The Gortons and Slades - Washington Secretary of State

118 sLAde goRton: A hALf centuRy in poLitics
Four Seattle business executives, by coincidence, had telegraphed the
beleaguered president the same day as Gorton’s speech, expressing support
and apologizing “for any weak sisters, turncoats, liberal judges, selfish
politicians and journalists.” Stiff upper lip, they told Nixon: “Do your
job as you see it.” (Nixon’s bottom line in time would be revealed: “When
the President does it, that means it is not illegal.”) Henry Seidelhuber,
president of an iron-works and one of the signatories, said that if he had
known what Gorton was up to, “I would have been there and booed until
he left.” 13
thRee dAys AfteR the RotARy cLuB speech, the Republican State Central
Committee unanimously adopted a resolution rejecting Gorton’s call
for Nixon’s resignation. However, one party member who asked not to be
identified told the Associated Press, “I think I probably agree with Slade,
but I don’t think he should have said it in public.” Another Republican
overheard him and nodded. 14
Pierce County Republican leaders were among the most apoplectic.
Their statements underscored the widespread assumption that Gorton
would be a candidate for governor in 1976. The senior House Republican,
Helmut Jueling of suburban Tacoma, said Gorton was “doing to the president
what he was elected to keep from happening to the people of the
state—judging a case before the evidence is in. He has tried him and
convicted him. It’s a strange thing for a candidate for governor to do. Gorton
has lost a lot of Republican support.” Charles Newschwander, the assistant
minority leader in the State Senate, thought it was “the worst thing
Gorton could have done.” County Prosecutor Ron Hendry, who had
ousted Slade’s old foe, John G. McCutcheon, said that if Nixon were to
step down before all the facts were known it “could ruin the institution
of the presidency.” 15 Governor Evans was of a similar mind. “I think the
president’s resignation would be a bad thing,” he told reporters. “It
wouldn’t solve anything” and would set a bad precedent. He was quick to
add, however, that he wasn’t being critical of Gorton. “The attorney general
has the right to say anything he wants. He has his own opinions and
has the right to express them. I just happen to disagree with him.” Evans
also flatly disagreed with Dunn’s characterization of Gorton’s statements.
“It was not ‘a stab in the back’ and he didn’t mean it that way at all.” 16
On the Monday following the round of speeches, Gorton was unfazed.
“Of course I’m sticking by my statements. A lot of people are asking for
copies of the speech. It is a very popular publication right now.” The attorney
general said his office had received 212 letters—137 opposing his sug-