I want to make a simple statement about Watergate:

The Tapes The Tapes The Tapes

The Oval Office tapes were what forced the Republicans to abandon Nixon. If there had been no tapes, he never would have faced conviction in the Senate. Not a prayer. It was factional fighting except for Lowell Weicker from CT, who was a 'maverick' Repuclican...much as we have one from there now. Don't forget, it was a Democratic Congress, not even close to a 50-50 split.

The existence of the tapes was leaked and the tapes were copied so that Nixon or his henchmen could not destroy them. This was an operation conceived at remarkable heights and paved the way for Administrations to come. Ford was, like Reagan, an amiable dunce and a loyal soldier.

Don't believe all that stuff you've heard this week about him being 'brilliant'. Lots of folks went to Yale Law School and don't measure up to that qualification in the International Arena.

Douglas Feith went to Harvard...didn't he do great things for the USA?

I don't think so. Their existence was announced to the whole world by Alexander Butterfield, a deputy Presidential assistant and a witness before the Senate Committee.

"Secret Agenda" by Jim Hougan.

Watergate was much more complex than it seems. Just to remind everyone: when thge story flagged, 'someone' leaked info to Woodward - the whole business of Mark Felt may or may not be true. Then, when it seemed that Nixon had the committees stymied, Butterfield was sent forth to announce the taping system. There were rumors to the existence of the taping system during this time.

Just b/c there was no internet, does not mean that there was no information flying around.

Alexander Butterfield publically announced the existence of the taping system one afternoon. The reporters knew this was coming as of the noon hour.

Dean's testimony was verified as highly accurrate by the tapes. There was much talk at the time of Dean and his wife's positions in all this. It was much more complex than the newspaper accounts would have you believe.