Much of what we know about bakers true role comes from three books. On july 16, 1973, as minority counsel to the special committee looking. In 1975, thompson published his personal account of the watergate scandal in the book at that point in time. What adam schiff doesnt get about watergate politico.
The ragghianti case became a book and then a movie in which thompson played himself, launching his film career. Thompson earned a law degree from vanderbilt university in 1967 and then served four years as assistant u. Fred thompson, minority counsel later senator and actor senate select committee on presidential campaign activities watergate committee, headed the republican investigation and worked cooperatively with the chief. The inside story of the senate watergate committee quadranglethe new york times book co. Fred thompson played himself in 1985s marie, his film debut. Title fred thompson and other senators during the senate watergate hearings summary drawing shows members of the senate watergate committee and attorneys during the watergate hearings, washington, d. Looking back at fred thompsons role in the watergate. As young republican lawyer, thompson started watergate process. As young republican lawyer, thompson started watergate. Remembering fred thompsons bombshell watergate moment. The committees chief counsel, sam dash, also questioned butterfield. Watergate lawyer fred thompson is perfect for his role in marieafter all, he plays himself this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. The inside story of the senate watergate committee fred thompson. Howard baker and fred thompson, the top republicans on the committee and its staff, subscribed to the idea that maybe the cia was to blame for watergate, and that the agency had sabotaged.
Fred dalton thompson was an american politician, attorney, lobbyist, columnist, film and television actor, and radio host. Woods as he was a speaker at the luncheon meeting of the nashville bar association auxiliary at. Fred thompson minority counsel, howard baker, and sam ervin of the senate watergate committee in 1973 in 1973, thompson was appointed minority counsel to assist the republican senators on the senate watergate committee, a special committee convened by the u. When he retired after 20 years in the senate, sam even wrote a book titled. Fred thompson and other senators during the senate. In a subject where much of the published material is unrepentantly antinixon, thompson furnishes a properly balanced view of the watergate investigation. Senator edward gurney, minority counsel fred thompson, senator howard baker, senator sam ervin and majority counsel sam dash. Fred thompson s most popular book is seven days in may. Fred was working hammer and tong to defeat the investigation of finding out what happened to authorize watergate. Of all the watergate characters, mccord was the most puzzling, a retired cia operative who cloaked himself in several layers of mystery and somehow ended up.
Fred thompson of tennessee has benefited from a reputation for. Thompson, who died in nashville after a recurrence of lymphoma, was 73, according to a statement rel. In his allbutforgotten watergate memoir, at that point in time, thompson said he acted with no authority in divulging the committees knowledge of the tapes, which provided the evidence that led to nixons resignation. Hougan does give credit to fred thompson s book at that point in time 1978. Gop presidential candidate fred thompson entered the public spotlight in 1973 as a lawyer for the senate watergate committee. In 1973, thompson was appointed minority counsel to assist the republican senators on the senate watergate. Mccord would publish a book about the scandal called a piece of tape the watergate story. The inside story of the senate watergate committee he writes that after learning of the existence of the tapes he wanted to be sure that the white house was fully aware of what was to be disclosed so that it could take appropriate action. One of the revelations in the movie is how republican senator howard baker and minority counsel fred thompson whose watergate celebrity fueled a later career as an actor for the first several. Remembering fred thompson s bombshell watergate moment. July 16, 1973 clip of senate watergate committee testimony this clip, title, and description were not created by cspan.
The inside story of the senate watergate committee he writes that after learning of the existence of the tapes he wanted to be sure that the white house was fully aware of what was to be disclosed so that it. Fred dalton thompsons at that point in time is pretty much your textbook watergate memoir, despite thompsons peripheral involvement. Thompson went on to serve as a republican senator from tennessee from 1994 until 2003. It was a friday evening in july and fred thompson was at the old carroll arms hotel, a popular watering hole for staffers on the senate watergate. Watch butterfield, in response to fred thompson, confirm the existence of the tapes 2m. Fred thompson has 16 books on goodreads with 941 ratings. As fred thompson, the man who asked that question in the watergate hearings, said many years later, after he had gone on to the senate and a. Devoted to the constitution, ervin shepherded us through. The inside story of the senate watergate committee. The inside story of the senate watergate committee by. Watergate lawyer fred thompson is perfect for his role in. Popular watergate books showing 150 of 179 all the presidents men paperback by. The washington post recently sponsored a panel discussion marking the 40th anniversary of the watergate scandal.
Books by fred thompson author of teaching the pig to dance. As his investigation navigates the meandering leads and leaks that plagued the investigation, thompsons realization of impropriety at the highest levels becomes galvanized. The future actor, senator and presidential candidate first came to public attention as the ervin committees minority counsel, notably asking alexander butterfield to confirm nixons taping system. Role in watergate hearings thompson and baker formed a close friendship that led to thompson s appointment as minority counsel on the senate watergate committee. But ol fred dalton thompson did one great service to democracy. His family said that thompson had stood on his principles.
He worked directly under fred thompson and considered him a close friend. Fred thompson, a faded type of washingtonian nov 2015 updated. Fred thompson smokes a pipe as he listens to questions during the watergate hearings in 1974 image 1 of 3 fred thompson, who launches his white house bid this week. Ot fred thompson and wategate general pipe smoking. The tennesseetrained lawyer, harddriving senate counsel at the watergate hearings, movie and tv actor passed on sunday. Thompson was a mole for the white house, armstrong said in an interview. Carl bernstein shelved 46 times as watergate avg rating 4. The mysterious life of james mccord, watergate burglar. Watergate lawyer fred thompson, center, talks with mrs.
Reston, though just one year younger than brokaw and not unaccomplished himself he aided democratic operative frank mankiewicz on his 1973 watergate book. He grew up in lawrenceburg, tennessee, the son of a used car dealer, and attended lawrence county high school. As madigan sees it, armstrong is trying to take credit for cracking watergate wide opencredit that he does not deserve. Republican attorney fred thompson, left, conferred with sen. Fred thompson, a towering tennessee lawyer who parlayed his role as a hollywood actor to a career in politics that spanned from watergate to the u. Abc news exhaustively went through the nixon tapes and found some revealing comments president nixon made about current presidential hopeful fred thompson. Thompson bolstered his reputation when his questioning of former nixon aide alexander butterfield revealed nixons secret wiretapping system. Thompsons watergate role not as advertised gop presidential candidate fred thompson entered the public spotlight in 1973 as a lawyer for the senate watergate committee.
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