Ervin, of course, is the wise old sage of the hearings. Like a visiting uncle, he dispenses his pearls of wisdom with droll humor and biblical quotations. But it is when he gets angry that Ervin is at his best, Ervin, like none of the others, can bear down on a witness, cutting directly to the heart of the testimony and making clear the full implications of that testimony. His dogged emphasis on the Constitution and the ways in which it has been abused by a particular witness puts the matter in its proper, sweeping perspective.
Inouye, Weicker and Talmadge have all gained respect as tough, impartial questioners. Yet none commands the respect--perhaps because none is chairman or co-chairman--accorded to Ervin and Baker.
Weicker did some self-righteous dissociation of himself and the Republican party from the bugging, burglary and other illicit campaign activities conducted by a segment of that party. Yet he is afraid to set out on his own. He is still a captive, rather than a leader, in the Republican party.
Weicker continues to defend the moves of the President aimed only at maintaining secrecy and hiding the truth for a while longer. He continues to espouse the "few bad apples" theory rather than admitting that at least one whole barrelful seems to have gone rotten.
Gurney is either loved or hated--depending on whether you love or hate Richard M. Nixon. Weicker has said of Gurney that he is an honest and forceful man, that he is not being programmed by the White House.
Montoya, although he tries so hard, just cannot cut the mustard. As Art Buchwald says, the best time during the hearings to break for the bathroom is when Montoya is questioning the witness.
IN spite of some soft spots on the committee, the investigation attracts massive crowds dotted with some fairly unique specimens. For the first few weeks of the hearings, there was a raucously dressed woman named Fifi seen in the room every day. She would deck herself out in a weird hat, several layers of wild jackets and dresses and an extensive collection of bracelets and other jewelry. And from her perch in the press section, Fifi let those around her know exactly what she thought of each witness.
Other luminaries in the press section include Norman Mailer--who showed up for just a few days--perhaps he decided that the whole affair was not bookworthy.
And, of course, there is always the gaggle of network newsmen--Daniel Schorr, Sam Donaldson, Douglas Kiker, Mike Wallace, etc. Daniel Schorr has the best view in the whole room--on a television monitor placed in front of him on the press table.
But the poor view does not deter the crowds. For there is a magnetic attraction about the investigation that draws people back time and time again to witness the controlled violence of the Watergate hearings.