With all the controversy swirling around the current US administration, inevitable comparisons to Watergate have been made by some in the media. Given how divided and dug-in the US currently seems, it got me thinking back to the time when Watergate was unfolding.
I've seen a few threads in this sub asking about Nixon's supporters in the media and the politicians that served with him, but was also wondering about when exactly his own base of voters turned on him as it was all unraveling.
At the time of the Watergate Scandal, the trust between the people and the media had largely been eroded by the Vietnam War, and many were initially hesitant to wholeheartedly trust the media's accusations of a broad conspiracy. However, nation wide opinion shifted after the "Saturday Night Massacre" of October 20, 1973, where Nixon demanded the dismissal of the special prosecutor of the Watergate investigation, Archibald Cox. Both Nixon's Attorney General, Elliot Richardson, and Deputy Attorney General, William Ruckelshaus, refused, and were dismissed. Robert Bork, as acting Attorney General, gave the final order dismissing Cox. The action was quickly ruled to be illegal by a federal district judge, and the people found it to be a gross misuse of presidential power. In a NBC poll, the results found that for the first time, a plurality of citizens supported the impeachment of Nixon, with 44% in favor, 43% against, and 13% undecided.
Not sure if this directly answers your question, but this act shows a turning point in general opinion of the Nixon Administration.
Source Used: Spokane Daily Chronicle New York (AP) https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kJNYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VvgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2407,2360158&dq=oliver-quayle&hl=en
This thread has great data regarding GOP opinion regrading Nixon pre-resignation. https://twitter.com/williamjordann/status/863753990907015170
August 2-5, 1974 DAYS before Nixon quits.
Should he resign
Among Republicans 31% YES 59%NO 10% DK