around the time his chief of staff h.r. alderman that nixon finally seemed to understand the seriousness of watergate could mean, how much trouble he could be in if the watergate unraveled. march 22nd, 1973, nixon was caught strategizing out loud how he thinks his henchman should do to try to make it all go away. he said on the white house tapes, they re heard to hear. there s so much static. we have the transcripts of them. what he said on the tapes was this, i don t give a bleep what happens. i want you all to stone wall it. let them plead the 5th amendment. if it will save it, save the plan. that s the whole point. plead the 5th. save the plan. save the cover up. that s the whole point. so said richard nixon in march