE MAN.

>> Stahl: YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL
COMPLICATED.

NONE OF US ARE ONE THING; WE'RE
FILLED WITH CONTRADICTIONS.

AND SO IS NIXON.

HE PUSHED FOR AND GOT PAST
THINGS THAT WE CALL LIBERAL

TODAY.

( SINGING )
>> Stahl: THE ENVIRONMENTAL

MOVEMENT.

>> Nixon: CLEAN AIR, CLEAN
WATER, OPEN SPACES-- THESE

SHOULD ONCE AGAIN BE THE
BIRTHRIGHT OF EVERY AMERICAN.

>> Stahl: THEY WERE JUST OPENING
UP RELATIONS WITH CHINA.

NIXON AND KISSINGER WERE JUST
BEGINNING TO HAVE A LITTLE

DÉTENTE WITH CHINA FOR THE
FIRST TIME.

AND A DÉTENTE WITH RUSSIA, THE
SOVIET UNION.

THERE WAS A SENSE OF A MAN OF
DEPTH, AND A SENSE THAT HE

REALLY DID WANT TO MAKE POSITIVE
CHANGE IN THE WORLD.

>> Nixon: HELLO, NEIL AND BUZZ.

I'M TALKING TO YOU BY TELEPHONE
FROM THE OVAL ROOM AT THE WHITE

HOUSE, AND THIS CERTAINLY HAS TO
BE THE MOST HISTORIC TELEPHONE

CALL EVER MADE FROM THE WHITE
HOUSE.

>> Stahl: AND THEN, THERE'S
THIS... I GUESS YOU WOULD CALL

IT, CORRUPT SIDE TO HIM.

>> Haldeman: THEY'RE ALL OUT OF
JAIL.

THEY'VE ALL BEEN TAKEN CARE OF.

ALL OUT ON BAIL.

>> Nixon: WELL, THEY TOOK A HELL
OF A RISK, AND THEY HAVE TO BE

PAID.

THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO IT.

>> Stahl: THERE WAS A RACIST
STREAK.

HE WAS ANTI-SEMETIC.

>> Nixon: THE JEWS ARE BORN
SPIES.

THEY'RE JUST IN IT UP TO THEIR
NECKS.

>> Stahl: SO, HE'S CONFUSING.

YOU CAN'T JUST SAY, "WHAT'S
NIXON LIKE?"

THERE ARE TOO MANY
CONTRADICTIONS TO HAVE AN

EASY ANSWER.

>> Bernstein: ONE OF THE
DOMINANT THINGS GOING ON IN

1972, AND IT PREDATED NIXON'S
ELECTION, WAS THE ANTI-WAR

MOVEMENT IN THIS COUNTRY.

>> Cronkite: WITH EACH
ESCALATION, THE WORLD COMES

CLOSER TO THE BRINK OF COSMIC
DISASTER.

>> END THE WAR!

>> Stahl: THE MOMENTUM OF THE
ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT IS BUILDING.

>> ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR...

STOP THE VIOLENCE.

STOP THE WAR.

>> Stahl: THE SENSE THAT THE
MILITARY'S NOT TELLING US THE

TRUTH HAS COME TO THE FORE,
BECAUSE OF THE LEAK OF THE

PENTAGON PAPERS.

>> Reporter: THE NEWSPAPER
HAS PRINTED EXCERPTS FROM

THOUSANDS OF CLASSIFIED PENTAGON
PAPERS, DETAILING THE HIDDEN

HISTORY OF THE VIETNAM WAR.

>> Colson: NIXON, IN ABSOLUTE
FRUSTRATION, AND SOMEWHAT

JUSTIFIABLE, IN MY OPINION,
WAS POUNDING THE DESK IN THE

OVAL OFFICE, SAYING, "WE HAVE
GOT TO DO SOMETHING TO STOP

THESE" EXPLETIVE DELETED "LEAKS.

I WANT THOSE CLASSIFIED
DOCUMENTS PROTECTED."

>> Wallace: AND THAT'S WHERE THE
PLUMBERS BEGAN.

>> Colson: THAT'S WHERE THE
PLUMBERS STARTED.

>> Woodward: THE HIRING OF
GORDON LIDDY AND HOWARD HUNT...

THEY WERE CALLED THE "PLUMBERS,"
IN THE WHITE HOUSE, TO PLUG

LEAKS.

>> Wallace: THE SHADOW OF
CORRUPTION CAST BY THE WATERGATE

BUGGING CAPER KEEPS GROWING
LARGER AND MORE MENACING,

INSTEAD OF DISAPPEARING AS THE
REPUBLICANS HAD HOPED.

>> Bernstein: THE FIRST 12 WEEKS
OF THE STORY ESTABLISHED ALL

THE CRITICAL LINES, AND
ESPECIALLY THE DISCOVERY OF A

SECRET FUND THAT PAID FOR THE
UNDERCOVER ACTIVITIES OF THE

NIXON CAMPAIGN.

>> Schorr: SECRET MONEY, FOUND
ON THE MEN WHO BROKE INTO

DEMOCRATIC HEADQUARTERS.

>> Woodward: THE SECRET FUND HAD
$700,000 IN CASH.

ASTONISHING IN ITSELF.

>> Bernstein: WE HAD THIS LIST
OF ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES OF THE

COMMITTEE FOR THE RE-ELECTION
OF THE PRESIDENT, AND ONE OF

THEM WAS THE BOOKKEEPER, NAMED
JUDY HOBACK.

>> Judy Hoback Miller: ON THE
NIGHT OF SEPTEMBER 14th, THERE

WAS A KNOCK ON THE DOOR.

IT WAS CARL BERNSTEIN.

>> Bernstein: SHE WAS SCARED.

THAT WAS THE FIRST THING THAT
CAME THROUGH.

>> Hoback Miller: I IMMEDIATELY
KNEW THAT I HAD AN AWFUL LOT OF

INFORMATION.

OUR MAIN JOB WAS TO ACCOUNT FOR
THE FUNDS THAT CAME IN THROUGH

DONATIONS.

PEOPLE WOULD COME WITH BROWN
PAPER BAGS OF CASH, MORE CASH

THAN I EVER DREAMED OF SEEING IN
MY LIFETIME.

>> Bernstein: IT BECAME APPARENT
THAT SHE WAS NOT A BLIND

LOYALIST TO RICHARD NIXON, AND
THAT SOMETHING HAD OCCURRED,

THAT MADE HER THINK THAT THINGS
WERE NOT AS THEY SHOULD BE.

AND SHE KIND OF BLURTED OUT THAT
HUGH SLOAN, THE TREASURER, HAD

QUIT BECAUSE HE WAS DISTURBED BY
WHAT HE HAD SEEN.

>> Hugh Sloan: I LEARNED ABOUT
THE BREAK-IN BY READING THE

NEWSPAPER LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.

>> Woodward: HUGH SLOAN WAS A
SENIOR MEMBER OF THE NIXON

CAMPAIGN AND WAS THE TREASURER.

>> Chapin: WHEN CREP, THE
COMMITTEE TO RE-ELECT THE

PRESIDENT, WAS BEING
ESTABLISHED, HUGH MOVED OUT OF

MY OPERATION AT THE WEST WING
AND WENT OVER TO CREP.

HUGH IS A MAN OF GREAT
INTEGRITY.

>> Hugh Sloan: GORDON LIDDY CAME
INTO THE OFFICE.

HE WAS OBVIOUSLY IN A HURRY.

IN PASSING ME IN THE HALL,
TOLD ME, "MY BOYS GOT CAUGHT

LAST NIGHT.

I MADE A MISTAKE.

I'M GOING TO LOSE MY JOB."

KNOWING I'D JUST GIVEN A WHOLE
LOT OF CASH TO GORDON LIDDY,

I WAS MAKING THE ASSUMPTION THAT
PROBABLY, I UNWITTINGLY HAD

PAID FOR THIS.

>> Cronkite: THE WHITE HOUSE
DENIED, AND CONTINUES TO DENY,

INVOLVEMENT IN ANY WRONGDOING.

IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE BREAK-IN,
THE COMMITTEE TO RE-ELECT THE

PRESIDENT FIRED McCORD.

WHEN LIDDY REFUSED TO ANSWER
F.B.I. QUESTIONS, HE WAS FIRED,

TOO.

>> Schorr: THE WATERGATE
CONSPIRATOR, GORDON LIDDY,

RECEIVED $235,000 ON THE SAY-SO
OF HALDEMAN'S MAN IN THE

COMMITTEE, JEB McGRUDER.

>> Hugh Sloan: I WAS SUMMONED BY
JEB MAGRUDER, WHO SAID, "WE HAVE

A PROBLEM ABOUT THE LIDDY MONEY.

WE NEED TO AGREE ON A NUMBER.

WE NEED A LOWER NUMBER."

I SAID, "JEB, I'M NOT GOING TO
PERJURE MYSELF OVER THIS THING."

AND HE RATHER CHILLINGLY SAID,
"WELL, YOU MAY HAVE TO."

>> Chapin: HUGH CAME UP TO ME
AND HE STARTED DESCRIBING WHAT

WAS GOING ON OVER AT CREP.

HE SAYS THERE'S TOO MUCH MONEY.

SAYS THINGS WERE OUT OF CONTROL.

SOMETHING BAD IS GOING TO
HAPPEN.

>> Hugh Sloan: IN MY MIND, WHAT
WAS DEVELOPING, CLEARLY WAS A

COVER-UP.

I'D LIKE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO
ASK THE QUESTION.

I STAKED OUT, MY OWN MIND, HOW I
WAS GOING TO DEAL WITH THIS.

AND FORTUNATELY, I WAS SUPPORTED
BY MY WIFE, WHO WAS A ROCK

THROUGH ALL THIS FOR ME.

>> Deborah Sloan: I WORKED IN
THE EAST WING IN THE WHITE HOUSE

AS ASSISTANT TO THE SOCIAL
SECRETARY.

WE HAD REALLY LED A FAIRYTALE
EXISTENCE.

AND THEN SUDDENLY THIS HAPPENED.

>> Cronkite: IN THE FOLLOWING
WEEKS, TWO TOP-LEVEL OPERATIVES

LEFT THE NIXON CAMPAIGN.

JOHN MITCHELL, FORMER ATTORNEY
GENERAL, CITED FAMILY REASONS

FOR HIS DEPARTURE AS CAMPAIGN
MANAGER.

HUGH SLOAN, JR. RESIGNED AS
CAMPAIGN TREASURER BECAUSE HE

SAID HIS WIFE WAS EXPECTING A
CHILD SHORTLY.

>> Deborah Sloan: WHEN WE TALKED
ABOUT HIS RESIGNING, I WAS VERY

UPSET, AND I WAS-- ACTUALLY, I
WAS AFRAID I WAS GOING TO GO

INTO LABOR PREMATURELY.

BUT WE BOTH KNEW THAT WE DIDN'T
BELIEVE IN LYING FOR ANYBODY.

I WOULD NOT HAVE MARRIED HIM IF
HE WAS... DIDN'T HAVE THE

INTEGRITY THAT HE DID HAVE.

>> CAN YOU CONFIRM THE REPORT...

>> Hoback Miller: WHEN HUGH
SLOAN DECIDED TO RESIGN, HE

SAID, "YOU NEED TO STAY THERE,
SO YOU CAN TELL THE TRUTH WHEN--

WHEN IT'S NEEDED TO BE TOLD."

>> Hugh Sloan: I DO NOT WISH TO
MAKE ANY FURTHER COMMENT.

>> Deborah Sloan: THERE WERE
MANY PEOPLE KNOCKING ON OUR

DOOR, BUT WOODWARD AND BERNSTEIN
WERE THE MOST PERSISTENT.

>> Woodward: HUGH SLOAN HAD A
CONSCIENCE.

HE WAS SNAGGED IN, AND HE
DIDN'T LIKE IT, AND HE WANTED TO

HELP US.

>> Hoback Miller: I WAS VERY
UPSET THAT HUGH SLOAN WAS BEING,

SORT OF, PINNED AS THE FALL GUY.

AND I REALLY, AT THIS POINT,
WANTED THE TRUTH TO COME OUT.

I FELT VERY STRONGLY BY THIS
POINT THAT IT PROBABLY WENT WAY

TO THE TOP.

>> Nixon: I HAD NO PRIOR
KNOWLEDGE OF THE WATERGATE

BREAK-IN.

I NEITHER TOOK PART IN, NOR KNEW
ABOUT ANY OF THE SUBSEQUENT

COVER-UP ACTIVITIES.

I NEITHER AUTHORIZED NOR
ENCOURAGED SUBORDINATES TO

ENGAGE IN ILLEGAL OR IMPROPER
CAMPAIGN TACTICS.

THAT WAS AND THAT IS THE SIMPLE
TRUTH.

* *
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )

* *
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )

>> Nixon: TONIGHT, I AGAIN
PROUDLY ACCEPT THAT NOMINATION

FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES.

( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> FOUR MORE YEARS!

FOUR MORE YEARS!

>> Stahl: AT THE END OF 1972,
AS WE WERE GETTING CLOSER TO THE

ELECTION, WALTER CRONKITE, OUR
LEADER AT CBS NEWS, DECIDED THAT

THIS STORY'S VERY CONFUSING.

HE BELIEVED IT WAS A HUGE STORY
THAT REACHED RIGHT UP TO THE

HIGHEST LEVELS OF POWER, AND
HE SET OUT TO EXPLAIN THE

COMPLICATIONS.

>> Cronkite: AT FIRST, IT WAS
CALLED THE WATERGATE CAPER.

FIVE MEN APPARENTLY CAUGHT IN
THE ACT OF BURGLARIZING AND

BUGGING DEMOCRATIC HEADQUARTERS
IN WASHINGTON.

BUT THE EPISODE GREW STEADILY
MORE SINISTER.

>> Deborah Sloan: WALTER
CRONKITE WAS AN ICON.

HE DID NOT APPEAR PARTISAN.

HE GAVE YOU THE FACTS.

YOU BELIEVED HIM.

YOU TRUSTED HIM.

YOU TRUSTED THAT HE WOULD BE
TELLING YOU THE TRUTH.

>> Cronkite: WE SHALL TRY,
TONIGHT, TO PULL TOGETHER THE

THREADS OF THIS AMAZING STORY,
QUITE UNLIKE ANY IN OUR MODERN

AMERICAN HISTORY.

>> Schorr: IT WAS CLEAR THERE
WERE LINKS REACHING INTO THE

WHITE HOUSE.

>> Reporter: FOR SECRET
INTELLIGENCE WORK AND DIRTY

TRICKS AGAINST THE DEMOCRATS...

>> Reporter: ...SEGRETTI TRIED
TO RECRUIT AT LEAST 12 ATTORNEYS

FOR POLITICAL ESPIONAGE.

>> Schorr: A BOOKKEEPING
NIGHTMARE IN A MASSIVE EFFORT TO

CONCEAL CAMPAIGN.

>> Rather: ISSUING GENERAL
DENIALS, THEY ARE DEPENDING UPON

THAT AND SILENCE TO MAKE THE
ALLEGATIONS GO AWAY.

>> Cronkite: CHARGES OF A
HIGH-LEVEL CAMPAIGN OF

POLITICAL SABOTAGE AND ESPIONAGE
APPARENTLY UNPARALLELED IN

AMERICAN HISTORY.

>> Bernstein: WOW.

>> Woodward: THIS WAS A DREARY
TIME.

THE "POST" WAS A LOCAL NEWSPAPER
THEN.

THERE WAS NO INTERNET.

THERE WAS NO CIRCULATION IN THE
UNITED STATES.

CBS HAD TAKEN THE "POST"
NATIONAL.

>> Bernstein: DURING THE INITIAL
PHASE, THE TELEVISION COVERAGE

WAS-- WAS PRETTY POOR.

CBS, IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS OF
THE CAMPAIGN, I THINK, DID A

GREAT SERVICE BY AIRING THE
ISSUE ON TWO LONG SEGMENTS ON

THE "CRONKITE" SHOW.

>> Woodward: VERY COURAGEOUSLY,
IN FACT.

>> Bernstein: RIGHT, UNDER--
UNDER PRESSURE FROM THE WHITE

HOUSE NOT TO GO WITH IT.

>> Cronkite: THE STORY WAS
LOSING IMPETUS, AND YET WITH THE

BODY OF EVIDENCE THEY HAD
BROUGHT TOGETHER, IT WAS A WHALE

OF A STORY, OF COURSE.

WHO GOT THE WIRETAP REPORTS?

HOW WAS THE INFORMATION USED?

IT IS THIS LAST UNANSWERED
QUESTION WHICH POINTS THE WAY

FROM THE WATERGATE CAPER TO THE
WATERGATE AFFAIR- CHARGES THAT

WATERGATE WAS ONLY PART OF, IN
THE "WASHINGTON POST'S" WORDS,

"A BROAD CAMPAIGN OF POLITICAL
ESPIONAGE AND SABOTAGE AGAINST

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY."

>> Stahl: HE TELLS THE PUBLIC
THAT, IN EFFECT, A CRIME HAS

BEEN COMMITTED, AND IT REACHES
PRETTY HIGH UP IN THE

GOVERNMENT.

JUST THE FACT THAT WALTER DID
THIS HIMSELF-- HE DIDN'T LEAD TO

ANOTHER REPORTER, HE DID THE
REPORT-- HAD A HUGE IMPACT.

>> Nixon: YOU SEE CBS ON THE
WATERGATE BUSINESS?

VERY DAMAGING POLITICALLY.

>> Haldeman: THE PRESIDENT HAD
A STRONG REACTION TO CBS'S

SPECIAL REPORT ON THE WATERGATE
LAST NIGHT.

SAYS, I QUOTE, "THAT FINISHES
THEM," CLOSED QUOTE.

HE MEANS HE'S READY TO WRITE
CBS OFF COMPLETELY.

>> Colson: THERE WAS BLOOD IN
THE WATER.

WE HAD DONE A LOT TO CREATE
HOSTILITY WITH THE PRESS.

I MEAN, WE WERE GREATLY
RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.

IT WAS A-- THERE WAS A REAL
HOSTILITY, ADVERSARY

RELATIONSHIP.

>> Wallace: BETWEEN THE NIXON
WHITE HOUSE AND THE PRESS

GENERALLY?

>> Colson: THE PRESS GENERALLY.

>> Wallace: PRINT AND
TELEVISION?

>> Colson: PRINT AND TELEVISION.

>> Nixon: I HAVE NEVER HEARD OR
SEEN SUCH OUTRAGEOUS, VICIOUS,

DISTORTED REPORTING IN 27 YEARS
OF PUBLIC LIFE.

>> Woodward: NIXON LITERALLY
SAID, "THE MOST POWERFUL

INSTITUTION IN THE COUNTRY IS
NOT THE PRESIDENCY, NOT THE

SUPREME COURT, NOT THE CONGRESS,
BUT THE PRESS, AND THEY ARE

VICIOUS AND THEY ARE AFTER YOU."

>> Robert Pierpoint: MR.
PRESIDENT, WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE

TELEVISION COVERAGE OF YOU IN
THESE PAST WEEKS AND MONTHS THAT

HAS SO AROUSED YOUR ANGER?

>> Nixon: DON'T GET THE
IMPRESSION THAT YOU AROUSE MY

ANGER.

( LAUGHTER )
YOU SEE, ONE CAN ONLY BE ANGRY

WITH THOSE HE RESPECTS.

>> Rather: IF ANY, OR ALL, OF
WHAT IS ALLEGED TO BE GOING ON

IS TRUE, HOW HIGH UP IN THE
WHITE HOUSE DOES IT GO?

THERE ARE THREE KEY NAMES:
MITCHELL, HALDEMAN, AND CHAPIN.

>> Chapin: TO THOSE OF US ON THE
NIXON SIDE, IT'S VIEWED AS A

POLITICAL EVENT.

IT'S OCTOBER; WE'RE COMING INTO
A NOVEMBER ELECTION.

WE'RE GETTING THIS
DISPROPORTIONATE COVERAGE THAT

PORTRAYS US AS CRIMINAL-LIKE,
AND WE'RE REBELLING AGAINST IT.

>> Stahl: IT DID MAKE THE PUBLIC
AWARE OF HOW HIGH UP THIS STORY

WENT, INTO THE WHITE HOUSE, BUT
IT DIDN'T CHANGE PUBLIC OPINION

THAT MUCH.

YOU KNOW, NIXON WAS PRETTY
POPULAR.

>> Announcer: REPORTING FROM
CBS NEWS ELECTION HEADQUARTERS

IN NEW YORK, HERE IS
CORRESPONDENT WALTER CRONKITE.

>> Cronkite: GOOD EVENING AGAIN.

SOME OR ALL OF THE POLLS HAVE
CLOSED NOW IN SOME 31 OF THE

STATES, AND PRESIDENT NIXON IS
WELL ON THE WAY TOWARD THE

PREDICTED LANDSLIDE RE-ELECTION.

>> Woodward: NIXON WON A MASSIVE
LANDSLIDE REELECTION, BUT IT WAS

A SENSE OF DREAD IN THE NIXON
WHITE HOUSE, THAT "WE HAVE BEEN

CAUGHT."

THE GRAND INQUISITION IS
BEGINNING.

>> Haldeman: GENERAL AGREEMENT
ON THE STRATEGY THAT WE SHOULD

KEEP THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE OF
TOTAL COOPERATION, BUT OUR

OBJECTIVE INTERNALLY SHOULD BE
MAXIMUM OBSTRUCTION AND

CONTAINMENT.

>> Nixon: REAL PROGRESS HAS BEEN
MADE IN FINDING THE TRUTH.

I CONDEMN ANY ATTEMPTS TO COVER
UP IN THIS CASE NO MATTER WHO IS

INVOLVED.

>> Haldeman: I GUESS THE PROBLEM
OF WHAT TO DO WITH CHAPIN

CONCERNS THE PRESIDENT GREATLY.

HE'S VERY DETERMINED THAT WE NOT
DO ANYTHING THAT'S HARMFUL IN

ANY WAY TO DWIGHT ESPECIALLY,
BUT FEELS THAT WE CAN'T KEEP HIM

IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

>> Chapin: AFTER THE ELECTION,
THERE WAS A SENATOR BY THE NAME

OF SAM ERVIN, AND HE WAS GETTING
READY TO HOLD SOME HEARINGS.

IT WAS FELT THAT, IF I LEFT AND
IF CHUCK COLSON LEFT, THAT THAT

MIGHT HEAD OFF THE HEARINGS,
AND THEREFORE I WAS GOING TO

HAVE TO LEAVE THE WHITE HOUSE.

>> Cronkite: THE WHITE HOUSE
CONFIRMED TODAY THAT DWIGHT

CHAPIN IS LEAVING THIS SPRING
FROM HIS JOB AS PRESIDENT

NIXON'S APPOINTMENTS SECRETARY.

THE SPOKESMAN, HOWEVER, DENIED
REPORTS THAT CHAPIN'S BEING

FORCED OUT BECAUSE OF STORIES
LINKING HIM TO THE POLITICAL

ESPIONAGE AGAINST THE DEMOCRATS.

>> Chapin: IT WAS INCREDIBLY
PAINFUL.

I USE THE TERM "HEARTBROKEN."

BUT I ALSO HAD BEEN AROUND THE
TRACK.

THEY FELT THAT IF THEY STARTED
CLEANING HOUSE, THAT THEY COULD

MAYBE AVOID THE SAM ERVIN
HEARINGS THING.

>> Roger Mudd: THE ACKNOWLEDGED
LEADER OF THE SENATE'S FORCES OF

THIS LONG WAR IS SAM ERVIN OF
NORTH CAROLINA.

>> Herman: ERVIN HAS PROMISED
THAT THERE WILL BE REVELATIONS

OF NEW MATERIAL, EVENTS NOT YET
REPORTED IN THE PRESS, AND HE

SAYS SOME OF THEM ARE GOING TO
BE STARTLING.

>> Sam Ervin: THE COMMITTEE WILL
COME TO ORDER.

>> Schorr: 11 MONTHS TO THE DAY
FROM THE WATERGATE BREAK-IN,

CHAIRMAN SAM ERVIN LAUNCHED HIS
BIPARTISAN SENATE COMMITTEE ON A

MONTHS-LONG SERIES OF HEARINGS,
TRYING TO FIND OUT WHO, HOW, AND

WHY.

>> Stahl: THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN,
THIS COMES ON TO TELEVISION.

LIVE EVERY DAY.

THE LONG SILENCE MAINTAINED BY
THE WATERGATE INSIDERS APPEARS

TO BE BREAKING DOWN.

AND WE HAD THE REPORTERS AT
THESE LONG TABLES, AND FAMOUS

PEOPLE CAME.

MOVIE STARS, PEOPLE FROM ABROAD
CAME TO SIT IN THAT ROOM.

>> I'M ON HOLIDAY FOR THREE
WEEKS, AND I'M HERE TO HEAR THE

WATERGATE HEARINGS.

>> Stahl: EVERYBODY WATCHED.

THE WHOLE COUNTRY.

>> Ervin: IF THE MANY
ALLEGATIONS MADE TO THIS DAY ARE

TRUE, THEN THE BURGLARS WHO
BROKE INTO THE HEADQUARTERS OF

THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL
COMMITTEE AT THE WATERGATE WERE,

IN EFFECT, BREAKING INTO THE
HOME OF EVERY CITIZEN OF THE

UNITED STATES.

DO YOU SWEAR THE EVIDENCE THAT
YOU SHALL GIVE THE SELECT

COMMITTEE ON PRESIDENTIAL
CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES SHALL BE THE

TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND
NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, SO HELP

YOU GOD?

>> Bernstein: THE HEARING ITSELF
FROM THE VERY BEGINNING

ESTABLISHED A KIND OF MOMENTUM.

>> Sam Dash: AFTER YOUR ARREST,
DID YOU RECEIVE ANY MONEY?

>> James McCord: YES, I DID.

>> Hugh Sloan: HE ASKED ME WHERE
THE PAPER SHREDDER WAS.

>> Jeb Magruder: WE HAD TO COME
UP WITH A VERY GOOD STORY TO

JUSTIFY WHY.

>> Bernstein: AND THEN YOU GOT
TO DEAN.

>> Ervin: YOUR NAME IS JOHN W.

DEAN III.

>> Dean: THAT IS CORRECT.

>> Ervin: YOU MAY BE SEATED.

>> Stahl: HERE HE IS, THE MAN
WHO WAS RICHARD NIXON'S CHIEF

COUNSEL.

HE WALKED YOU THROUGH SCENES IN
THE OVAL OFFICE WITH THE

PRESIDENT, EACH SCENE
IMPLICATING RICHARD NIXON.

HE JUST TOOK THE CURTAIN AND
OPENED IT UP, AND THE MAN

STANDING THERE WAS RICHARD
NIXON.

IT WAS THE TURNING POINT IN
WATERGATE.

>> Cronkite: THE MAN IN THE
MIDDLE IN THE WATERGATE SCANDAL.

ACCUSER AND ACCUSED.

34-YEAR-OLD JOHN WESLEY DEAN,
III.

FIRED AS COUNSELOR TO PRESIDENT
NIXON AFTER ISSUING A STATEMENT

THAT HE WOULD NOT BE A
SCAPEGOAT, HE WENT TO FEDERAL

PROSECUTORS BARGAINING FOR
IMMUNITY IF HE WOULD TELL ALL.

>> Dean: I THINK THAT A LOT OF
PEOPLE JUST DON'T REALLY ACCEPT

THE TRUTH FOR WHAT IT REALLY IS.

AND I THINK THAT... I FELT I
COULD BE SOME SORT OF CATALYST

TO-- TO START GETTING THE TRUTH
OUT.

>> Chapin: JOHN DEAN WAS IN
CHARGE OF ANYTHING INVOLVING

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

SO, WHEN THE WATERGATE BREAK-IN
HAPPENED, JOHN DEAN KNEW

PRECISELY WHAT HAD TRANSPIRED.

>> Stahl: DID YOU READ THE
ARTICLE ABOUT MR. COLSON, AND

THE CHARGES THAT YOU WERE AN
EARLY AND WILLING PARTICIPANT IN

THE WATERGATE COVER-UP?

>> Dean: NO, I HAVEN'T READ THE
PAPER YET.

SORRY.

>> Stahl: MY JOB WAS TO STAKE
PEOPLE OUT BEFORE THEY

TESTIFIED.

I WAS SENT OUT TO JOHN DEAN'S
HOUSE, AND I SAID, "OH, THIS IS

FANTASTIC, I'M GOING TO GET A
BIG, HUGE STORY."

AND ALL HE TOLD ME WAS THAT HE
GOT A HAIRCUT.

>> Dean: I HAVE NO COMMENT.

SORRY.

>> Bernstein: NIXON HAD PUT DEAN
SUPPOSEDLY IN CHARGE OF

INVESTIGATING WHAT HAD HAPPENED.

WHEN, IN FACT, DEAN BECAME
INTEGRAL TO THE COVER-UP ITSELF.

>> Ervin: STAND UP AND RAISE
YOUR RIGHT HAND.

DO YOU SWEAR THAT THE
EVIDENCE...

>> Stahl: HE TESTIFIED FOR DAYS.

>> Dean: THE WATERGATE MATTER
WAS AN INEVITABLE OUTGROWTH...

I LEARNED ANY MEANS, LEGAL OR
ILLEGAL, TO GET SOME THUGS TO

REMOVE...

>> Stahl: AND HE BASICALLY SAID
NIXON WAS DEEPLY INVOLVED IN THE

COVER-UP.

>> Dean: I LEFT THE MEETING
WITH THE IMPRESSION THAT THE

PRESIDENT WAS WELL AWARE OF
WHAT HAD BEEN GOING ON,

REGARDING THE SUCCESS OF KEEPING
THE WHITE HOUSE OUT OF THE

WATERGATE SCANDAL, AND I HAD
ALSO EXPRESSED TO HIM MY CONCERN

THAT I WAS NOT CONFIDENT THAT
THE COVER-UP COULD BE MAINTAINED

INDEFINITELY.

>> Stahl: HERE HE IS, A MAN FROM
WITHIN THE WHITE HOUSE, WITHIN

THE OVAL OFFICE, NOW TURNS THE
TABLES.

SPILLS THE BEANS.

>> Woodward: THE POWER OF
DEAN'S TESTIMONY WAS, HE

IMPLICATED HIMSELF.

HE DIDN'T SAY, "I DIDN'T DO
THIS."

HE SAID, "I DID IT."

>> Dean: I SUBSEQUENTLY MET WITH
MR. EHRLICHMAN TO INFORM HIM OF

THE CONTENTS OF HUNT'S SAFE.

I REMEMBER WELL HIS
INSTRUCTIONS: HE TOLD ME TO

SHRED THE DOCUMENTS AND "DEEP
SIX" THE BRIEFCASE.

>> Bernstein: DEAN WAS THE
PERFECT WITNESS, AND YOU HAD ALL

THESE DETAILS.

THERE WAS NO WAY FOR HIM NOT TO
BE CREDIBLE TO ANY OPEN-MINDED

PERSON.

>> Dash: I ALWAYS WAS SOMEWHAT
SQUEAMISH ABOUT, YOU KNOW,

HOW MUCH... I BELIEVED WE COULD
BELIEVE JOHN DEAN.

DID YOU JUST HAVE AN IMPRESSION
AS TO HIS KNOWLEDGE OF THE

COVER-UP, OR DO YOU HAVE A
CONVICTION CONCERNING THAT?

AND I TRIED TO CROSS-EXAMINE
HIM.

I COULDN'T BREAK HIM.

BUT NEVERTHELESS, MAYBE HE WAS A
REALLY FLUENT LIAR.

>> Dean: AND I SAID TO THE--
THE PRESIDENT...

>> Richard Ben-Veniste: I WAS
SKEPTICAL ABOUT JOHN DEAN'S

IMPLICATION OF RICHARD NIXON.

IT SEEMED TO ME, THIS YOUNG GUY,
WHO WAS ONLY A FEW YEARS OLDER

THAN I WAS AT THE TIME, WAS
PERHAPS EXAGGERATING.

>> Wallace: WHAT'S YOUR OPINION
OF JOHN DEAN?

>> G. Gordon Liddy: I THINK,
IN ALL FAIRNESS TO THE MAN,

YOU'D HAVE TO PUT HIM RIGHT UP
THERE WITH JUDAS ISCARIOT, HE

BEING A BETRAYER OF A PERSON IN
HIGH POSITION.

>> Wallace: AND WHAT DO YOU
THINK HIS MOTIVE WAS?

>> Liddy: TO SAVE HIS ASS.

>> Dean: I AM QUITE AWARE OF THE
FACT THAT IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES,

IT'S GOING TO BE MY WORD AGAINST
ONE MAN'S WORD.

IT'S GOING TO BE MY WORD AGAINST
TWO MEN.

IT'S GOING TO BE MY WORD AGAINST
THREE MEN.

AND PROBABLY, IN SOME CASES,
IT'S GOING TO BE MY WORD AGAINST

FOUR MEN.

I KNOW THE TRUTH IS MY ALLY IN
THIS, AND I THINK, ULTIMATELY,

THE TRUTH IS GOING TO COME OUT.

>> Mudd: GOOD EVENING.

THERE WAS A STARTLING
DEVELOPMENT IN THE SENATE

WATERGATE HEARINGS TODAY.

>> Schorr: COMMITTEE ATTENTION
SEEMED FOCUSED ELSEWHERE,

MEMBERS WHISPERING TO EACH
OTHER, AT ONE POINT HUDDLING

OUTSIDE.

AND WORD SPREAD OF A MYSTERY
WITNESS.

>> Stahl: THIS WAS A SECRET
WITNESS.

HE APPEARED OUT OF NOWHERE.

AND WE DIDN'T KNOW WHO HE WAS.

WHO IS HE?

>> Ervin: I SUPPOSE, JUST FOR
THE RECORD, THAT YOU STATE YOUR

NAME AND PRESENT OCCUPATION AND
ADDRESS.

>> Butterfield: MY NAME IS
ALEXANDER PORTER BUTTERFIELD.

I WAS CALLED DEPUTY ASSISTANT TO
THE PRESIDENT.

THAT PUT ME IN CHARGE OF THE
PRESIDENT'S OFFICIAL DAY.

I BECAME INCREASINGLY CLOSE TO
HIM THROUGHOUT THAT FOUR-YEAR

PERIOD.

HE WAS THE STRANGEST MAN I--
I GUESS, I EVER MET.

SHY.

VERY UNCOMFORTABLE AROUND PEOPLE
HE HADN'T MET BEFORE.

AND HE WAS HARD TO READ.

HE SAID SOME THINGS THAT WERE
MOST INAPPROPRIATE AT TIMES.

I SAT IN ON MANY MEETINGS AND
I THOUGHT, MY GOD, I CAN'T

BELIEVE WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS
SAYING, IN LIGHT OF WHAT HE

KNOWS AND I KNOW.

I KNEW SO MANY THINGS ABOUT THE
WHITE HOUSE.

I CERTAINLY DIDN'T WANT TO
TESTIFY.

>> Fred Thompson: SO YOU WERE
EMPLOYED ON JANUARY 21, 1969...

>> Dash: EVERYBODY WAS
WONDERING, "WHO IS THIS PERSON

COMING IN WITH HIS BRIEFCASE?"
AND, HE THEN GAVE THE TESTIMONY

THAT LITERALLY SHOCKED THE
WORLD.

>> Thompson: MR. BUTTERFIELD,
ARE YOU AWARE OF THE

INSTALLATION OF ANY LISTENING
DEVICES IN THE OVAL OFFICE OF

THE PRESIDENT?

>> Butterfield: I WAS AWARE OF
LISTENING DEVICES.

YES, SIR.

>> Stahl: THE ROOM WAS JUST
DRENCHED IN SILENCE.

ABSOLUTE SILENCE.

AND SLOWLY, AS HE HESITATED, IT
BECAME CLEAR.

>> Thompson: ARE YOU AWARE OF
ANY DEVICES THAT WERE INSTALLED

IN THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE BUILDING
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT?

>> Butterfield: YES, SIR.

AT THAT TIME.

>> Thompson: WERE THEY INSTALLED
AT THE SAME TIME?

>> Butterfield: THEY WERE
INSTALLED AT THE SAME TIME.

>> Dash: IT WASN'T ONE TAPE.

IT WAS A TAPING SYSTEM, THAT
RECORDED, 24 HOURS A DAY, ALL OF

THE CONVERSATIONS IN THE OVAL
OFFICE FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS.

AND BOOM, YOU KNOW.

WHAT AN EXPLOSION.

>> Chapin: WHEN ALEX BUTTERFIELD
REVEALED THE TAPING SYSTEM, I

WAS STUNNED.

I HAD NO IDEA IT WAS THERE.

ONLY A VERY FEW SELECT PEOPLE
KNEW ABOUT THEM.

AND SO, I WAS REALLY TAKEN BACK.

>> Haldeman: THE TAPES WERE PUT
INTO THE WHITE HOUSE AT RICHARD

NIXON'S ORDERS.

HE WANTED THEM FOR THE PURPOSE
OF RECORDING AND PRESERVING FOR

HIS USE, HIS PERSONAL USE, ALL
OF WHAT WAS SAID BY HIM AND BY

OTHERS IN THE MEETINGS THAT HE
HELD IN THE OVAL OFFICE AND

OTHER PRINCIPAL PLACES.

>> Wallace: FOR EVENTUAL USE FOR
WRITING OR WHATEVER?

>> Haldeman: FOR EVENTUAL
REFERENCE BY HIM.

>> Wallace: THAT'S THE ONLY
REASON?

>> Haldeman: THAT IS THE
ABSOLUTELY ONLY REASON.

>> Dash: AND SO THAT IF EITHER
MR. DEAN, MR. HALDEMAN,

MR. EHRLICHMAN, MR. COLSON HAD
PARTICULAR MEETINGS IN THE OVAL

OFFICE WITH THE PRESIDENT ON ANY
PARTICULAR DATES THAT HAVE BEEN

TESTIFIED BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE,
THERE WOULD BE A TAPE RECORDING

WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THAT FULL
CONVERSATION, WOULD THERE NOT?

>> Butterfield: YES, SIR.

>> Nixon: HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU
NEED?

>> Dean: I WOULD SAY THESE
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO COST... A

MILLION DOLLARS OVER THE NEXT
TWO YEARS.

>> Nixon: YOU COULD GET A
MILLION DOLLARS, AND YOU COULD

GET IT IN CASH.

I KNOW WHERE IT COULD BE GOTTEN.

>> Stahl: IT DAWNED ON ALL OF US
IN THE PRESS CORPS THAT THERE

MIGHT BE A RECORD OF EVERYTHING
THAT WAS SAID.

THAT WE WOULD KNOW IF JOHN DEAN
HAD LIED OR NOT.

>> Ben-Veniste: JOHN DEAN WAS
CORROBORATED IN CHAPTER AND

VERSE WITHOUT ANY KIND OF
MATERIAL DEVIATION BY THE TAPES

THAT NIXON HAD SECRETLY MADE AND
WHICH JOHN DEAN DID NOT KNOW

EXISTED.

>> Dean: I BEGAN BY TELLING THE
PRESIDENT THAT THERE WAS A

CANCER GROWING ON THE PRESIDENCY
AND IF THE CANCER WAS NOT

REMOVED, THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF
WOULD BE KILLED BY IT.

I THINK THAT... THERE IS NO
DOUBT ABOUT THE SERIOUSNESS OF

THE PROBLEM WE'VE GOT.

WE HAVE A CANCER WITHIN,
CLOSE TO THE PRESIDENCY, THAT'S

GROWING.

IT'S GROWING DAILY.

>> Ben-Veniste: THE TAPES
VERIFIED EXACTLY WHAT HE WAS

TESTIFYING TO.

>> Nixon: GET EHRLICHMAN IN.

>> Butterfield: I THOUGHT
THE PRESIDENT MIGHT BE A

LITTLE BIT INTIMIDATED BY
KNOWING THAT THESE REELS ARE

GOING ALL THE TIME, BUT HE NEVER
DID SEEM TO BE.

>> Nixon: WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH
THESE CLOWNS?

>> Butterfield: I CERTAINLY
DIDN'T KNOW, WHEN I WENT TO THE

WHITE HOUSE, THAT I WAS GOING TO
HAVE TO PUT UP WITH WHAT I DID.

IT WAS, IN FACT, IN MANY WAYS A
CESSPOOL.

YOU NEVER KNEW WHAT SORT OF
SKULLDUGGERY MIGHT BE THE ORDER

OF THE DAY.

>> Nixon: NEVER STRIKE A KING
UNLESS YOU KILL HIM.

THEY STRUCK AND DID NOT KILL.

AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO KILL
THEM.

I DON'T CARE WHAT IT COSTS.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE KILLED.

>> Stahl: IT WAS SO BIG--
THE IDEA THAT EVERYTHING THAT

HAD BEEN TESTIFIED TO, THAT WE'D
BEEN LISTENING TO, WAS GOING TO

BE PROVED, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

THIS WAS THE DAGGER RIGHT AT
NIXON'S THROAT.

>> Herman Talmadge: WHEN YOU
FOUND OUT ALL THESE CRIMES AND

CONSPIRACIES AND COVER-UPS WERE
BEING COMMITTED, WHY ON EARTH

DIDN'T YOU WALK IN THE
PRESIDENT'S OFFICE AND TELL HIM

THE TRUTH?

>> John Mitchell: WELL, IT
WASN'T A QUESTION OF TELLING

THE TRUTH.

IT WAS THE QUESTION OF NOT
INVOLVING HIM AT ALL.

>> Talmadge: ALL AROUND HIM
WERE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN CRIME,

PERJURY, ACCESSORY AFTER THE
FACT, AND YOU DELIBERATELY

REFUSED TO TELL HIM THAT.

>> Mitchell: SENATOR, I THINK
YOU PUT IT EXACTLY CORRECT.

>> Announcer: FROM CBS NEWS
WASHINGTON, LIVE COVERAGE OF THE

WATERGATE HEARINGS.

>> Ben Bradlee: I MEAN, MY GOD,
ONCE THE HEARINGS STARTED, I

COULD WALK FROM MY OFFICE TO THE
CAPITOL AND NEVER MISS A BEAT IN

THE TELEVISION HEARINGS.

>> Nelson Benton: GOOD MORNING.

ON THIS FIFTH DAY...

>> Bradlee: I COULD HEAR IT.

I COULD HEAR RADIO IN THE CABS.

I COULD SEE IT IN OFFICES.

IT OVERWHELMED THE CITY.

BECAUSE IT WAS SO INTERESTING.

THE ABUSE OF POWER IS A
WONDERFUL STORY.

>> Howard Baker: JUST WHAT DID
THE PRESIDENT KNOW, AND WHEN DID

HE FIRST KNOW IT?

>> GET YOUR WATERGATE HEARINGS.

READ IT RIGHT HERE.

>> Stahl: EVERYBODY TALKED ABOUT
ALMOST NOTHING ELSE, ONCE THOSE

HEARINGS STARTED.

>> Gore Vidal: I HAVE TO HAVE MY
WATERGATE FIX EVERY SINGLE

MORNING IN THE PAPER.

I-- I GET LIKE THIS IF I HAVEN'T
GOT...

>> Dick Cavett: THERE ARE--
THERE ARE WATERGATE JUNKIES ALL

OVER...

>> Stahl: THERE WAS SO MUCH
HUMOR THAT CAME OUT, JUST FROM

WATCHING THE HEARINGS.

>> Johnny Carson: THEY CAME OUT
WITH A NEW DOLL...

WANDA WATERGATE!

( LAUGHS )
AND THE WAY WANDA WORKS IS,

WHENEVER SHE WETS, SHE TRIES TO
COVER IT UP.

( LAUGHTER )
>> Stahl: AND EVERYBODY IN THE

COUNTRY HAD AN OPINION.

>> I THINK NIXON SHOULD RESIGN
AND SAVE HIS FAMILY AND THE

COUNTRY THE EMBARRASSMENT.

THAT'S ALL.

>> I BELIEVE IN MY PRESIDENT.

I THINK HE'S A WONDERFUL MAN,
AND I THINK HE'LL GO ON TO PROVE

THAT HE IS.

>> Nixon: I SEE THIS LAST SIGN,
"I BELIEVE IN NIXON AND

AMERICA."

LET ME TELL YOU... I BELIEVE IN
YOU.

EVERY ONE OF YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> Bernstein: NIXON WAS TRULY A
TRAGIC FIGURE.

HERE WAS SOMEONE WHO, ALL HIS
LIFE, WANTED TO BE THE PRESIDENT

OF THE UNITED STATES.

>> Woodward: HE DIDN'T WANT
TO LOSE, AND WINNING WAS AT

ANY COST.

>> Bernstein: AND TO SCREW YOUR
POLITICAL ENEM-- ENEMIES.

>> Woodward: YES.

>> Nixon: WE'RE UP AGAINST AN
ENEMY.

A CONSPIRACY.

THEY'RE USING ANY MEANS.

WE ARE GOING TO USE ANY MEANS.

IS THAT CLEAR?

>> Cronkite: I DON'T THINK
THERE'S ANY QUESTION THAT

RICHARD NIXON WAS PARANOID,
ABOUT ENEMIES.

HE SAW THEM EVERYWHERE.

THIS WAS- HE-- HE LIVED IN A
KIND OF AN ATMOSPHERE OF-- OF

"ME VS. THEM."

YOU COULD SEE IT IN HIS EYES.

HE-- HIS EYES WERE KIND OF
SHIFTING, AS IF THEY'RE THERE,

THEY'RE SOMEWHERE IN THE WALLS,
THEY'RE SOMEWHERE IN THE ROOM.

>> Nixon: NEVER FORGET, THE
PRESS IS THE ENEMY.

THE ESTABLISHMENT IS THE ENEMY.

THE PROFESSORS ARE THE ENEMY.

WRITE THAT ON A BLACKBOARD
100 TIMES, AND NEVER FORGET IT.

>> Frank Gannon: WHEN PEOPLE
THINK ABOUT WATERGATE, THEY

ALSO THINK ABOUT HOW YOUR
ADMINISTRATION USED THE INTERNAL

REVENUE SERVICE TO-- TO HARASS
PEOPLE, AND HOW YOU EVEN HAD A--

A WRITTEN-DOWN ENEMIES LIST,
OF OPPONENTS TO GO AFTER AND

HURT.

>> Nixon: EVERY ADMINISTRATION
HAS ITS FRIENDS AND ITS ENEMIES.

WE ALWAYS DIVIDE PRESS,
EVERYBODY ELSE, UP IN THOSE

CATEGORIES.

YOU REWARD YOUR FRIENDS AND
PUNISH YOUR ENEMIES IF YOU CAN.

>> Stahl: ONE OF JOHN DEAN'S
REVELATIONS WAS THAT THERE WAS

AN ENEMIES LIST-- THAT NIXON
ACTUALLY HAD AN ENEMIES LIST.

I THINK THERE WERE 20 NAMES OF
PEOPLE THAT RICHARD NIXON WANTED

THE I.R.S. TO GO AFTER.

AND THEN, ONE OF THE NAMES WAS
DANIEL SCHORR, OUR CBS REPORTER.

>> Schorr: NOW, PERHAPS FOR
THE FIRST TIME, THE 20 PEOPLE

DESIGNATED AS WHITE HOUSE
ENEMIES...

I WAS ON THE AIR LIVE.

I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO LOOK AT
THIS DOCUMENT BEFORE I STARTED

READING IT LIVE.

AND I BEGAN TO READ DOWN THE
LIST, UNTIL I CAME TO NUMBER 17.

...17th, DANIEL SCHORR OF THE
COLUMBIA BROADCASTING SYSTEM IN

WASHINGTON.

THE NOTE HERE IS, "A REAL MEDIA
ENEMY."

NUMBER 18...

>> Nixon: THANK YOU.

>> Chapin: I WOULD IMAGINE EVERY
PRESIDENT HAS AN ENEMIES LIST.

NIXON'S GOT MORE ATTENTION AND
PUBLICITY.

>> Nixon: I WANT, BOB, MORE USE
OF WIRETAPPING.

>> Chapin: I MEAN, THESE PEOPLE
ARE IN POLITICAL LIFE.

THEY HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING
TO END THEIR POLITICAL LIFE.

>> Nixon: MAYBE WE CAN GET A
REAL SCANDAL ON ANY-- ANY-- ANY

ONE OF THE LEADING DEMOCRATS.

>> FOUR MORE YEARS!

FOUR MORE YEARS!

>> Woodward: NIXON AND HIS TEAM
FOUND THE SOFT SPOT IN THE

AMERICAN POLITICAL SYSTEM.

WE'RE GOING TO PICK WHO NIXON
RUNS AGAINST.

>> Dash: NEVER BEFORE, I THINK,
IN THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN

POLITICS, HAS ONE PARTY ACTUALLY
CHOSEN THE CANDIDATE OF THE

OTHER PARTY.

YOU KNOW, YOU TRY TO DESTROY THE
FRONT RUNNER.

BUT IN THIS CASE, THEY DID IT
WITH SUCH FRAUDULENT MEANS.

>> Colson: McGOVERN WAS THE
CANDIDATE THAT-- BEGINNING IN

JANUARY, WHEN I WAS TRACKING
ALL THE POLLS AND WOULD STUDY

THE POLL DATA DAILY, HE WAS THE
ONE CANDIDATE THAT WE WANTED

MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, BUT
NEVER DREAMT COULD EVER GET

NOMINATED.

>> Wallace: WHO WAS THE GUY THAT
YOU FEARED?

>> Colson: MUSKIE.

MUSKIE WOULD HAVE BEEN A MUCH
MORE DIFFICULT CANDIDATE FOR

NIXON TO DEFEAT.

>> Edmund Muskie: LET'S PICK A
CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT WHO'S

GOT THE BEST CHANCE TO BEAT
NIXON.

AND I THINK THAT CANDIDATE IS
ME.

( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> Woodward: THEY HIRED A BUNCH

OF SABOTEURS AND SPIES TO
DISRUPT THE MUSKIE CAMPAIGN.

>> Reporter: MR. SEGRETTI,
CAN YOU STOP TO TALK WITH US

JUST A MOMENT?

>> Donald Segretti: I GOT A
CALL, OUT OF THE BLUE...

>> Wallace: FROM?

>> Segretti: DWIGHT CHAPIN.

WORKING IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

HE ASKED ME IF I WANTED TO
WORK IN THE CAMPAIGN FOR

RICHARD NIXON.

THE '72 ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

>> Wallace: AND WHAT THEY REALLY
WANTED YOU TO DO WAS... ?

>> Segretti: DIRTY TRICKS.

>> Chapin: WHEN I MET WITH DON,
THE IDEA THAT I GOT ACROSS TO

HIM WAS, LET'S HAVE THESE
DEMOCRATS THINK THAT ONE OF THE

OTHER DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES IS
THE ONE THAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM

FOR THEM.

IT WAS KIND OF THE SOWING OF
SEEDS OF DISCONTENT AMONG THE

RIVALS THAT WERE GOING AFTER THE
DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION.

>> Bernstein: THEY EVEN HAD ON
THEIR PAYROLL SENATOR MUSKIE'S

CHAUFFEUR.

IMAGINE THIS.

AND THE CHAUFFEUR HAD ALL THE
DOCUMENTS THAT THE MUSKIE

CAMPAIGN HAD GENERATED, AND
ALL OF THIS MATERIAL WENT BACK

TO THE WHITE HOUSE.

>> Woodward: ONE OF THE REALLY
NASTY, UGLY THINGS THEY DID IS,

THEY GOT MUSKIE STATIONERY,
AND THEN THEY PUT OUT A FALSE

PRESS RELEASE, IN WHICH IT
LOOKED LIKE MUSKIE WAS ACCUSING

OTHER DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES,
SAYING THEY WERE INVOLVED IN

ILLEGAL SEXUAL ACTIVITY.

>> Berl Bernhard: IT WAS A
LETTER WIDELY DISSEMINATED,

ACCUSING SENATORS HUBERT
HUMPHREY AND SCOOP JACKSON OF

SEXUAL AND ALCOHOLIC MISCONDUCT.

>> Wallace: IT SAID THAT HE HAD
AN ILLEGITIMATE DAUGHTER NAMED

MARY ANN CRAMER BORN FEBRUARY 7,
1929, ETCETERA, ETCETERA,

ETCETERA.

>> Segretti: THAT'S TOTALLY
FALLACIOUS.

NONE OF IT WAS TRUE.

>> Wallace: AND YOU WERE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS?

>> Segretti: I WAS INVOLVED IN
IT, YES.

>> Bernhard: WHAT IT ENDED UP
WITH WAS PITTING THE DEMOCRATIC

CANDIDATES ANGRILY AGAINST ONE
ANOTHER.

THEY DESTROYED THE ONE CENTRIST
CANDIDATE WHO HAD THE GREATEST

POSSIBILITY OF BEATING PRESIDENT
NIXON IN THE FALL.

IT, IN MY JUDGMENT, DEPRIVED THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE OF A LEGITIMATE

CHOICE.

>> Muskie: THESE REPORTS OF
WRONGDOING BY THE WHITE HOUSE

STAFF ARE SO SERIOUS THAT THE
PRESIDENT SHOULD TELL US WHETHER

HE CONDONES THIS KIND OF
POLITICAL ESPIONAGE OPERATION.

>> Colson: THE BIGGEST NEGATIVE
TO THE WATERGATE, IN MY MIND:

EVENTUALLY, IT'S GOING TO
COME OUT.

THERE'S JUST TOO DAMN MANY
PEOPLE INVOLVED.

>> Nixon: OH, SURE, THE
WHOLE GODDAMN STORY IS GOING TO

COME OUT.

>> Woodward: HE LOST THE BATTLE
WITH HISTORY BECAUSE OF THOSE

TAPES.

HE WILL NEVER ESCAPE THEM.

THOSE TAPES ARE LIKE AN IRON
RIGHT AROUND HIS NECK.

>> Benton: SO FAR, THE WHITE
HOUSE HAS NOT ANSWERED THE

QUESTION WHETHER OR NOT IT WILL
MAKE TAPES CONCERNING WATERGATE

CONVERSATIONS AVAILABLE TO THE
COMMITTEE.

>> Mudd: AFTER MONTHS OF TALK,
THE PRESIDENT AND THE CONGRESS

TONIGHT ARE ACTUALLY ON A
COLLISION COURSE.

THE ISSUE IS EXECUTIVE
PRIVILEGE, WHICH MR. NIXON TODAY

INVOKED WHEN HE TOLD BOTH THE
ERVIN COMMITTEE AND PROSECUTOR

ARCHIBALD COX THAT HE WILL NOT
GIVE THEM ANY WHITE HOUSE

RECORDINGS.

>> Ervin: IF YOU NOTICE, THE
PRESIDENT SAYS HE'S HEARD THE

TAPES, OR SOME OF THEM, AND THEY
SUSTAIN HIS POSITION.

BUT HE SAYS HE'S NOT GOING TO
LET ANYBODY ELSE HEAR THEM,

FOR FEAR THEY MIGHT DRAW A
DIFFERENT CONCLUSION.

( LAUGHTER )
I WAS IN HOPES THAT THE

PRESIDENT WILL ACCEDE TO THE
REQUEST OF THIS COMMITTEE FOR

THESE TAPES AND THESE PAPERS.

>> Dash: THE INVESTIGATION WAS
GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THE

WHITE HOUSE.

OBVIOUSLY, PRESIDENT NIXON WAS
FEELING THE HEAT.

I THINK IT WAS SENATOR BAKER
WHO SAID, TO SENATOR ERVIN,

"SAM, WHY DON'T YOU CALL THE
PRESIDENT."

WE'RE ALL SITTING IN SENATOR
ERVIN'S OFFICE, AND WE COULD

ONLY HEAR ONE SIDE OF THE
CONVERSATION.

AND THEN SUDDENLY, ERVIN'S FACE
GOT FLUSHED.

"WELL, WELL, NO, MR. PRESIDENT.

NO.

WE'RE NOT OUT TO GET YOU,
MR. PRESIDENT.

NO, MR. PRES-- WE JUST WANT TO
GET AT THE FACTS.

MR. PRES-- WE'RE NOT OUT TO GET
YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, NO."

AND HIS FACE WAS GETTING FLUSHER
AND FLUSHER.

AND HE FINALLY HUNG UP.

AND HE TURNED TO US, AND HE
SAID, "YOU KNOW WHAT THE

PRESIDENT WAS YELLING ON THE
PHONE TO ME?

'YOU'RE OUT TO GET ME!

YOU'RE OUT TO GET ME!

YOU'RE OUT TO GET ME'!"

>> Diane Sawyer: YOU DON'T EVEN
SIT SOMETIMES AND THINK TO

YOURSELF, "WHY DIDN'T I BURN
THOSE TAPES?"

>> Nixon: I MUST GET A-- OH,
A HALF A DOZEN LETTERS A WEEK,

EVEN NOW.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU BURN THE TAPES?"
AND THE ANSWER IS, OF COURSE,

I SHOULD.

IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE.

BUT THE MAIN POINT IS, THEY
SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN STARTED.

I NEVER EVEN DREAMED THAT THE
TAPES WOULD EVER COME OUT,

EXCEPT HISTORICALLY.

AND, IF I HAD, OF COURSE, I--
I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING

WATERGATE ON THE TAPES.

WHAT'S THE SITUATION?

IS JULIE HERE?

>> Stephen Bull: SHE'LL BE HERE
IN JUST A MOMENT.

I LEARNED ABOUT THE EXISTENCE
OF THE TAPING SYSTEM WHEN

ALEX BUTTERFIELD LEFT THE
WHITE HOUSE.

MY TITLE AT THE WHITE HOUSE, I
GUESS OFFICIALLY, WAS SPECIAL

ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT.

ESSENTIALLY, I RAN THE
PRESIDENT'S SCHEDULE.

I SPENT A LOT OF TIME ALONE IN
THE OVAL OFFICE WITH THE

PRESIDENT.

I PROBABLY SAW HIM 20 TIMES A
DAY.

>> Nixon: YEAH.

>> Operator: MR. BULL.

>> Bull: YES, SIR.

>> Nixon: HI, STEVE.

HAVE YOU GOT THAT THING WORKED
OUT?

>> Bull: I DON'T THINK THE
PRESIDENT EVER LISTENED TO A

TAPE, UNTIL THE SENATE
WATERGATE COMMITTEE HAD GONE

INTO BUSINESS.

AND A SUBPOENA WAS ISSUED FOR, I
DON'T KNOW, SIX OR SEVEN OR

EIGHT CONVERSATIONS.

SO THE PRESIDENT WANTED TO HEAR
WHAT WOULD BE ON THE TAPE.

AND IT FELL TO ME TO FIND THE
TAPE.

I'LL HAVE IT, PROBABLY IN FIVE
TO TEN MINUTES, AND I'LL BRING

IT OVER AND SET IT UP.

>> Nixon: YOU CAN SET IT UP OVER
HERE, CAN YOU?

>> Bull: YES, SIR.

>> Nixon: WELL, YOU GET IT RIGHT
OVER BECAUSE I'VE GOT TO...

LISTEN TO A LOT OF CRAP, AND I
JUST WANT TO GET IT OVER WITH AS

FAST AS I CAN.

>> Bull: YES, SIR.

>> Rather: GOOD EVENING.

THE PRESIDENT WILL ADDRESS THE
NATION FROM HIS OVAL OFFICE IN

THE WHITE HOUSE WEST WING.

>> Nixon: IF I WERE TO MAKE
PUBLIC THESE TAPES, CONTAINING

AS THEY DO BLUNT AND CANDID
REMARKS ON MANY DIFFERENT

SUBJECTS, THE CONFIDENTIALITY
OF THE OFFICE OF THE

PRESIDENT WOULD ALWAYS BE
SUSPECT, FROM NOW ON.

>> Rather: PRESIDENT NIXON'S
PLAN TO CONTINUE PREVENTING

INVESTIGATORS FROM HEARING THE
WATERGATE TAPES HAS RUN INTO

TROUBLE.

THE PRESIDENT ORDERED SPECIAL
PROSECUTOR ARCHIBALD COX TO

STOP TRYING FOR ACCESS TO THE
TAPES AND OTHER RECORDS.

>> Ben-Veniste: THE TENSION
CREATED BY OUR DEMAND FOR THE

TAPES PUT EXTRAORDINARY PRESSURE
ON ARCHIBALD COX.

>> Archibald Cox: I'M NOT
LOOKING FOR A CONFRONTATION.

AND I'M CERTAINLY NOT OUT TO
"GET" THE PRESIDENT OF THE

UNITED STATES.

>> Fred Graham: COX SAID HE WILL
GO TO COURT, PROBABLY THIS

COMING WEEK, WHERE, FOR THE
FIRST TIME IN THE NATION'S

HISTORY, A FEDERAL PROSECUTOR
WILL ATTEMPT TO HOLD A PRESIDENT

IN CONTEMPT OF COURT.

>> Ben-Veniste: RICHARD NIXON
KNEW HE WAS IN TROUBLE WITH AN

INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION.

AND HE NEEDED TO PUT AN END TO
IT.

>> Announcer: THIS IS A SPECIAL
REPORT.

>> Rather: THIS MAN IS
NO LONGER ATTORNEY GENERAL OF

THE UNITED STATES.

THIS MAN IS NO LONGER DEPUTY
ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE

UNITED STATES.

AND THIS MAN, THE SPECIAL
PROSECUTOR IN THE WATERGATE

AFFAIR?

THIS MAN HAS BEEN FIRED, UNDER
ORDERS ISSUED BY THE PRESIDENT

OF THE UNITED STATES.

>> Stahl: THIS WAS A SCANDAL.

BEYOND THE RULE OF LAW.

THE SATURDAY NIGHT MASSACRE.

>> Guard: PLEASE, EVERYONE...

>> Rather: THE F.B.I., ACTING
UPON ORDERS FROM THE PRESIDENT,

SEALED OFF THE SPECIAL
PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.

>> Thomas McBride: OUR OFFICES
HAVE BEEN SEALED BY THE F.B.I..

>> Reporter: HOW MANY?

>> McBride: SIX F.B.I. AGENTS
PRESENT.

>> Henry Ruth: I MUST SAY, I
SUPPOSE, THAT HUMAN EMOTIONS

TAKE OVER IN THIS KIND OF
OCCASION.

BECAUSE ONE THINKS THAT, IN
A DEMOCRACY, MAYBE, THIS WOULD

NOT HAPPEN.

AND THAT MAYBE WE COULD PROCEED,
IN GOOD FAITH, TO PROSECUTE

THOSE WHO HAVE VIOLATED THE
CRIMINAL LAW.

APPARENTLY, THAT IS NOT TO BE
THE CASE.

>> Stahl: THE PRESIDENT WAS ABLE
TO SEND F.B.I. AGENTS TO THE

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT.

NOW WE'RE BEGINNING TO THINK,
MY GOD, IS HE GOING TO CALL OUT

THE ARMY?

IS THIS A MILITARY TAKEOVER OF
THE GOVERNMENT?

>> Ben-Veniste: THIS WAS AS
CLOSE TO A COUP AS WE HAD EVER

COME IN OUR LIFETIME.

AND REMAINED SO UNTIL JANUARY 6,
2021.

>> Cronkite: SINCE THE FIRING
OF WATERGATE PROSECUTOR COX ON

SATURDAY, THE PRESSURE ON
PRESIDENT NIXON HAS BEEN

BUILDING.

>> Bob Schieffer: FOR THE FIRST
TIME SINCE WATERGATE BECAME AN

ISSUE, THERE IS NOW SOME SERIOUS
TALK OF IMPEACHMENT.

>> Bruce Morton: TELEGRAMS
FLOODED INTO WASHINGTON.

SO DID CALLS.

WESTERN UNION AND THE
CAPITOL SWITCHBOARD, BOTH HIRED

EXTRA HELP.

>> Bernstein: THE FIRESTORM
CREATED BY THIS, MADE IT

APPARENT TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
AND TO SO MUCH OF THE AMERICAN

PEOPLE THAT, YES, EVERYTHING
THAT WE WERE WRITING ABOUT,

THERE WAS A COVER-UP GOING ON TO
HIDE SOMETHING THAT WAS OF AWFUL

MAGNITUDE.

>> Ben-Veniste: THIS WAS BIG.

SO WHY DID NIXON DO IT?

"HE MUST BE HIDING SOMETHING"
WAS THE ONLY LOGICAL CONCLUSION.

AND IN FACT, HE WAS.

>> Cronkite: REPUBLICAN
GOVERNORS REPORTED THAT

PRESIDENT NIXON ASSURED THEM
PRIVATELY YESTERDAY, THAT HE

KNEW OF NO NEW WATERGATE BOMBS
WAITING TO GO OFF.

WELL, TODAY ANOTHER ONE DID GO
OFF, IN THE FEDERAL COURTROOM OF

JUDGE JOHN SIRICA.

>> Fred Graham: AN 18-MINUTE
PORTION OF A SUBPOENAED, TAPED

CONVERSATION BETWEEN PRESIDENT
NIXON AND H.R. HALDEMAN CONTAINS

NO WORDS, JUST AN AUDIBLE TONE.

( TONE ON TAPE )
THE GAP OCCURRED IN THE CRUCIAL

MEETING BETWEEN HALDEMAN AND
MR. NIXON IN THE WHITE HOUSE ON

JUNE 20.

>> Ben-Veniste: WE'RE GOING TO
INVESTIGATE FULLY AND COMPLETELY

AS WE'VE INDICATED IN COURT...

THE WHITE HOUSE TRIED TO BLAME
THE 18 AND A HALF MINUTES ON

ROSE MARY WOODS.

>> Graham: ROSE MARY WOODS,
PRESIDENT NIXON'S PERSONAL

SECRETARY, PLAYED A PORTION OF
ONE TAPE TO SHOW HOW SHE HAD

APPARENTLY ERASED PART OF ONE
SUBPOENAED CONVERSATION.

>> Stahl: THIS POOR WOMAN, SHE'S
MADE TO DEMONSTRATE PHYSICALLY

HOW SHE COULD POSSIBLY HAVE
ERASED THE TAPE INADVERTENTLY.

HOW SHE GOT A PHONE CALL AND SHE
TURNED AROUND AND TWISTED.

AND THE JUDGE JUST MAKES
IT CLEAR HE DOESN'T ACCEPT THIS

AT ALL.

>> Graham: MR. BULL, WHAT WAS
THE PURPOSE OF PREPARING THESE

TRANSCRIPTS OR SUMMARIES BY ROSE
MARY WOODS?

>> Bull: I DO NOT KNOW, SIR.

I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT NEITHER
THE PRESIDENT NOR ROSE WOODS HAD

ANYTHING TO DO WITH MAKING ANY
DELIBERATE ERASURES ON A TAPE.

I'M THE ONLY GUY WHO WOULD
HAVE KNOWN HOW TO DO IT, AND I

DIDN'T.

AFTER THE 18.5-MINUTE GAP HAD
BEEN DISCOVERED, I SUPPOSE THE

WALLS REALLY STARTED CLOSING IN.

IT BECAME A VERY CONSTRICTING
PERIOD OF TIME.

AND SOME PEOPLE WERE LEAVING.

SOME PEOPLE WERE BEING INDICTED.

AND SO, IT WAS BECOMING
INCREASINGLY GRIM.

>> Cronkite: THE WATERGATE GRAND
JURY TODAY INDICTED SEVEN FORMER

TOP-LEVEL NIXON ADMINISTRATION
AND CAMPAIGN AIDES FOR PLOTTING

TO COVER UP THE SCANDAL.

ONE OF THE ALLEGATIONS IN THE
INDICTMENT CONTAINED THE

IMPLICATION THAT PRESIDENT NIXON
HIMSELF KNEW ABOUT THE COVER-UP.

>> Rather: THE ACCUSED INCLUDED
ALL FOUR OF PRESIDENT NIXON'S

FORMER TOP ADVISORS.

ALL SEVEN OF THE MEN INDICTED
TODAY WERE CHARGED WITH

CONSPIRACY.

SOME OF THE CHARGES ALSO
INCLUDED PERJURY, LYING UNDER

OATH, AND OBSTRUCTION OF
JUSTICE.

>> Stahl: THE PEOPLE CLOSEST TO
RICHARD NIXON.

HIS CONFIDANTES, THE PEOPLE HE
TRUSTED.

THE ONLY PEOPLE HE TRUSTED.

NOW INDICTED.

IT WAS SOMETHING.

WOW.

>> Rather: OVERSHADOWING WHAT
HAPPENS TO THOSE SEVEN MEN IS

THE MORE IMPORTANT QUESTION:
WHAT DOES TODAY'S DEVELOPMENT

MEAN FOR RICHARD NIXON?

FOR THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES, IS THE WORST NOW OVER,

OR ONLY BEGINNING?

>> Nixon: THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES
OF DISCOURAGEMENT IN AMERICA,

BUT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE NOT
A NATION OF QUITTERS.

WE ARE A NATION THAT WILL KEEP
FIGHTING ON UNTIL WE SUCCEED.

( APPLAUSE )
>> Rather: RUMORS, SCENARIOS AND

REPORTS ABOUT THE PRESIDENT
POSSIBLY STEPPING ASIDE OR

STEPPING DOWN, NOW OR LATER, ARE
DESCRIBED BY HIS AIDES AS,

"BALONEY."

>> Reporter: AT THIS POINT, ARE
YOU SATISFIED WITH THE WAY

PRESIDENT NIXON IS HANDLING THE
WATERGATE SITUATION?

>> Goldwater: I THINK HE'S DOING
IT ABOUT THE ONLY WAY THAT HE

CAN, WITH NO EVIDENCE AT ALL
EVER BEEN POINTED AT HIM OF ANY

WRONGDOING.

MISTAKES IN JUDGEMENTS, YES,
BUT, UH, HERE'S A MAN THAT SOME

PEOPLE HAVE JUDGED GUILTY
WITHOUT ANY EVIDENCE, WHICH IS

CONTRARY TO THE AMERICAN SYSTEM.

>> Rather: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED

STATES.

>> Nixon: GOOD EVENING.

I HAVE ASKED FOR THIS TIME
TONIGHT IN ORDER TO ANNOUNCE MY

ANSWER TO THE HOUSE JUDICIARY
COMMITTEE'S SUBPOENA FOR

ADDITIONAL WATERGATE TAPES.

IN THESE FOLDERS THAT YOU SEE
OVER HERE ON MY LEFT ARE MORE

THAN 1,200 PAGES OF TRANSCRIPTS
OF PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS I

PARTICIPATED IN.

THESE TRANSCRIPTS WILL SHOW THAT
WHAT I HAVE STATED FROM THE

BEGINNING TO BE THE TRUTH HAS
BEEN THE TRUTH.

>> Stahl: SO RICHARD NIXON
RELEASES HIS VERSION OF THE

TAPES, TRANSCRIPTS THAT WERE
DONE IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

>> Cronkite: THE TRANSCRIPTS
SUBMITTED BY THE WHITE HOUSE

YESTERDAY ARE NOT THE ENTIRE
RECORD WITH MANY PLACES SIMPLY

DESCRIBED AS ¡UNINTELLIGIBLE.'
THEY ARE EDITED.

THE WHITE HOUSE HAS SUBMITTED
ONLY MATERIAL IT CONSIDERS

RELEVANT TO THE WATERGATE
INVESTIGATION.

>> Stahl: THE TRANSCRIPTS WERE A
COVER-UP.

YOU KNEW IT.

IT BACKFIRED ON HIM, RELEASING
HIS VERSION OF THE TAPES BECAUSE

BY THEN, HE HAD A CREDIBILITY
PROBLEM.

AND THESE TRANSCRIPTS WERE
INCREDIBLE.

>> Graham: IN A LANDMARK
DECISION, THE SUPREME COURT

RULED, 8 TO NOTHING, THAT
PRESIDENT NIXON MUST TURN OVER

64 SUBPOENAED WHITE HOUSE TAPES.

>> Henry Ruth: FOR THE FIRST
TIME, YOU REALLY HAD A RULING

THAT A PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES IS NOT ABOVE THE LAW.

THAT THE LAW WILL PREVAIL OVER A
PRESIDENT'S DESIRE TO KEEP

SOMETHING SECRET, EVEN THOUGH
THAT SOMETHING IS QUITE RELEVANT

TO PROVING A CRIME.

>> Peter Rodino: ALL THOSE IN
FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING¡

AYE.'
>> MR. DONOHUE?

>> Harold Donohue: AYE.

>> MR. RANGEL?

>> Charles Rangel: AYE.

>> Cronkite: THE HOUSE JUDICIARY
COMMITTEE VOTED TO RECOMMEND

THAT THE HOUSE IMPEACH PRESIDENT
NIXON.

IT WAS A SOLEMN MOMENT IN THE
COMMITTEE, AS IT VOTED ON THE

FIRST ARTICLE OF IMPEACHMENT,
CHARGING THE PRESIDENT WITH THE

WATERGATE COVER-UP.

>> 27 MEMBERS HAVE VOTED ¡AYE.'
11 MEMBERS HAVE VOTED NO.

>> Rodino: THAT RESOLUTION IS
ADOPTED AND WILL BE REPORTED TO

THE HOUSE.

>> Rather: WITH THE NEW
TRANSCRIPTS, THE PRESIDENT

ISSUED A WRITTEN STATEMENT OF
HIS OWN.

IN IT, HE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT WHAT
THE TRANSCRIPTS SAY IS, AS MR.

NIXON PUTS IT, "AT VARIANCE"
WITH WHAT HE TOLD THE AMERICAN

PEOPLE ON OTHER OCCASIONS.

>> Ben-Veniste: THE SO-CALLED
"SMOKING GUN" TAPE WAS THE

DENOUEMENT THAT MARKED THE END
OF THE NIXON PRESIDENCY.

>> Haldeman: THE F.B.I. IS NOT
UNDER CONTROL.

THEIR INVESTIGATION IS NOW
LEADING INTO SOME PRODUCTIVE

AREAS.

AND IT GOES IN SOME DIRECTIONS
WE DON'T WANT IT TO GO.

>> Ben-Veniste: THAT HE ORDERED
TO HAVE THE C.I.A. INTERFERE

WITH THE F.B.I. INVESTIGATION
IN ORDER TO DELAY AND PERHAPS

DERAIL THE INVESTIGATION.

>> Haldeman: JUST SAY "STAY THE
HELL OUT OF THIS.

THIS IS UH, BUSINESS HERE WE
DON'T WANT YOU TO GO ANY FURTHER

ON."

>> Ben-Veniste: HERE WAS A TAPE
THAT SHOWED, CONTRARY TO

EVERYTHING NIXON HAD BEEN
SAYING, THAT HE KNEW ABOUT THE

COVER-UP FROM THE BEGINNING.

>> Nixon: THEY SHOULD CALL THE
F.B.I. IN AND SAY THAT WE WISH

FOR THE COUNTRY, DON'T GO ANY
FURTHER INTO THIS CASE," PERIOD!

>> Lano: THE SUGGESTION IS TO
HAVE THE DIRECTOR OF THE C.I.A.,

CONTACT THE F.B.I. AND SAY,
"HEY, CEASE AND DESIST.

UH, YOU'RE OUTSIDE YOUR
JURISDICTION."

HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ARRESTED ON
THE SPOT.

HE OBSTRUCTED JUSTICE.

>> Stahl: THERE WAS NO WAY HE
CULD MOVE FORWARD ONCE THE

SMOKING GUN TAPE CAME OUT AND IT
WAS CLEAR HE WAS INVOLVED IN THE

COVER-UP, NO QUESTION
WHATSOEVER.

>> Ben-Veniste: HIS PARTY
MEMBERS WERE DEVASTATED.

THEY WERE HUNG OUT TO DRY
BECAUSE THEY HAD BEEN SUPPORTING

NIXON AND HAD BEEN TELLING THE
AMERICAN PUBLIC TO BELIEVE IN

NIXON'S DENIALS.

>> Goldwater: AND I JUST BLEW MY
STACK.

I SAID, "THIS IS ALL I'M GOING
TO TAKE.

I'M GOING UP AND TALK TO THE
PRESIDENT."

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL I'D
TALK ABOUT, BUT I WAS GOING TO

GO UP AND TALK TO HIM.

WE SAT THERE IN THE OVAL ROOM
AND THE PRESIDENT ACTED LIKE HE

JUST PLAYED GOLF AND JUST HAD A
HOLE-IN-ONE.

YOU'D NEVER THINK THIS GUY'S
TAIL WAS IN A CRACK.

FINALLY HE SAID TO ME, UH..

"BARRY, WHAT DO YOU THINK MY
CHANCES ARE IN THE SENATE?"

>> Woodward: GOLDWATER SAYS,
"MR. PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE FOUR

VOTES, AND ONE OF THEM IS NOT
MINE."

>> Bernstein: THAT'S WHEN NIXON
KNEW IT WAS OVER.

WHEN BARRY GOLDWATER SAID ONE OF
THEM IS NOT MINE, YOU DO NOT

HAVE MY VOTE.

NIXON KNEW IT WAS OVER.

>> THE MAN IN THAT HIGH
AUTHORITY, I FEEL LIKE SHOULD

KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN HIS
ADMINISTRATION.

HE WAS INFORMED SOME WAY, SHAPE
OR FORM!

>> HE HAS UH, SURROUNDED HIMSELF
WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN

FOUND GUILTY.

HE'S TAKEN THE CRIME OUT OF THE
STREETS AND TAKEN IT RIGHT INTO

THE WHITE HOUSE.

>> Dash: NIXON SAID "I'M NOT A
CROOK."

IF HE MEANT BY THAT "I DIDN'T
STEAL ANY MONEY," YES, HE DIDN'T

STEAL ANY MONEY.

IT WOULD BE BETTER IF HE HAD.

WHAT HE DID WAS WORSE.

HIS BREACH OF TRUST, HIS LYING
TO THE PEOPLE, HIS CORRUPTION OF

OUR CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT
WAS EVEN WORSE.

AND IT BECAME VERY DANGEROUS.

AND I THINK THE PUBLIC WAS ANGRY
BECAUSE THEY SAW THE POTENTIAL

OF SUCH A PRESIDENT REALLY
DESTROYING DEMOCRATIC

GOVERNMENT.

>> TWO MINUTES AND 15 SECONDS TO
AIR PLEASE.

>> Nixon: OLLIE?

NO... ONLY THE CBS CREW NOW IS
TO BE IN THIS ROOM, DURING THIS,

ONLY THE CREW.

NO... THERE WILL BE NO PICTURES.

>> Bull: WHILE THE CAMERA CREW
WAS SETTING UP, I WALKED WITH

HIM ON HIS WAY TO GIVE THE
SPEECH.

I KNEW HIM TO BE A FIGHTER AND
THAT HE WOULD FIGHT.

UP UNTIL THE VERY END.

>> Nixon: GOOD EVENING.

IN ALL THE DECISIONS I HAVE MADE
IN MY PUBLIC LIFE, I HAVE ALWAYS

TRIED TO DO WHAT WAS BEST FOR
THE NATION.

>> Bull: UNCHARACTERISTICALLY,
HE ASKED MY OPINION AND HE SAID

DO YOU SUPPORT ME?

I SAID, MR. PRESIDENT, I'LL
SUPPORT YOU IN ANYTHING YOU WANT

TO DO.

I JUST DON'T PARTICULARLY LIKE
THIS ONE.

IT WAS A VERY GRIM CONCLUSION, I
HAD TO COME TO THAT, INDEED, IT

WAS OVER.

>> Nixon: THROUGHOUT THE LONG
AND DIFFICULT PERIOD OF

WATERGATE, I HAVE FELT IT WAS MY
DUTY TO PERSEVERE, TO MAKE EVERY

POSSIBLE EFFORT TO COMPLETE THE
TERM OF OFFICE TO WHICH YOU

ELECTED ME.

I HAVE NEVER BEEN A QUITTER.

TO LEAVE OFFICE BEFORE MY TERM
IS COMPLETED IS ABHORRENT TO

EVERY INSTINCT IN MY BODY.

BUT AS PRESIDENT, I MUST PUT THE
INTERESTS OF AMERICA FIRST.

THEREFORE, I SHALL RESIGN THE
PRESIDENCY, EFFECTIVE AT NOON

TOMORROW.

VICE PRESIDENT FORD WILL BE
SWORN IN AS PRESIDENT AT THAT

HOUR IN THIS OFFICE.

>> Chapin: THE TEARS WERE
CASCADING DOWN MY FACE.

IT WAS VERY TRAUMATIC, VERY SAD.

BUT I BELIEVE HE ACTED AS A
PATRIOT.

>> Deborah Sloan: HE HAD AN
AMAZING LEGACY AND NOW HIS

LEGACY WAS GOING TO BE
WATERGATE.

AND TO ME, THAT WAS JUST
INCREDIBLY SAD.

>> Stahl: HAVING TO COME BEFORE
THE PUBLIC, DELIVER THAT SPEECH

WITHOUT BREAKING DOWN.

IT'S SO POWERFUL IN A HUMAN WAY.

>> Nixon: TO HAVE SERVED IN THIS
OFFICE IS TO HAVE FELT A VERY

PERSONAL SENSE OF KINSHIP WITH
EACH AND EVERY AMERICAN.

>> Stahl: I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW
OVER ALL THESE YEARS, I COULD

HAVE AN EMOTIONAL REACTION THAT
I DIDN'T HAVE AT THE TIME.

>> Nixon: IN LEAVING IT, I DO SO
WITH THIS PRAYER: MAY GOD'S

GRACE BE WITH YOU IN ALL THE
DAYS AHEAD.

>> Bull: WHEN THE PRESIDENT
FINISHED HIS SPEECH, IT FELL TO

ME TO KIND OF PACK UP SOME
PERSONAL BELONGINGS OF HIS.

HE HAD ON HIS DESK A-- I GUESS
IT WAS A CIGAR BOX OR SOME SORT

OF A SILVER BOX, AND I PICKED UP
THE BOX, NOT MEANING TO OPEN IT,

AND IT'S PLAYING "HAIL TO THE
CHIEF."

* ( "HAIL TO THE CHIEF" ) *
IT WAS ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS, IF

IT HAD BEEN A MOVIE, THE
CONCLUDING TITLE WOULD SAY "THE

END."

>> Gerald Ford: MY FELLOW
AMERICANS, OUR LONG NATIONAL

NIGHTMARE IS OVER.

AS WE BIND UP THE INTERNAL
WOUNDS OF WATERGATE, MORE

PAINFUL AND MORE POISONOUS THAN
THOSE OF FOREIGN WARS, LET

BROTHERLY LOVE PURGE OUR HEARTS
OF SUSPICION AND OF HATE.

>> Rather: I'M DAN RATHER.

PRESIDENT FORD HAS GRANTED
RICHARD NIXON A "FULL, FREE, AND

ABSOLUTE PARDON FOR ALL OFFENSES
THE FORMER PRESIDENT COMMITTED,

OR MAY HAVE COMMITTED WHILE IN
OFFICE."

>> Ford: MY CONCERN IS THE
IMMEDIATE FUTURE OF THIS GREAT

COUNTRY.

>> Woodward: YOU CALLED ME UP,
AND LET ME QUOTE, I'LL NEVER

FORGET WHAT YOU SAID, "HAVE YOU
HEARD?"

I SAID, "NO, I WAS ASLEEP.

THE SON OF A BITCH PARDONED THE
SON OF A BITCH."

>> Bernstein: WE THOUGHT AT THE
BEGINNING THAT IT WAS A TERRIBLE

ACT AGAINST THE NATIONAL
INTEREST.

>> Lano: I FELT THAT HE SHOULD
HAVE PROBABLY STOOD IN THE WELL

WITH THE MITCHELL, HALDEMAN AND
EHRLICHMAN AND COLSON.

BECAUSE HE INTERFERED WITH THE
INVESTIGATION.

>> Rather: FOR MYSELF, THE
SYSTEM OF JUSTICE, OUR SENSE OF

JUSTICE IN THIS COUNTRY, EQUAL
JUSTICE UNDER THE LAW, DEMANDS

ACCOUNTABILITY.

IN THIS CASE THERE'S BEEN NO
ACCOUNTABILITY.

>> Woodward: WE HAD IT WRONG.

>> Bernstein: HE KNEW IF HE DID
THIS IN ALL LIKELIHOOD, HE WOULD

LOSE THE PRESIDENCY IN THE NEXT
ELECTION, WHICH OF COURSE

HAPPENED.

UNIQUE, PROBABLY IN OUR HISTORY,
THAT A PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED

STATES WOULD MAKE THAT
SACRIFICE.

>> Ford: MY CONSCIENCE TELLS ME
THAT ONLY I AS PRESIDENT HAVE

THE CONSTITUTIONAL POWER TO
FIRMLY SHUT AND SEAL THIS BOOK.

>> Stahl: I THOUGHT IT WAS ONE
OF THE MOST HEROIC ACTS IN

AMERICAN HISTORY.

HE DIDN'T PUT HIS FUTURE FIRST.

HE PUT THE HEALING OF THE
COUNTRY FIRST.

>> Rather: THIS YEAR, ESPECIALLY
THE PAST FEW MONTHS AND WEEKS,

HAVE BEEN FILLED WITH
EXTRAORDINARY DAYS.

TODAY WAS ANOTHER ONE THAT
HISTORIANS WILL BE WRITING ABOUT

AND THINKING ABOUT FOR YEARS TO
COME.

>> Bernstein: IT'S REALLY
INTERESTING TO LOOK AT THE ROLE

OF REPUBLICANS IN WATERGATE AND
COMPARE THE ROLE OF REPUBLICANS

TODAY IN THE DONALD TRUMP
SITUATION, BECAUSE HERE YOU HAVE

TWO PRESIDENTS UNIQUE IN OUR
HISTORY, WHO SOUGHT TO UNDERMINE

THE VERY BASIS OF DEMOCRACY IN
THE UNITED STATES.

>> USA!

USA!

USA!

>> Trump: YOU CAN'T EVER ACCEPT
WHEN THEY STEAL AND RIG AND ROB.

YOU CAN'T ACCEPT.

>> Stahl: I SEE PARALLELS ALL
THE TIME.

NIXON WAS DARK AND PARANOID.

THAT CREATED TURMOIL IN THE
COUNTRY.

TRUMP, CONSPIRATORIAL.

THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE WHO
ABSORBED THAT AND MADE IT THEM.

DO YOU TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY
FOR THE COUNTRY BEING DIVIDED

AGAINST ITSELF?

>> Trump: I'D LIKE NOT TO, BUT
WHEN PEOPLE PUT OUT PHONY WITCH

HUNTS, WHEN THEY SPY ON YOUR
CAMPAIGN, YOU HAVE TO FIGHT

BACK.

>> Stahl: ALL THROUGH THE TRUMP
PRESIDENCY, I KEPT COMPARING

WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE COUNTRY
TO WHAT WAS GOING ON THEN.

THE QUESTIONS ABOUT FAITH IN OUR
INSTITUTION, BOTH TIMES, WAS

ALWAYS PROMINENT.

>> Liz Cheney: I SAY THIS, TO MY
REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES WHO ARE

DEFENDING THE INDEFENSIBLE.

THERE WILL COME A DAY WHEN
DONALD TRUMP IS GONE, BUT YOUR

DISHONOR WILL REMAIN.

>> Hugh Sloan: THE CHECKS AND
BALANCES THAT ULTIMATELY WORKED

TO EXPOSE WATERGATE AND BRING
JUSTICE, IF YOU WILL.

I'M NOT SURE ALL THOSE
MECHANISMS WOULD WORK TODAY IF

PUSH COMES TO SHOVE, AND WE'RE
PRETTY CLOSE TO THAT POINT AS

FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.

>> Deborah Sloan: AT THE VERY
END, THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WENT

TO THE PRESIDENT AND SAID YOU
HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO

RESIGN, YOU HAVE LOST THE FAITH
OF THE PEOPLE.

IN THOSE DAYS YOU HAD PEOPLE WHO
PUT THEIR COUNTRY ABOVE THEIR

PARTY.

>> Goldwater: MR. NIXON HURT THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY AND HE HURT

AMERICA.

FRANKLY, I DON'T THINK HE SHOULD
EVER BE FORGIVEN.

HE CAME AS CLOSE TO DESTROYING
THIS COUNTRY AS ANY ONE MAN IN

THAT OFFICE EVER HAS COME.

>> Bull: ON AUGUST 9th, PRIOR TO
THE EFFECTIVE TIME OF HIS

RESIGNATION, THE PRESIDENT GAVE
AN ADDRESS TO THE STAFF IN THE

EAST ROOM OF THE WHITE HOUSE.

IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I THINK
THAT THE PUBLIC HAD REALLY SEEN

RICHARD NIXON, THE MAN.

>> Nixon: SURE, WE HAVE DONE
SOME THINGS WRONG IN THIS

ADMINISTRATION, AND THE TOP MAN
ALWAYS TAKES THE RESPONSIBILITY,

AND I HAVE NEVER DUCKED IT.

NO MAN OR NO WOMAN EVER PROFITED
AT THE PUBLIC EXPENSE.

MISTAKES, YES.

BUT FOR PERSONAL GAIN, NEVER.

>> Stahl: THE WAY THIS IS SHOT,
YOU'RE WATCHING PAT NIXON.

SHE LOOKS NUMB.

THE WOMAN LOOKS NUMB.

>> Nixon: ALWAYS GIVE YOUR BEST,
NEVER GET DISCOURAGED, NEVER BE

PETTY.

>> Woodward: THAT IS SUCH AN
AMAZING MOMENT IN PRESIDENTIAL

HISTORY.

>> Bernstein: IT WAS A KIND OF
SELF EXAMINATION AND TOUR OF HIS

PSYCHE.

>> Nixon: ALWAYS REMEMBER,
OTHERS MAY HATE YOU, BUT THOSE

WHO HATE YOU DON'T WIN UNLESS
YOU HATE THEM, AND THEN YOU

DESTROY YOURSELF.

>> Woodward: THAT SENSE OF THE
DESTRUCTIVE POWER OF HATE AND

THE SELF AND NIXON'S CLEAR,
MAYBE MOMENTARY, MAYBE ETERNAL

REALIZATION OF THAT IS STUNNING.

>> Chapin: LET ME SAY THIS, THE
INDICTMENTS HANDED DOWN TODAY

HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH MY WORK
WHILE I WAS IN THE EMPLOY OF THE

ADMINISTRATION.

I HAVE COMPLETE FAITH IN THE
PRESIDENT, I HAD IT WHEN I TOOK

MY JOB AS A YOUNG MAN WHEN I WAS
28, AND I HAVE IT TODAY.

I WENT TO PRISON FOR NINE MONTHS
BECAUSE SOMEBODY THOUGHT I MADE

FALSE AND MISLEADING STATEMENTS,
AND MY WORD IS INCREDIBLY

IMPORTANT TO ME.

I DO MY VERY BEST TO BE AS
TRUTHFUL AS I POSSIBLY CAN.

AND THAT HOPEFULLY WILL HELP
TAKE CARE OF HOW HISTORY JUDGES

ME.

>> Hoback Miller: I'M REALLY
PROUD TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF

HISTORY.

I THINK IT'S SAVED OUR DEMOCRACY
THEN, AT THIS POINT, I'M REALLY

PROUD TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF
THAT.

>> Senator Ervin: YOUR TESTIMONY
AND YOUR FORTHRIGHTNESS HAVE

RENEWED MY FAITH IN THE OLD
ADAGE THAT AN HONEST MAN IS THE

NOBLEST WORK OF GOD.

>> Senator Baker: WERE YOU AWARE
OF ANY DEVICES THAT WERE

INSTALLED IN THE EXECUTIVE
OFFICE BUILDING OF THE

PRESIDENT?

>> Butterfield: YES, SIR.

I THINK I MAY HAVE DONE A
SERVICE TO THE COUNTRY.

IT WAS A SHAME, THAT HIS
PRESIDENCY HAD TO END WITH A

RESIGNATION, BUT IT WAS A GOOD
THING.

IT WAS THE RIGHT THING.

IT WAS JUSTICE.

JUSTICE SERVED.

( APPLAUSE )
>> Stahl: THIS IMAGE IS SO

POWERFUL, ACTUALLY.

IT IS A MOMENT OF DEFIANCE, IN A
WAY.

HA!

I'M NOT FINISHED YET.

BUT HE WAS.

>> Bull: RICHARD NIXON HAD BEEN
MOVED FROM THE LOWEST POINT TO

THE HIGHEST POINT, AND ACHIEVED
SO MUCH IN HIS PRESIDENCY.

AND THEN THE BALLOON POPPED.

>> Nixon: TO THOSE WHO SAY,
"WILL YOU APOLOGIZE?

ARE YOU SORRY?"
THERE'S NO WAY THAT YOU COULD

APOLOGIZE THAT IS MORE ELOQUENT,
MORE DECISIVE, MORE FINITE,

WHICH WOULD EXCEED RESIGNING THE
PRESIDENCY OF THE UNITED STATES.

THAT SAID IT ALL, AND I DON'T
INTEND TO SAY ANY MORE.