Former Watergate committee investigator Scott Armstrong told ABC News
that Thompson's cooperation with the White House undermined the
investigation.
"It was the equivalent of two prosecutors knowing about something and
one of them going behind the scenes and telling the person being
accused what the witnesses were saying about him," Armstrong said.
From ABC News, 10/9/07:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/10/nixon-on-thomps.html
Nixon on Thompson: 'Dumb' but 'Friendly'
Brian Ross and Avni Patel Report:
Fred Thompson has made much of his role 30 years ago as a young Senate
lawyer helping to lead the investigation of the Watergate scandal and
President Richard Nixon.
But a much different, less valiant picture of Thompson emerges from
listening to the White House audiotapes made at the time, as President
Nixon plotted strategy with his aides in the Oval Office.
Thompson's job on the Watergate committee was to lead the Republican
side of the investigation.
He was appointed by his mentor, Sen. Howard Baker of Tennessee, who is
now co-chair of Thompson's 2008 presidential bid.
When Nixon's aide H.R.Haldeman told Nixon of Thompson's appointment,
Nixon was less than impressed.
"Baker has appointed Fred Thompson as minority counsel," Haldeman is
heard saying on one tape.
"Oh sh--, that kid," Nixon responds.
"I guess so," Haldeman replies.
Nixon worried that Thompson's Democratic counterpart, Sam Dash, would
outsmart Thompson.
"Well, Dash is too smart for that kid," Nixon says on another tape
from March 16, 1973.
The existence of the tapes were publicly revealed by a question from
Thompson at a Watergate hearing and led to the president's
resignation.
They are preserved at the National Archives in College Park, Md.
"Sure. Runs circles around him," agrees an aide, John Dean.
As the investigation picked up speed, Nixon grew increasingly
concerned about whether Thompson could stand up to the Democrats.
In this May 1973 recording, he shared his concern with then-chief of
staff Alexander Haig.
"He's talking to Fred Thompson. I said you're not --," Haig begins.
"Oh sh--, he's dumb as hell. Fred Thompson," Nixon interjects.
"Who is he? He won't say anything."
In another conversation some weeks later, Nixon and his advisers were
still describing Thompson as not very smart but at least beginning to
play ball.
"Our approach is now, we've got a pretty good rapport with Fred
Thompson. He came through fine for us this morning," White House
counsel Fred Buzhardt says on a tape from June 6.
"He isn't very smart, is he?" Nixon asks.
"Not extremely so, but --," Buzhardt says, interrupted by the
president.
"But he's friendly," Nixon says.
"But he's, he's friendly," Buzhardt echoes.
"Good."
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Harry
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