Once the Indictments are handed down, isn't that when all hell breaks lose?

[Quixote1818]

How many people thought Nixon would step down when the Indictments were handed down during Watergate? Was that thought of as a given or did it take time and pressure to force Nixon out?

Can someone fill me in on how hot the fire may get and what the procedures will be once it's official that the Administration has been indicted?

[wryter2000]

1. It's hard to tell

If the repugs are in charge, probably nothing will happen except (maybe) the indictees will resign.

If we win the House in 2006, impeachment hearings will begin. Either that will be all hell breaking loose or something that comes out during one of the criminal trials will break hell loose.

[Smarmie Doofus]

9. If he doesn't pardon them *before* it gets to trial., n/t

[SlipperySlope]

2. With Nixon

Nixon didn't step down until it was clear that he would be kicked out, and that his own party wasn't going to stop it. Otherwise he would have held on to the bitter end.

[YDogg]

3. The Internets wasn't around then, either.

:bounce:

[SlipperySlope]

5. Didn't they have CB radios?

;-)

[YDogg]

7. That's a big 10-4, good buddy.

I was at Scout camp when Nixon resigned.

[katty]

10. Yup, they surrounded him-gave him an offer he couldn't refuse...

it's the script...the PTB behind Fitz know all the tricks these treasonous whackos will probably pull-they're ready for it.
the theatre should be pretty amazing.

[Lancer]

13. Right about Nixon…

…he thought the indictments of subordinates would not touch him, and their languishing in jail would not taint him. He thought he could claim executive privilege to keep the Supreme Court from issuing subpoenas for the WH tapes.

At the end of July 1974, the Supreme Court handed down those subpoenas, and Nixon defied them. The House Judiciary Committee voted on three articles of impeachment. Nixon was STILL not reading the handwriting on the wall.

For another week, he wavered between resigning and staying on. He got drunk on the White House yacht, the "Sequoia" every night while Alexander Haig, WH chief of staff, ran the county.

Finally, on August 7, 1974,the Republican (minority) leadership in the House and Senate, led by Barry Goldwater, went down the hill to tell Nixon the truth. Nixon thought he had about 20 votes in the Senate. When Goldwater told him it was actually closer to 4, Nixon had Ray Price write the resignation speech he gave the next night.

Many people thought that Nixon would have to be dragged kicking and screaming from the Oval Office. It would have made for great television, but we do have Nixon's farewell to the staff on tape. The meltdown to end all meltdowns.

[LSparkle]

4. People have to become aware of it -- like Brownie's incompetence

Hopefully the press won't back off this story because once the public gets hip to what's going on, anything could happen. Resignations maybe, shakeup/change of personnel (loss of political capital goes with that), peeling off of Repugs ... and HOPEFULLY the Dems will find their voice and become a viable alternative.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. The extent of Nixon's involvement was not known for a long time.

But there are a lot of similarities to the Plame case. The Watergate burglary occurred in June of 1972. On August 19, Nixon stated that no one in his administration was involved in the burglary. On September 15, indictments were issued for the burglars, plus Hunt and Liddy.

They were tried in January of 1973. After that the Senate decided to investigate, because more evidence started to surface that people higher up in the Nixon administration were involved. Nixon continued to claim he wasn't a crook. Eventually the secret White House tapes were discovered, and for awhile we thought Nixon would defy the Supreme Court and refuse to turn them over. Once the contents of the tapes were learned, even the Republicans figured Nixon was toast, and persuaded him to resign before he was impeached. But that didn't occur until August of 1974. So it took quite a long time -- more than 2 years -- to get rid of Nixon.

[longship]

8. It's gonna get hot, alright.

The WH may have to be very careful if Fitz is going to continue the probe, which now looks likely (sealed indictments?). They're not going to be able to spin and obstruct. Fitz would be on them faster than stink on shit.

[Quixote1818]

11. In my opinion the forged documents from Italy are the sleeper issue

I have a feeling that is going to explode in the Administrations face and Bush may be forced out.

[longship]

12. Don't forget the WH management of the Press.

This is wrapped up in the deal, too. It's against the law. If WH tries to manage the news, Fitz may slap them again.

[NewJeffCT]

15. The WH won't have to do a thing with the press

*wink wink*

They still have Rush, the Washington Times, Fox News, CNN, a bunch of talking heads ready to spout talking points, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Neil Boortz, Michael Savage, etc, etc, etc.

[WinkyDink]

16. ITA, Quixote1818!

THIS is the underlying issue, THE LIE to end ALL lies, re: the ILLEGAL invasion of Iraq!

The dumbest Republican schmuck can grasp the concept of "forgery".

[The Whiskey Priest]

14. Remember who holds the Congress

We were the Congress during Watergate, without the Democrats power in Congress Nixon would have survived.