FIRING LINE: GORDON LIDDY, AN ENIGMA (TV)
Summary
One in this talk/interview series hosted by William F. Buckley, Jr. In this episode, Buckley welcomes Gordon Liddy, whom Buckley calls the "old Watergate plumber who refused to talk." Buckley explains that President Carter has recently commuted the prison sentence Liddy received for refusing to cooperate with authorities in the Watergate investigation. Liddy takes his first opportunity to speak to explain that he still has no interest in discussing Watergate, and that he was invited on "Firing Line" to talk about his most recent passion, penology. Buckley interrupts to say that, as a compromise, the pair will discuss philosophy and theoretical situations that relate to Liddy's own experiences in some way. Buckley opens the questioning by asking Liddy whether he believes in "a Christian obligation on the part of the criminal to make amends." Liddy states that he firmly believes no such obligation exists. Buckley then constructs an elaborate hypothetical scenario for Liddy to consider, in which it is proposed that Liddy is aware of secret information about a hit man. Liddy again states unequivocally that he would still not talk to authorities. "I doubt very much when you were in jail you felt ideological sympathy for people who were guilty of murder for hire," Buckley huffs, "but I am truly confused. You subordinate the virtue of silence over and against any virtue in cooperating to frustrate the people who engage in murder for hire!" Despite the passion of Buckley's outburst, Liddy shrugs. "I don't believe in plea bargains," he states. Buckley continues to express frustration. "How can you give a structure of ethical authority to this position?" he demands. By the end of the program, Buckley states outright that he believes that Liddy should have "spilled the beans with Watergate."
(Network affiliation varies; this program was also syndicated from 1966 to 1971 and from 1975 to 1977.)
Cataloging of this program was made possible by Mr. and Mrs. Theodore R. Stanley.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: November 30, 1976
- RUNNING TIME: 0:59:09
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:64257
- GENRE: Talk/Interviews
- SUBJECT HEADING: Crime and criminals; Prisoners; Watergate
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1971-1999
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Warren Steibel … Producer, Director
- George Kahookele … Associate Producer
- Henry Fasciani … Researcher
- John Virtes … Researcher
- Susan Stark … Researcher
- Carol Baker … Researcher
- William F. Buckley, Jr. … Host
- Liddy, Gordon (see also: Liddy, G. Gordon) … Guest
- Jimmy Carter