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SENATE WATERGATE HEARINGS: 1ST TELEVISED DAY (TV)

Summary

Live coverage of the 1st day of televised hearings of the Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities. The correspondents comment briefly on the committee's agenda. Committee Chairman Sen. Sam Ervin (D-N.C.) opens the hearings with a statement outlining the scope of their investigation: the "planning and execution of the wiretapping and break-in of the Democratic National Committee Headquarters ... and the alleged cover-up that followed"; and "allegations of campaign espionage and subversion violations of campaign financing law." Senators make opening statements and the first witness, Robert Odle, is questioned about his job as office manager of the Committee to Re-elect the President ("CREEP").

Robert Odle, former office manager of the Committee to Re-elect the President ("CREEP"), is questioned by the following members: Herman Talmadge (D-Ga.) who asks about the relationship between "CREEP" and the White House; Edward Gurney (R-Fla.); and Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) who asks if Odle shredded any documents following the 6/17/72 Watergate break-in. Odle admits that he hired James McCord, one of the Watergate defendants, for a "CREEP" security post, but denies knowledge of McCord's illegal activities. Lowell Weicker (R-Conn.) and Joseph Montoya (D-N.M.) also question Odle.

Robert Odle, former office manager of the Committee to Re-elect the President ("CREEP"), is questioned by Howard Baker (R-Tenn.) on his initial reaction to the 6/17/72 break-in at the Watergate and on whether Odle was familiar with the term "Gemstone," the code name for the Watergate wiretapping operation. Majority Counsel Sam Dash then questions Odle on the following topics: events after the break-in; James McCord's activities under G. Gordon Liddy; and White House memos to "CREEP." The hearings recess and the correspondents comment.

The hearings resume as Robert Odle, former office manager of the Committee to Re-elect the President ("CREEP") is questioned by Majority Counsel Sam Dash. Odle is then questioned by the following committee members: Chairman Sam Ervin (D-N.C.) who asks Odle to describe his seeing G. Gordon Liddy shredding documents at "CREEP" the day after the Watergate break-in; Edward Gurney (R-Fla.) who asks why Odle took a file from Jeb Stuart Magruder's desk; Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) who asks about E. Howard Hunt; and Lowell Weicker (R-Conn). Ervin commends Odle and excuses him.

Bruce Kehrli, a former H.R. Haldeman aide, is questioned by Majority Counsel Sam Dash on the organization and structure of the White House staff. Minority Counsel Fred Thompson asks Kehrli about John Dean's contact with Pres. Nixon and what Dean's primary responsibilities were. Kehrli is questioned by the following committee members: Herman Talmadge (D-Ga.) who asks who sent White House personnel to the Committee to Re-elect the President ("CREEP"); Edward Gurney (R-Fla.); and Lowell Weicker (R-Conn.). Dash questions Sgt. Paul Leeper of the D.C. Police on the 6/17/72 break-in.

Sgt. Paul Leeper of the D.C. Police is questioned on his role in the arrest of 5 men at the Watergate break-in on 6/17/72. Leeper is questioned by the following committee members: Howard Baker (R-Tenn.); Herman Talmadge (D-Ga.) who asks if the "demeanor" of the 5 men suggested that they were not ordinary burglars; Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) who asks about the aliases used by the 5 men; and Lowell Weicker (R-Conn.). John Barrett, another arresting officer, testifies briefly. Committee Chairman Sam Ervin (D-N.C.) calls a recess until 10:00am Friday. Herman and Benton close.

Details

  • NETWORK: CBS
  • DATE: May 17, 1973 10:00 AM
  • RUNNING TIME: 5:45:00
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: T80:0685
  • GENRE: News
  • SUBJECT HEADING: Watergate; U S - Officials - Talk/Interviews; U S Senate Comm. on Pres. Campaign Activities
  • SERIES RUN: CBS - TV, 1973
  • COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

  • George Herman … Reporter
  • Nelson Benton … Reporter
  • Daniel Schorr … Reporter
  • Sam Ervin … Speaker
  • Howard Baker
  • John Barrett
  • Sam Dash
  • John Dean
  • Edward Gurney
  • H. R. Haldeman
  • E. Howard Hunt
  • Daniel Inouye
  • Bruce Kehrli
  • Paul Leeper
  • G. Gordon Liddy
  • Jeb Stuart Magruder
  • James McCord
  • Joseph Montoya
  • Richard M. Nixon
  • Robert Odle
  • Herman Talmadge
  • Lowell Weicker
  • Fred Thompson