The room . Yes. Out. There can be no greater fall from no greater height. I used to rule the world now in the morning i sleep alone sweep the streets i used to own Democratic NationalHead Quarters here in washington. The white water controversy. I have nothing the say about it. Hes thinking, what am i going to do . Andrew johnsons impeachment was over policy. He did not deserve to be president of the United States. One thing leads to another. A gray grave and profound crisis. One minute i held the key i just stood with my castle stand pillars of sand youre not office of the president of the United States. How can you talk about blackmailing, keeping witnesses silent . William Jefferson Clinton. I did not have sexual relations with that woman. The impeachment effort against him failed by a single vote in the senate. President nixon. Aye. Aye. The ayes have it. Impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors. I have impeached myself that was when i ruled the world impeachment is no longer just history. Good evening. Im fareed zakaria. It is happening now. The house is conducting an impeachment inquiry into president donald trump. We dont yet know how this will end, but we do know we need history more than we ever have. Its the only guide to how and why and even if this president should be impeached. Remember, the Founding Fathers who wrote the impeachment clause had just fought a revolution to escape the tyranny of kings. That goal was to keep the president from becoming a elected monarch, unrestrained in his exercise of power. Together they carefully weighed what the grounds for impeachment should be. They agreed on treason and bribery. Also proposed was maladministration. James madison objected. He said that was too vague. Impeachment was a remedy for a bad president. But what if a president , madison asked, were to cook up a scheme of speculation . In other words, what if the president were a crook . So george mason of virginia came up with a broader phrase high crimes and misdemeanors,s that article 2 section 4 of the american constitution. There was a moment in our history when it saved american democracy. But at other times its been turned into a cheap political trick, hurled at opponents as a weapon. So which is it right now . If ever there were a time too impeef its now. Hes got to go. Almost three years into the trump presidency, call for his impeachment come every day. Sometimes every hour. I think impeachment. Impeachment. But this was just one day after donald trump was elected president. Hey hey, ho ho from the first moment, donald trump has been the most polarizing president in an already bitterly divided america. We will impeach him. We will impeach him. The people said, but he hasnt done anything wrong . Oh, that doesnt matter. We will impeach the president. We have been through periods of polarization before. The difference now, i think, is that we dont have a common baseline effect. We disagree on reality. That dangerous state of affairs. We disagree on the facts on reality itself is reflected in ow americans feel about impeachment. In a new cnn poll, exactly half of americans say they support the impeachment and removal of donald trump. But is the case Strong Enough . About a year ago at the height of the mueller investigation, i put that question to one of the countrys premier constitutional scholars. Im not calling for the impeachment of donald trump. I think it would be very unwise to pursue impeachment unless there were a high probability of removing a president from office. That was then. This is now. Here you have the president of the United States abusing his power openly. Noah feldman is talking about trumps apparent quid pro quo to ukraine investigate the bidens or we wont give you the aid money. Its extremely clear that it is a quid pro quo. Its laughable to think that the president was not trying to gain personally in investigating the joe biden. This constitutional scholar is worried about the very survival of americas defining document. Absolutely essential to the entire constitutional structure if the president abuses his power, congress has to check the president s actions. Its the only branch with that authority and responsibly, and thats what the impeachment process is fundamentally for. And the constitution will fail. In order, for feldman, democracy may depend on impeaching the president. For others it is congress that is overreaching. This is unamerican. To understand todays crisis we need to go back to the last time america debated these issues. We now think of watergate as a time when america came together, forced a crooked president out of office. But to Richard Nixon and the republican party, the watergate scandal was a partisan war. It was a fivefront war with a fifth column. I had a partisan Senate Committee staff. Special prosecutor staff. Media. We had a partisan Judiciary Committee staff. In the fifth column, i gave them the sword, and they stuck it in, and they twisted it with relish. The real story of the war nixon describes is one that few americans know. Its a story of a small group of men who turned impeachment into an act of patriotism. It all begins on june 17, 1972. Five men were arrested early saturday while trying to install eves dropping equipment at the Democratic National committee. Which was someone breaking into the Democrats Campaign offices . I again proudly accept that nomination for president of the United States. Well, Richard Nixon won the presidency in 1968 by promising to get america out of vietnam. All we are saying are you listening, nixon is give peace a chance but as the war dragged on, the Antiwar Movement exploded. As nixon campaigned for a second term, he feared vietnam might give his enemies the ammunition to defeat him. And so his men planned a series of dirty tricks i suppose up the wall. To cripple the democrats. One of them was the watergate breakin. In 1972, nixon won reelection by a historic landslide. I Richard Nick Nixon do solemnly swear but the watergate story was still growing. So just weeks after the election inside the oval office, Richard Nixon declared war on the press. The press is the enemy. The press is the enemy. The press is the enemy. Nixon hated the press. Because it was digging into the very story he was desperate to hide. That the white house was deeply involved in the watergate coverup. His campaign seemed to work. Only in his second term, nixons Approval Ratings soared. But then came the first crack in the white house defense. In the summer of 1973 all of america was riveted by the Senate Watergate hearings. What did the president know . And when did he know it . As the country watched, white House Counsel john dean turned on his president. I began by telling the president that there was a cancer growing on the presidency. Dean testified that the watergate burglars were blackmailing white house aides. The white house was being directly subject to blackmail and i didnt know how the handle it. I told him i could only make an estimate that it might be as high as 1 million or more. He told me that that was no problem. It was john deans word against the president of the United States. Richard nixons presidency may ride on whether the public believes john dean or not. Most republicans continue to stand by their president. Raise your right hand. But then, from a little known white house aide, a dramatic twist. My name is Alexander Porter butterfield. Butterfield, are you aware of the installation of any listening devices in the oval office of the president . I was aware of listening devices. Yes, sir. It was a bombshell. The pressure is on the president to produce those tapes. If not for those tapes nixon would have completed a second term. Instead nixon would have spent the rest of his presidency from trying to hear them. He fought subpoena after subpoena. I have never heard of seen such outrageous vicious disturbing reporting. Even as they tried to convince the American People that watergate was a press creation. What is it about the Television Coverage of you in these past weeks and months that has so aroused your anger . Dont get the impression thaw arouse my anger. One can only be angry with those he respects. Mr. President. Mr. President. Finally, a drastic step. Nothing like this has ever happened before. Our offices have been sealed by the fbi. A mass firing of the men pursuing the case. The saturday night massacre. The news caused a sen communication and sent the press reporters scrambling to their telephones. A grave and profound crisis, which the president said against himself and the attorney general. Does it have to do with the resignation of attorney general . It might. By the time it was over the attorney general, Deputy Attorney general, and the special prosecutor were all out. The bipartisan american outbreak changes the politics of the situation for Richard Nixon. Tens of thousands of telegrams flooded washington. Western union. Most of them demanding impeaching Richard Nixon. Ics innen was forced to appoint a new special prosecutor. As if months went on, bit by bit, he was forced to turn tover tapes. They were as damning as he had feared. White House Counsel john deans testimony turned out to be entirely accurate. How much money to you need . I would say these people are going cost 1 million over the next two years. It was clear nixons defenses were beginning to crumble. Would you consider the crimes to be impeachable if they did apply to you . Well, ive also quit beating my wife. The meeting will come to order. In july of 1974 in a packed hearing room, the house Judiciary Committee began to debate removing the president. Make no mistake about it this is a turning point. Whatever we decide. Committee chairman peter rodino was a democratic machine liberal from newark, new jersey. He was new to the job. Some doubted whether he could handle it. Highly partisan prosecution if ever there was one. Many nixon loyalists were angry and still immoveable. For republicans, impeaching their president was tantamount to political suicide so they kept holding out for more evidence. The weight of evidence must be clear, it must be convincing. And lets stick to those two words you cant substitute them for anything else clear and convincing but you cannot and should not under any circumstance attempt to remove the highest office in the world for anything less than clear and convincing. But as emotions began to run high, the facts were calmly recited and documented. And something surprising happened theres an obstruction of justice going on. Someones trying to buy the silence of a witness. Nixon republican larry holman, the father of marylands current governor, was moved by the evidence. The thing thats so appalling to me is that the president , when this whole idea was suggested to him, didnt in righteous indignation say get out of here, youre in the office of the president of the United States. How can you talk about blackmail and bribery and keeping witnesses silent . This is the presidency of the United States one by one, conservatives who revered the president put conscious over party. I cannot condone what i have heard. I cannot excuse it and i cannot and will not standstill for it. I wish the president could do something to about solve himself. Perhaps the most conservative southerner was walter flowers. He served as George Wallaces chain chairman. I wake up nights at least the nights i have been able the go to sleep wondering if this couldnt be some sort of dream. Impeach the president of the United States. But he did vote to impeach even though walter flower said it gave him an ulcer. Even the conservatives who stuck with the president reached across the aisle to say thank you. I must admit in all candidness that it has been very fair. This impeachment inquiry has been historic and honorable. Republicans understood that they were not going to carry their base if they voted for impeachment. And some of them did it any way. All those in favor signify by saying aye. All those opposed, no. Mr. Don hue. Aye. Mr. Brooks. Aye. Aye. The Committee Approved three articles of impeachment. Obstruction of justice, contempt of the congress, abuse of power. Mr. Hutchens. No. No. No. No. Ayo. No. No. Mr. Rodino. Aye. Chairman rodino left the room and cried. Official impeachment would come later with a full house vote, but it never happened. Nixons wall of republican defenders had crumbled. Theres a countdown of sorts on the night, the countdown for the expected end of the nixon presidency. Tonight at 9 00 Eastern Daylight Time the president of the United States will address the nation. It was over. I have never been a quitter. To leave office before my term is completed abhorrent to every instinct in my body, but as president , i must put the interest of america first. Therefore, i shall resign the presidency effective at noon tomorrow. The impeachment the framers had imagined, it worked. Democracy worked. There is the president waving goodbye. But the scandal itself triggered a loss of faith in government and in politicians. It would be 25 years before impeachment would come up again. Your testimony is subject to the penalty of perjury. Do you understand that, sir . I do. This time it was a completely different story. L. Get the perfectly grilled flavors of an outdoor grill indoors, and because its a ninja foodi, it can do even more, like transform into an air fryer. The ninja foodi grill, the grill that sears, sizzles, and air fry crisps. Ever since you brought me home, that day. Ive been plotting to destroy you. Sizing you up. Calculating your every move. You think this is love . This is a billion years of tiger dna just ready to pounce. And if you have the wrong Home Insurance coverage, you could be coughing up the cash for this. So get allstate and be better protected from mayhem, like meow. So get allstate and be better protected from mayhem, i wanted more thats why ive got the power of 1 2 3 medicines with trelegy. The only fdaapproved 3in1 copd treatment. Trelegy. The power of 123. Trelegy 123 trelegy. With trelegy and the power of 1 2 3, im breathing better. Trelegy works 3 ways to open airways, keep them open and reduce inflammation for 24 hours of better breathing. Trelegy wont replace a rescue inhaler for sudden breathing problems. Trelegy is not for asthma. Tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high Blood Pressure before taking it. Do not take trelegy more than prescribed. Trelegy may increase your risk of thrush, pneumonia, and osteoporosis. Call your doctor if worsened breathing, chest pain, mouth or tongue swelling, problems urinating, vision changes, or eye pain occur. Think your copd medicine is doing enough . Maybe you should think again. Ask your doctor about oncedaily trelegy and the power of 1 2 3. Trelegy 123 save at trelegy. Com is just like our originalhn sandwiches. Only littler. So we bought a little ad. On lil jon. Little johns, yeah 3, what . tmobiles newest signal reaches farther than ever before. With more engineers, more towers, more coverage. Its a network that gives you. With coverage from big cities, to small towns. Introducing tmobiles 600mhz signal. No signal reaches farther or is more reliable. And its built 5g ready. The magic moment. Congress really democratized wall street. I wanted to have a firm that wanted to get everybody in. Because people couldnt access wall street. We wanted to be agents of change. For the better. In all my life i wanted to be involved in people. In 1978, a bright eyed 32yearold bill clinton was running for governor of arkansas. Ive tried to bring out the best in people through politics and ive really been very happy doing it. He and his wife hillary were also investing in real estate. A nice little patch of land in the ozarks. A twobit real estate deal that end up losing money would change the course of history. Miss clink did they read you your rights. Decades later. White waters controversy. Political turbulence over white water. What it water became a massive spiraling investigation. That led prosecutors to a sex scandal. The ayes have it. There it is. William Jefferson Clinton is impeached. That became the second president ial impeachment in american history. How on earth did that Little Corner of arkansas i hereby deliver the articles of impeachment. Explode into a constitutional showdown . It was a twobit real estate deal and yet somehow one thing leads to another and we were on the floor debating whether or not the president should be removed from office. I did not have sexual relations with that woman, miss lewinsky. When we think of the clinton impeachment we think of a certain white house intern buck before there was monica there were the mcdougalls, jim and susan. Clinton might have never been impeached if it wasnt for them. It was Jim Mcdougall who convinced the clintons to invest in white water and they had other financial ties as well. When jim and susan landed in legal trouble for fraud the white Water Development is not going to go away. There are too many questions. The clintons came under fire too. Questions have been raised about the clintons personal and financial involvement with mcdougall. In the end nothing came of it but it planted a seed for something much bigger that would lead to the ultimate constitutional there was a growing drum bea