20/20 (1978– )
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Watergate - Truth & Lies 

Exclusive interviews, photos and footage related to the Nixon Watergate scandal.


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Episode credited cast:
David Muir ... Himself - Co-Host
Elizabeth Vargas ... Herself - Co-Hostess
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jane Alexander ... Bookkeeper (archive footage)
Jack Anderson Jack Anderson ... Himself (archive footage)
Carl Bernstein ... Himself
Robert Bork ... Himself (archive footage)
Leonid Brezhnev ... Himself (archive footage)
Pat Buchanan ... Himself
Alexander Butterfield ... Himself
John Chancellor ... Himself (archive footage)
Archibald Cox ... Himself (archive footage)
John Dean ... Himself
Maureen Dean Maureen Dean ... Herself (archive footage)
Sam Donaldson ... Himself
Bob Dylan ... Himself (archive footage)


A look back on the highlight events surrounding the Watergate scandal which led to the first resignation of an American president, in this case Richard Nixon. 45 years after the break-in by five men who had connections with the White House, many personalities who covered the scandal in the media, or were insiders in the loop and the corridors of power, share their detailed views on the affair in this special report. Written by Rodrigo Amaro

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Release Date:

16 June 2017 (USA) See more »

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Features Watergate (1994) See more »

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45 years of Watergate and politics hasn't changed much
4 July 2017 | by Rodrigo_AmaroSee all my reviews

Not so long ago Twitterverse was in a massive turmoil over this documentary back when it was released, with the crowd making relevant associations with Trump's current administration with the one by Nixon. And all I could think was why making another Watergate documentary now, but fact is that in 2017, the Watergate scandal completed 45 years of existence, and in order to refresh the memories of those who haven't heard of it or barely remember about the figures and facts ABC made this interesting summary of events special. "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss", yes a rock band used to sing about the system and people still haven't figure why they're so buried to the core with their politics - it doesn't change and as someone used to say, "those who can't learn with his past will be condemned to repeat it in the future". The wiser minds in the audience got the idea from this film.

20/20 "Watergate - Truth & Lies" refreshes our memories about the events that led to Nixon's downfall, which began in June 1972 when the man himself and his close personnel ordered the invasion of the Democratic Party HQ located in the Watergate Hotel to find something they could use against them during the political campaign. It's not even interesting to keep coming back to the major moments of it because this film and other documentaries all focus about them: the arrest of the five men; then Howard Hunt's implication; Supreme Court handling the case; Nixon cutting ties with his "severed arms" in the office Haldeman, Ehrlichman, Mitchell and John Dean - with the latter going against the president; the endless trials; the Saturday Night Massacre with attorney and special prosecutors being fired or resigning to avoid confrontations with Nixon; and it goes up until his resignation when there was nothing else to use in his favor. I've seen plenty of things about this particular period, from books and films... and it's not even fun anymore.

However, I really liked this look back at the political scandal, specially with the current context the political system lives and breathes these days (and I'm not even focusing just on the United States. It's a global catastrophe). The special figures who survived the era in those 45 years are all here, from Woodward and Bernstein, the reporters who uncovered the whole affair to Sam Donaldson, who covered the Watergate hearings; John Dean and extensive archive footage from Liddy, Haig, Haldeman, Nixon's closest associates; and there's perspective from minor personalities who acted in the period and unnecessary views from "newcomers" in the scene who doesn't add much of anything like recently disgraced pinhead Bill O'Reilly and veteran Dan Rather (who actually appears in just one moment and says like five words). With all the folks gathered recollecting their memories without putting much input about our current era is truly amazing. It's not like "The Apprentice" host has reached the same level of Tricky Dick - and let's face it, Nixon has plenty of admirable qualities from his humble beginnings, going through interesting qualities as a statesman, all worthy of praise for the way he conducted important situations to truly valuable human lessons that we only got during his final announcement and his books after presidency - but you gotta admit Donald is reaching alarming levels of incompetency and abuse of authority. That didn't escape from the people's perception - like Nixon, he already had trouble with an important FBI figure, huge commotion during the year.

Outisde of the comparison, which the movie doesn't make but audience will definitely feel compelled to make it, ABC's special is a fascinating compilation of points of view, extensive archive footage that makes it simple in explaining what the Watergate scandal really was and meant in the 1970's and how it affected, if now slowed down, the American political process in the following years. The political founding institution committing atrocious acts in order to save itself and hide from the American public how wrong and corrupted they were, stating that "it was just a third rate burglary" was a lesson not only to Americans but also to the world. Political scandals and large sums of money used to buy anything politicians wanted became a part of our culture. "Follow the money" as Deep Throat used to say it's a minor statement nowadays; now it's all about following everything: money, people, campaign, acts during the political term or before that, any illegal thing will come out.

I'm really amazed that Dick Nixon was a huge admirer of the Honest Abe Lincoln, the respectable gentleman who at one time said "You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time". Nixon had the perfect wind going for him, as someone with all the odds against him due to his poor background, succeed it in honorable ways but failed to have a little faith in himself when a possible storm was coming, choosing to act in a bad way. Flying on borrowed wings, his descent was as equal as Icarus. A sad tragedy...but D.T. is reaching similar levels (if not worst) and the tragedy echoes through everyone in the world except himself because he just doesn't care. 9/10

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