THE CRISIS: Seven Tumultuous Days

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liberal Episcopal Bishop of New York, said that he was "stunned by the arrogance of power displayed by the President." Consulting by telephone, the deans of 17 law schools agreed on a statement to Congress claiming that there was evidence that "associates of the President, and possibly the President himself, have engaged in a deliberate effort to obstruct justice." Congress, the deans wrote, should set up a Watergate prosecutor completely independent of the Executive Branch. If the President would not cooperate with him, impeachment should be considered.

Nixon watched the Washington Redskins defeat the St. Louis Cardinals on television and telephoned his congratulations to Coach George Allen. If he had listened closely, Nixon could have heard automobile horns honking outside the White House in response to the signs of protesters: HONK FOR IMPEACHMENT.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 22

The outcry grew louder. Standing, shouting and cheering, some 1,600 representatives to the AFL-CIO convention in Miami Beach unanimously approved a resolution calling upon Nixon to resign and urging the House to impeach him "forthwith" if he did not. Democratic Senator Daniel Inouye, a member of the Senate Watergate committee, told the convention: "Like many of you, I have sadly concluded that President Nixon can no longer effectively lead our country." He said that the President should resign.

Returning to Capitol Hill despite the holiday, key Democratic House leaders huddled with Speaker Carl Albert, currently the presidential successor. Among the strategists were John McFall, the Democratic whip, and Judiciary Chairman Rodino. The floor leader, Thomas P. ("Tip") O'Neill, was consulted at his home in Massachusetts. All were aware that impeachment resolutions would be introduced the next day, and they feared a flood of sentiment for an immediate vote. Such a vote might backfire politically and quite probably would fail.

Unless there were quick parliamentary countermoves, any member could force an impeachment vote by taking the floor to declare: "Mr. Speaker, I rise to a question of constitutional privilege ... I impeach Richard M. Nixon, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors. I specify the following charges ..." O'Neill and McFall decided to monitor the floor, ready to demand immediate referral of any such motion to the Judiciary Committee. Thus it was eventually decided that the Judiciary Committee would control all impeachment proceedings; any move to create a special impeachment committee would be resisted, since the partisan struggle to select the members could touch off a political hassle.

President Nixon asked Elliot Richardson to stop by the White House. The former Attorney General had announced that he would hold a farewell press conference the next day, and Nixon wanted to explore what he intended to say. He suggested that Richardson might emphasize the integrity of the new man in charge of the Watergate investigation, Henry Petersen, head of the Criminal Division of the Justice Department. White House aides hinted that Richardson might have some warm words for the President. Nixon left for Camp David to spend the first of several nights away from Washington.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23

Telegrams, letters and telephone calls continued to inundate congressional offices