[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 30 (Thursday, March 17, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 17, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                               WHITEWATER

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, a lot of my colleagues on the other side 
have been quoting Barry Goldwater today because he said something they 
like. I am not certain that was always the case when he was here. Barry 
Goldwater has always had a mind of his own. Many of us have felt the 
sting of his criticisms. Those of us who stood together with him in 
1964, I might add, have felt it from time to time.
  He wrote a book about Nixon and Watergate. I want to read a couple of 
quotes out of it.

       If the war in Vietnam taught the American people and their 
     political leaders anything, it is that truth is their 
     strongest weapon. The Watergate scandal taught the same 
     simple but supreme lesson. Without truth there cannot be 
     freedom or justice, wisdom or tolerance, courage or 
     compassion. Truth is the foundation of a stable society.

  That is on page 255, chapter 9.
  Then, on page 266, Senator Goldwater is talking about visits he had 
with President Nixon.

       In April I publicly asked the President to level with the 
     American people on Watergate. Trying to move Nixon off his 
     butt, I told the Christian Science Monitor: ``The Watergate. 
     The Watergate. It's beginning to be like Teapot Dome. I mean 
     there's a smell to it. Let's get rid of that smell.''
       In December, during another interview with the Monitor, I 
     tried again to get Nixon to open up by saying the President 
     was doing too little, too late about Watergate: ``He chose to 
     dibble and dabble and argue on very nebulous grounds like 
     executive privilege and confidentiality when all the American 
     people wanted to know was the truth.''

  Well, that is true today. It was true in 1973 and it is true in 1994.
  So if Goldwater was right then, he was wrong yesterday. And if he was 
right yesterday, he was wrong in 1973. You cannot have it both ways.
  So I just suggest, for all those who are looking for little quotes 
from different people, there are all kinds of quotes out there. We all 
have them.
  But I just suggest we offered a counterproposal to the majority 
leader to resolve this issue. If not, we are prepared to vote on the 
original amendment that I prepared and will offer at the appropriate 
time. And we hope to do that very quickly.
  Mr. RIEGLE. Mr. President, the Senator from South Carolina has asked 
for consideration to be able to speak for 1 minute because he has to 
make another commitment. I suggest that we recognize him.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from South Carolina.
  Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, the annual St. Patrick's Day is held in 
Charleston once a year. The Hibernian Society will hold a dinner 
tonight. It is something we planned on a long time ago. We thought 
everything was cleared, but it is not.
  I am going to have to leave anyway and Senator Al Simpson has to go.
  I just want to say that I favor this Whitewater resolution. It 
provides that the Congress has a constitutional obligation to conduct 
oversight of matters relating to the operations of the Government, 
including matters related to any governmental investigations which may, 
from time to time, be undertaken.
  It also provides that the majority leader and the Republican leader 
should promptly determine the appropriate timetable procedures and 
forum for hearings concerning Whitewater.
  It also provides that no witness called to testify at these hearings 
shall be granted immunity under Section 6002 and 6005 of Title 18, 
United States Code, over the objection of independent counsel Robert B. 
Fiske, Jr.
  And it also provides, to the extent practicable, the hearings shall 
be structured and sequenced in such a manner so as not to interfere 
with the ongoing investigation of independent counsel Robert B. Fiske, 
Jr.
  Mr. President, this resolution appears to be a very reasonable 
resolution. We had such investigation in the past. I think it is proper 
to support this.
  If I were to be here, I would support it. If I am not here, I ask to 
be positioned for this resolution.
  I wish to thank my friend for allowing me to speak at this time.

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