After much negotiating, Buzhardt convinces Nixon to turn over edited transcripts of the recordings. Nixon’s edits of the transcripts, however, are problematic as some passages pertaining to Watergate are removed including the March 22, 1973 conversation where the President told his men to “cover up or anything else…save the plan.” Buzhardt and St. Clair are able to accept some of Nixon’s edits, but they know far too many are actually relevant conversations. Ziegler pushes to release nothing at all. They eventually decide a good plan could be to release everything they have at once with the edits and see how things play out. Buzhardt says as lawyers they cannot continue to serve the President if any more passages are removed.

St Clair asks Doar for an extension to the April 25 deadline to turn over the tapes.

Ziegler asks his assistants to review the transcripts and they tell him the pages are in poor shape.

John Mitchell and Maurice Stans are acquitted in all counts in the Vesco case in which they were accused of accepting $200,000 to stop an SEC investigation of Robert Vesco.

President Nixon delivers a speech in prime time announcing the release of the edited transcripts saying they “will at last, once and for all, show that what I knew and what I did with regard to the Watergate break-in and cover-up were just as I have described them to you from the beginning.”

Copies of the transcripts become available in paperback and sell millions of copies. By the evening newscasts, many of the President’s harsher comments are broadcast across the country. The general reaction in the coming days is universally negative leaving many of the President’s usual supporters reeling from shock.

The Judiciary Committee sends notice to the White House that the transcripts are not sufficient, and do not constitute compliance with their subpoena.

In an effort to show that Watergate was now in the past, Nixon attends a large rally in Phoenix saying “The time has come to get Watergate behind us and to get on with the business of America.”

Jaworski tells Haig and St. Clair that the grand jury had given him permission to name the President as a co-conspirator. He presents them with a proposal to keep the indictment of the President secret if they give up 18 specific requested tapes. St. Clair is appalled, but says he’ll pass the request to Nixon. Nixon begins reviewing the tapes, specifically one from June 23, 1972.

Hugh Scott, Senate Minority Leader, having been duped in the past by Haig, reviews the transcripts and compares them to his knowledge of the tapes. He tells reporters the transcripts were “a deplorable, disgusting, shabby immoral performance.” House Minority Leader John Rhodes, when asked about Scott’s statements, says he had no argument with Scott’s assessment.

Steve Bull finds a 19 minute gap in a conversation between Nixon and Ehrlichman on April 19, 1973

George Bush, Republican National Committee chairman, and John Rhodes both call Hugh Scott to say many other Republicans are jumping off the President’s bandwagon.

Meeting with reporters, Rhodes says he would accept the President’s resignation if it was offered.

Ken Clawson tells reporters “The President will not quit, even if hell freezes over-no matter what.”

Haig creates a committee to organize the White House response to the impending impeachment.

Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate meet with Gerald Ford where he tells them he doesn’t want any part of the impeachment proceedings. They all agree the proceedings should be carried on live television. They also say it’s a likely he’ll be President soon.

The House Committee issues subpoenas for more tapes and documents.

Sirica denies the White House motion and demands the White House turn over the 64 tapes as subpoenaed.

St. Clair appeals Sirica’s decision to the Court of Appeals.

The Supreme Court announces it will take the case of Nixon’s tapes, bypassing the Court of Appeals.