...Benton Becker described the setting at the Nixon compound in California and the negotiations.
Becker stated that the Nixon team refused to accept the pardon as that would be an admission of guilt.
Becker informed Nixon that if he does not accept the pardon, President Ford will not offer it again when he is found guilty.
Nixon accepted the pardon, the legal precedent that the acceptance of the pardon was an admission of guilt via the decision in Burdick v united States and on September 8, 1974, 30 days after his resignation, President Ford surprised the nation with the pardon announcement...
Thanks again. The excerpt made it much clearer, at least to me.