Frost Nixon | 2008

A consultant of President Richard Nixon's

re-election campaign committee.

The trial started today at the federal courthouse

for the five burglars caught breaking into

the Democratic National Party headquarters.

Stand by for camera.

John Dean, the ex-White House Counsel, testified today

that President Nixon knew about the Watergate cover-up.

At one point in the conversation,

I recall the President telling me

to keep a good list of the press people giving us trouble

because we will make life difficult for them after the election.

Dean read through a 245-page statement

characterizing a president who was easily outraged

over war protesters and political adversaries,

and outlining a range of offenses,

including wiretapping of newsmen,

a Charles Colson plan to firebomb

and burglarize the Brookings Institution,

and spying on Senator Kennedy and other Democrats.

The misuse of power is the very essence of tyranny.

And consider, if you will,

the frightening implications of that for a free society.

The President today accepted the resignation of three of his closest aides.

Out is H. R. Haldeman, Chief of Staff.

Also quitting under fire is John Ehrlichman.

Ehrlichman was a key political advisor.

Good morning. The Supreme Court

has just ruled on the tapes controversy,

and here is Carl Stern, who has that ruling.

It is a unanimous decision, Doug, eight to zero.

Justice Rehnquist took no part in the decision

ordering the President of the United States to turn over the tapes.

It's an eight-to-zero unanimous opinion.

A White House aide told NBC News today

that impeachment of the President

by the full House of Representatives now is a virtual certainty.

These are, with no serious doubt,

the last hours of the 37th presidency of the United States.

This is indeed an historic day,

the only time a president has ever resigned from office

in our nearly 200 years of history.

You see the White House there, and in the White House,

in just a few moments now,