On this date 32 years ago

[Ignacio Upton]

Oct. 20...
1973 In the so-called Saturday Night Massacre, President Nixon abolished the office of special Watergate prosecutor Archibald Cox, accepted the resignation of Attorney General Elliot L. Richardson and fired Deputy Attorney General William B. Ruckelshaus.

This is from www.nytimes.com btw. Thought you guys should know since we are getting really close to Fitzmas, and I am hoping that nothing happens to Fitz or that he won't give us coal, and brings us lots of presents.

[cwydro]

1. wow

kinda funny about the dates, huh?

[ruthg]

2. You just made me feel very very old....

because I remember it so well.

[MuseRider]

3. I am expecting a repeat

but I hope not.

[electropop]

4. Bush can't fire Fitz.

That's one of the consequences of the Saturday Night Massacre. I can't remember now exactly, but I think the courts supported the contention that Nixon didn't have that authority. Or maybe Congress passed a law, or both?

[MuseRider]

7. I think you may be wrong

read this. I would love it if you were correct but I don't think that is the case.
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/102005Y.shtml

<snip> from the article
Fire the Special Prosecutor? Shades of Watergate

When the Watergate scandal reached a similar stage in October 1973, President Richard Nixon ordered Attorney General Elliot Richardson to fire the intrepid special prosecutor, Archibald Cox. Richardson resigned rather than carry out Nixon's order; and so did his deputy William Ruckleshaus. So Nixon had to reach farther down into the Justice department where he found Robert Bork, who promptly dismissed Cox in the so-called Saturday Night Massacre.

Fitzgerald is at least as vulnerable as Cox was. Indeed, in recent days some of the fourth estate, Richard Cohen in the Washington Post and John Tierney in The New York Times, for example, seem to have accepted assignments to help lay the groundwork for Fitzgerald's dismissal.

Will the White House decide to fire special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald, and simply absorb the PR black eye, as Nixon did? There is absolutely nothing to prevent it. Can you imagine Attorney General Alberto Gonzales refusing on principle an order from President Bush?

Could Bush himself be named an un-indicted co-conspirator? If that or something like it happens, we can expect a circling of the wagons and Fitzgerald cashiered.

If the case Fitzgerald has built, however, is not strong enough to implicate Bush personally, it seems likely that the president will acquiesce in wholesale frog marching of others from the White House and then go off for a Thanksgiving vacation in Crawford - oops, more likely, Camp David. For Cindy Sheehan is planning Thanksgiving in Crawford: she still hopes to see the president so that he can explain to her personally what the "noble cause" was for which her son died.

It promises to be an interesting autumn. By all means stay tuned.

[Ignacio Upton]

10. Kick!!!!!!!!!!

[DebbieCDC]

5. Massacre

Remember who Nixon had carry his water for him to fire Cox after Richardson refused to do it? None other than Robert Bork. At least we can thank heaven the Dems were able to keep HIM off the SCOTUS.

[GrumpyGreg]

6. Cox and Richardson---Bay Staters---I remember it well.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

8. I'd like to be able to tell Libby and Rove.... if the shoe

Fitz, wear it.... bwahahaahhahahahahah.....

[Rosco T.]

9. OUCH!!!! That was bad.... appro, but BAD!!!! n/m

[bobbieinok]

11. Bork, later nominated for the SCOTUS, was the one who fired Cox

The battle over Bork began July 1, 1987, when Reagan nominated him to succeed retiring Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. Bork was already well known for his role in the "Saturday Night Massacre"; as solicitor general, he carried out President Richard M. Nixon's order to fire Watergate prosecutor Archibald Cox after two higher-ranking Justice Department officials refused and quit.

he did it when 2 other officials refused and QUIT

there were many good reasons to stop Bork from being on the court, contrary to what the RW claims