NORFOLK, Va. — In close to 20 years in Washington, former Second District Congressman William Whitehurst has seen his fair share of political scraps. In 1973, Whitehurst was in Washington as Congress moved to impeach Richard Nixon, the president of his own party.
What does he see as he watches the impeachment of Donald Trump play out?
"Well, it's politics, of course, to be frank about it. The Democrats believe they have a chance to nail President Trump, and so that’s what we’re seeing," Dr. Whitehurst told 13News Now.
Now 94-years old, Bill Whitehurst views impeachment through a lens few of us have. In 1973, he was prepared to cast a vote in the House to impeach Richard Nixon. Today it's Donald Trump caught in a political scandal.
"People who hated Nixon really hated him. I don't sense that with Trump. There's more of a feeling this man is an embarrassment to us, and we've got to get him out, and we've got a chance to get him out," Whitehurst adds.
Whitehurst a life-long republican says while Democrats have the means to impeach President Trump, he's not sure they have the evidence to remove him from office. During Watergate, there were the infamous tapes, the so-called 'smoking gun' that forced Nixon to resign.
Whitehurst said Trump talks to a lot of people, but what did he really say to them. That's what he needs to hear.
"You can't impeach this guy simply because you don't like him, and a lot of people don't like Trump. I'll say it, he's not a lovable person," the former congressman said.
What would be the smoking gun for Whitehurst?
"That he actually attempted to use a foreign government to influence the Congress. That he broken the law. I haven’t seen that yet in a way that’s crystal clear," he said.
Beyond the Trump impeachment what also bothers Whitehurst is our divided country today.
"There’s less tolerance now than there was then. The Republicans in 1972-73 were different. Today, I just I’m not going to listen to any criticism of this man. I don’t care I’m not going to do that," Whitehurst says
Whether the political anger cools as the trial moves to the Senate, Whitehurst is hopeful the men and woman who serve there will not let their political feelings overpower their judgment and realize the gravity of the times.
"That was certainly my feelings when we had to make a judgment on Nixon, that people would perceive it was fair," he added.
Whitehurst says the nation has been through all kinds of challenges. The Civil War cost the country more blood than any war we've ever fought, and we worked through that. As for where we might be on the other side of the impeachment of President Trump, hopefully, stronger, Whitehurst told me adding, "I think there's going to be blood on the floor. If Trump is impeached, a lot of people out there, a lot of them will be very angry, but they'll get past it."
Whitehurst said as he prepared to vote to impeach Richard Nixon back in 1973, he received an envelope filled with pebbles from a local Republican group saying, he who is without sin cast the first stone. He has never forgotten that.