Is Everbody In?

[H2O Man]

19. Right.

I was mad as hell when Ford did that. Furious. But during the 1990s, reading a variety of materials about it, I've concluded that Nixon told Haig that he planned to demand "national security" documents for his defense, knowing that the DOJ could not allow them to become part of a court record. Haig, of course, was the Joint Chiefs' man in the White House, and he was concerned any conflict like that would inflict further damage to the country. Hence, he got Ford to agree to pardon Nixon.

I think that it can be debated if Nixon could have been convicted. I think that the most likely outcome would have been his poor health would have led to his death before it went to court. For a guy who claimed to be his best under pressure, he was melting under Watergate. I make no position on if his death would have been good or bad for the country.