Harking back to Watergate for a moment. It really wasn't until John Dean's testimony and more importantly the revelations about the missing 18 minutes on the taping system that the reality of what was happening at the time was significant.
If I recall correctly, it really wasn't until the vote of the House Impeachment Committee that reality really didn't set in. Times are different, the two parties are more divided now than in 1974. I'd really like to know what turned so many of what we thought were conservative but not crazy Republicans to the dark side?