The Saturday Night Mess: When Nixon Played Musical Chairs with Justice

On October 20, 1973, history took a turn for the bizarre during the Watergate scandal in an event famously dubbed the 'Saturday Night Massacre' [6]. In a move that felt more like a chaotic political sitcom than a presidential administration, President Richard M. Nixon ordered the firing of Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox [6]. When the Attorney General Elliot Richardson refused to carry out the order and resigned in protest, Nixon turned to the Deputy Attorney General, William Ruckelshaus—who also refused and resigned! Finally, the third person in line, Solicitor General Robert Bork, agreed to do the deed. It was a high-stakes game of 'who can I fire today' that ultimately backfired, accelerating the calls for Nixon's impeachment and proving that sometimes, the most dramatic historical moments are just a series of very awkward resignations.