Fred Thompson aided Nixon on Watergate

[Kadie]

Fred Thompson aided Nixon on Watergate
By JOAN LOWY, Associated Press Writer
5 minutes ago


WASHINGTON - Fred Thompson gained an image as a tough-minded investigative counsel for the Senate Watergate committee. Yet President Nixon and his top aides viewed the fellow Republican as a willing, if not too bright, ally, according to White House tapes.

Thompson, now preparing a bid for the 2008 GOP presidential nomination, won fame in 1973 for asking a committee witness the bombshell question that revealed Nixon had installed hidden listening devices and taping equipment in the Oval Office.

Those tapes show Thompson played a behind-the-scenes role that was very different from his public image three decades ago. He comes across as a partisan willing to cooperate with the Nixon White House's effort to discredit the committee's star witness.

It was Thompson who tipped off the White House that the Senate committee knew about the tapes. They eventually cinched Nixon's downfall in the scandal resulting from the break-in at Democratic headquarters in the Watergate complex in Washington and the subsequent White House cover-up.

more...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070707/ap_on_el_pr/thompson_watergate_1;_ylt=AkpejjDrMnByjnUI6dX9M8lsaMYA



Fred Thompson, left, listens as Sen. Sam Ervin, D-N.C., chairman of the Watergate Investigating Committee, center, listens to other members of the committee during the first day of public hearings on Capitol Hill in Washington in this May 18, 1973 file photo. From left; Thompson, chief minority counsel; Sen. Howard Baker, R-Tenn., Ervin; and Samuel Dash, Chief majority counsel. Thompson gained an image as a tough-minded investigative counsel for the Senate Watergate committee. Yet President Nixon and his top aides viewed the fellow Republican as a willing, if not too bright, ally, according to White House tapes.(AP Photo/File)


Members of the Senate Watergate Investigating Committee are seen during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington as they listen to witness Robert Odle, foreground, in this May 17, 1973 file photo. From left are; Sen. Lowell Weicker, R-Conn., Sen. Edward Gurney, R-Fla., Chief Minority Counsel Fred Thompson, Sen. Howard Baker, R-Tenn., Sen. Sam Ervin, D-N.C., Chairman, Chief counsel Samuel Dash, Sen, Herman Talmadge, D-Ga., Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii and Sen. Joseph Montoya, D-N.M. Thompson gained an image as a tough-minded investigative counsel for the Senate Watergate committee. Yet President Nixon and his top aides viewed the fellow Republican as a willing, if not too bright, ally, according to White House tapes. (AP Photo/File)

[Dollface]

1. from "Blind Ambition" by John Dean

"When he was selected as minority counsel... all we had been able to learn about him was that he handled a lot of moonshine cases as an undistinguished assistant U.S. attorney in Tennessee. He was a young political crony of Senator (Howard H.) Baker, and Haldeman had been irritated at our failure to obtain a more experienced Republican counsel to help keep a lid on the committee's investigation."

[Spazito]

2. LOL, I love this little tidbit...

Yet President Nixon and his top aides viewed the fellow Republican as a willing, if not too bright, ally, according to White House tapes.

"if not too bright" bwaaaahaaaaahaaaa

Too true!

:rofl:

[TwilightGardener]

3. "Willing, but not too bright"--Perfect! That's how Rove and Cheney like 'em!

Add "stupid" to corrupt and lazy, and what have ya got? Chimpy, version 2.0!