The beginning of the end, as it appeared in the Rocky, was a quiet, three-column story on Page 9 the day after Father's Day, June 19, 1972:

Nixon re-election aide cited

in Dem unit burglary probe

"WASHINGTON (UPI) - President Nixon's re-election campaign committee admitted Sunday one of its employees was involved in a break-in at Democratic national headquarters."

The infamous location wasn't named until the 10th paragraph of the 13-paragraph story - the Watergate Apartments.

The investigation, of course, reached warp speed faster than you can say Captain Kirk. The blockbuster headline and story in the Rocky came May 1, 1973:

"WASHINGTON (UPI) - Vowing there will be 'no whitewash at the White House,' President Nixon Monday night told the nation he personally accepts responsibility for the Watergate case.

"In an emotional 27-minute radio and television speech, just a few hours after accepting the resignations of Attorney General Richard G. Kleindienst and three close White House aides, Nixon said he had been misled by advisers about high-level involvement in the Watergate affair.

"He said the 'easiest course' would be to blame his subordinates, but that it would be 'the cowardly thing to do.' "

Nixon fired John Dean, special counsel to the president, and in addition to Kleindienst, accepted the resignations of H.R. Haldeman, his chief of staff, and John Erlichman, chief domestic affairs adviser. Eventually, all would be convicted of crimes.

Three weeks later, the Page 1 headline in the Rocky:

Nixon admits ordering aides

to limit probe of Watergate

On July 31, 1974, two years after the break-in, Watergate was on Page 1 again:

Impeachment resolution sent to House

"WASHINGTON (UPI) - The House Judiciary Committee narrowly approved a third impeachment charge against President Nixon Tuesday - for defying Watergate tapes subpoenas - and ended six days of historic debate by sending to the full House a resolution that Nixon be stripped of his office.

" . . . Senate leaders, anticipating impeachment by the House, already were mapping plans for a televised trial of the president this fall. Nixon is the first president since 1868 and only the second in U.S. history to face impeachment."

Congress knew history was still in motion. It just didn't know the direction it was headed.

This won't sit well

On Jan. 23, 1974, a local story interrupted the daily march of Watergate headlines across Page 1:

$10 million and no seating

It seems that when Denver voters approved the $10 million bond issue to build McNichols Sports Arena, no funds were included for the 17,200 permanent seats. The arena was part of Denver's bid for the 1976 Winter Olympics when the bond issue was approved, and the city was expecting federal funds to pay for the seats. Colorado turned the Olympics away, of course, in 1972.

The oversight was brought to light in a weekly City Council meeting.

Nation puts on the brakes

In the Jan. 25, 1974, edition of the paper, readers were reminded that most of Colorado soon would be driving the state's 9,100 miles of highways at a maximum of 55 miles per hour. Gov. John Vanderhoof made it law by signing the first bill in the 1974 legislative session. Road crews were beginning to post the speed-limit signs and enforcement would begin in about 10 days.

Michael Madigan 150@RockyMountainNews.com

Back to Top