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Watergate and the Hope of Surrender

American Woman

This flow traces Jenny’s brief hope that Watergate might change the political climate, and the disappointment that leaves her underground.

increasingupBearing stren­gth in each eventdowndecreasing
A Nation on the RadioA Nation on the Radio from "American Woman". A Nation on the Radio A Distant Public Crisis Jenny listens to Watergate hearings while restoring rooms at Wildmoor, following the scandal alone.
A Nation on the Radio A Distant Public Crisis Jenny listens to Watergate hearings while restoring rooms at Wildmoor, following the scandal alone. The disclosures make the national order seem vulnerable, but the people around her remain insulated from the political upheaval. Hope from a Distance She begins to wonder whether the public climate might change her prospects as a fugitive.
William’s InterpretationWilliam’s Interpretation from "American Woman". William’s Interpretation A Letter from Prison William writes that public opposition to the president may signal a broader readiness to question authority.
William’s Interpretation A Letter from Prison William writes that public opposition to the president may signal a broader readiness to question authority. He suggests that the changed climate could make surrender less dangerous for Jenny. Hope in Correspondence His argument reaches her through the indirect channel of their letters.
The Lawyer’s WarningThe Lawyer’s Warning from "American Woman". The Lawyer’s Warning A Meeting in Peekskill Jenny meets a lawyer beside the river and asks whether Watergate has changed her legal prospects.
The Lawyer’s Warning A Meeting in Peekskill Jenny meets a lawyer beside the river and asks whether Watergate has changed her legal prospects. He says the government will still prosecute her and that she should not expect an amnesty. Ethics and Survival Their argument clarifies the distance between political judgment and what a court will consider.
The Kidnapping Closes the WindowThe Kidnapping Closes the Window from "American Woman". The Kidnapping Closes the Window A New Crisis The kidnapping of Pauline intensifies public hostility toward the radical movement.
The Kidnapping Closes the Window A New Crisis The kidnapping of Pauline intensifies public hostility toward the radical movement. Jenny worries that any new sympathy produced by Watergate will disappear under the attention and fear surrounding the case. A Lost Opportunity The political opening she imagined never becomes a practical path to surrender.
No Amnesty ArrivesNo Amnesty Arrives from "American Woman". No Amnesty Arrives Hope Fades Pauline’s declaration and the later violence convince Jenny that no broad political reprieve is coming.
No Amnesty Arrives Hope Fades Pauline’s declaration and the later violence convince Jenny that no broad political reprieve is coming. The Watergate scandal has not changed the legal reality facing a fugitive with serious charges. Continued Hiding Jenny remains in New York State, continuing her life at Wildmoor until Rob Frazer finds her.
Summer 1973
Late 1973
Winter 1973
February 1974
After Pauline’s final broadcast