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Liddy Freed, Carter Administration

Published: 1977
Play Audio Archive Story - UPI

Dennis Galeno: G. Gordon Liddy is freed. Called the mastermind of the Watergate burglary, he's able to walk away from prison having served the longest sentence of any Watergate figure: four years and four months.

(00:50:02)

Liddy would not talk about the Watergate burglary after he got out any more than he would before he was locked up. Reporters' questions on that subject drew replies like …

G. Gordon Liddy: "You may rephrase it ad infinitum, but my answer will remain the same."

Unknown Speaker: "Did any good come out of Watergate in your opinion?"

G. Gordon Liddy: "Again, I think that this is not the time or place."

Dennis Galeno: Liddy continues to savor his secrets …

G. Gordon Liddy: "I submit to you that I have yet to snap."

Dennis Galeno: President Carter had commuted Liddy's 20-year term to allow his 1977 release in the interest of what the White House called equity and fairness.

Later, Judge John Sirica listened to the taped repentances of three other jailed Watergate figures: former Attorney General John Mitchell and President Nixon's closest aides, H. R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman, and ruled that they, too, should be allowed a chance at earlier releases.

This is Dennis Galeno in Washington for Recap '77.

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Dennis Galeno: August 20th, the launch of the first of two Voyager space probes carrying a recorded message to intelligent aliens elsewhere. A recap after this.

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Dennis Galeno: Mankind's one single 1977 accomplishment designed to last a million years is that message recorded on copper disks aboard two Voyager space probes. After scouting the outer planets, the probes go on into deep space on the chance someday alien intelligences may find that message, which includes the voice of the United Nations' Secretary General …

Secretary General Kurt Waldheim: "I send greetings on behalf of the people of our planet."

Dennis Galeno: Many kinds of Earth sounds also are on that copper record carried by the space probe: that of frogs, rain and music …

"(Music.)"

Dennis Galeno: Part of an American space program that awakened anew in 1977 with the successful landing tests of the space shuttle. How will alien intelligences understand Earth music like Chuck Berry's "Rock 'N Roll"?

"(Music.)"

Dennis Galeno: NASA figures if they can find the record out there in space, the rest will be easy.

This is Dennis Galeno in Washington for Recap '77.

"(Music.)"

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Marilee Cox: October 12th, the Supreme Court hears arguments in the Bakke reverse discrimination case. A recap after this.

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Marilee Cox: Allan Bakke is a 37-year-old white man who wants to be a doctor. He has tried, but failed twice to gain admission to a California medical school, and he claims the only reason he was denied admission is because he's white.

The school has a special admissions program which sets aside up to 16 places in each new class for minorities. Bakke calls the program an illegal racial quota, arguing that because of it, less-qualified minority applicants were admitted while he was not. The school calls the program a goal and defends it as the best way to make up for past discrimination.

Bakke took his case to a California Court, which agreed with him; but the California Board of Regents appealed, and the case wound up on the steps of the Supreme Court. A decision is expected in the spring, and one of the central questions which the Justices could answer is whether race can be used as a factor when society doles out its benefits. Is it fair or illegal to give special consideration to those who've been denied opportunities in the past and, if so, how far do you go before creating a brand-new form of discrimination?

This is Marilee Cox for Recap '77.

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Marilee Cox : November 19th, American women of every race, creed and political persuasion and from all walks of life gather in Houston for the first ever Federally sponsored National Women's Conference. "Women on the Move" was the Conference's title, and women did a lot of that this year. We'll have a recap after this.

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Marilee Cox: For many women, the National Women's Conference in Houston marked the end of years of isolation. Women representing all points of view discovered others who shared their views, and as a result new alliances were formed, old ones were strengthened.

The Conference provided an opportunity for discussion of issues that affect women's lives profoundly. There were disagreements, but as Conference keynoter Representative Barbara Jordan said, a lack of discussion, a lack of action, would be worse …

Representative Barbara Jordan: "We will have wasted, lost, negated an opportunity to do something for ourselves and for generations which are not here."

"(Applause.)"

Representative Barbara Jordan: "Not making a difference, not make a difference is a cost we cannot afford."

"(Applause.)"

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Marilee Cox: Women did move in 1977, but many believe they still have a long way to go. As an example, they're entering the workforce in unprecedented numbers, but on the average still earn far less than men.

This is Marilee Cox for Recap '77.

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Marilee Cox: October 21st, House Korea money scandal investigators hear some dramatic testimony about South Korean efforts to influence U.S. policy. A recap after this.

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Marilee Cox: Investigations into charges of South Korean influence-peddling moved into high gear in 1977. Simply put, those allegations are that the Korean Government, through its agents, tried to win favorable treatment by distributing money and gifts to members of Congress and other U.S. officials.

One of the probes is being conducted by the House Ethics Committee, and at a series of hearings in October the Committee heard some dramatic testimony, which Deputy Counsel Peter White said separated the fact from fiction …

Unknown Speaker: "The evidence establishes that there was an official plan and that it was executed, and it seems utterly futile for the Government of the Republic of Korea to deny access to relevant information by, among other things, refusing to admit what is now an established historic fact."

Marilee Cox: Investigators have been stymied by a lack of cooperation by the Korean Government, and while three indictments have been handed down so far, investigators concede any further indictments are questionable at best without South Korea's cooperation.

This is Marilee Cox for Recap '77.

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Roger Giddens: 1977, the President has promises to keep. A recap after this.

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Roger Giddens: Mr. Carter's first official act the day after the inauguration was to extend amnesty to Vietnam-era draft evaders. That was a commitment he made during the campaign before a group of booing veterans. He moved quickly on two other promises, as well. Many of the trappings of office were stripped away, including "Hail to the Chief".

The second area was government reorganization. Plans were unveiled to cut the size of the bureaucracy and begin what's sure to be a long overhaul process. Later in the year, the President made good on his pledge to kill the B-1 bomber project. He sent Congress a $21 billion economic stimulus package with the emphasis on jobs, but without a $50 tax rebate. Candidate Carter said he would do something about energy. Well, late April, he sent a comprehensive package to Capital Hill. But another promise to tackle tax reform was postponed.

Deep cuts in the Defense budget never materialized, but a new post-détente relationship with the Russians did. Blacks complained the President wasn't doing enough; other critics charged he was doing too much.

This is Roger Giddens at the White House for Recap '77.