LAWMAKERS
LAWMAKERS
IN 01.00.00 01.00.00-WETA credit/sponsor credits 01.00.23-PAUL DUKE-on program-report on 10th anniversary of WATERGATE, and the conclusion of the "legislative yearbook". 01.00.37-Title sequence 01.01.03-DUKE, seated in SENATE CAUCUS ROOM-intro retrospective on 10th anniversary of WATERGATE, the SPELLBINDING hearings in the same room, describing "dynamite" testimony by highest officials of the country. 01.01.47-Clip of JOHN DEAN testifying about giving NIXON his "cancer on the Presidency" speech, and NIXON'S odd reaction to the speech. Clip of JOHN MITCHELL (NIXON'S close friend, former ATTORNEY GENERAL, and campaign director for the 1972 election) testifying that he was not about to let anything stand in the way of NIXON'S 1972 re-election campaign. Clip of H.R. HALDEMAN testifying that he's confident that NIXON didn't do anything wrong or know about WATERGATE or the COVERUP. Shot of SAM ERVIN banging gavel to open a hearing, shots of the SENATE SELECT (ERVIN) COMMITTEE. Shot of CHARLES FERRIS, a former Senate Aide, says that in 1973, Senator MANSFIELD thought it crucial that the SENATE go on the record by investigating WATERGATE. 01.03.10-Shot of Caucus Room, with SELECT COMMITTEE and reporters seated. Shot of SAM ERVIN giving his opening statement, says the American People look to the Committee for the truth about the perversion of the Democratic and Electoral processes. DUKE v.o.-descr. of the members of the Committee, ERVIN, HOWARD BAKER, HERMAN TALMADGE (D-GA), DANIEL INOUYE (D-HI), JOSEPH MONTOYA (D-NM), ED GURNEY (R-FL), LOWELL WEICKER (R-CT), says that the Senators chosen weren't very well known, and no one could have foreseen how explosive the investigation would become. Shot of FRED THOMPSON, former MINORITY COUNSEL for WATERGATE HEARINGS, in office, says he expected only a month of hearings, didn't expect television. Shot of TV CAMERAS and reporters scurrying around hearing room. 01.04.35-Clip from WATERGATE HEARINGS, FRED THOMPSON asking former WHITE HOUSE staffer ALEXANDER BUTTERFIELD if he was aware of the WHITE HOUSE TAPE RECORDING SYSTEM. BUTTERFIELD pauses, says he was aware of such devices, placed there in 1970 or so. THOMPSON v.o.-BUTTERFIELD was an unknown witness, discusses the process of finding out that BUTTERFIELD had information to tell. THOMPSON says BUTTERFIELD reluctantly admitted that he did know, hoped that he wouldn't be asked. DUKE v.o.-many witnesses were confronted with questions they hoped wouldn't be asked by SAM ERVIN. Shot of ERVIN questioning a witness. Shot of JOHN EHRLICHMAN (FORMER NIXON advisor) testifying, ERVIN confronts EHRLICHMAN with the statement that NIXON was justified by CONSTITUTIONAL POWERS to steal the personal papers of DANIEL ELLSBERG (Pentagon Papers affair), EHRLICHMAN says he thought that the action against Ellsberg was justified. ERVIN gets all worked up, EHRLICHMAN is indignant, ERVIN declares that EHRLICHMAN'S views would justify terrible abuses of power. The audience laughs. EHRLICHMAN gets indignant, ERVIN wins the argument, draws applause. 01.08.09-Shot of HOWARD BAKER from WATERGATE HEARINGS. DUKE v.o.-BAKER was also a tough interrogator. Clip of BAKER asking JOHN DEAN "What did the President know, and when did he know it". Shot of LOWELL WEICKER, DUKE v.o.-WEICKER was the toughest questioner of all. Clip of WEICKER asking HALDEMAN whether it's true that HALDEMAN, under NIXON'S authority, issued a directive linking the McGOVERN campaign to COMMUNIST INFILTRATION and subversion, asks why the hell HALDEMAN didn't find out first whether that was true. HALDEMAN'S excuses are rather lame, and this notorious tough-guy of the Nixon White House looks like he's about to cry. WEICKER in office, says that the ERVIN committee's job wasn't to prosecute, but to determine what would be the standards of American government. DUKE v.o.-the WHITE HOUSE tried to discredit WEICKER during the hearings. Clip of WEICKER giving angry speech, says that he's angry that his own political party is accusing him of disloyalty for investigating the facts of such gross acts. Shot of audience applauding WEICKER. DUKE v.o.-the hearings were a TV ratings smash hit, Senators became celebrities, with TALMADGE turning down a $10,000 speaking engagement and GURNEY turning down several proposals of marriage and talk of HOWARD BAKER for PRESIDENT.