You have made some very interesting observations. In my home state of Mississippi, sentiment for conviction and removal of President Nixon was NOT overwhelming, and as I recall, was the minority point of view. I also believe this chapter in American History would have concluded much differently if the internet had been in existence.
You're right -- and with regards to the polls, I doubt that Gallup, et al. in those days included people south of the Mason-Dixon Line, seriously. And Time wasn't interested in anythig west of the Hudson river until you got to the west coast, I suspect.
Supercilious liberals hate this but it's true (they have to admit that it's true) but here are the people who Watergated Nixon:
New York Times employee Pauline Kael's famous remark after Nixon's 1972 landslide (49 states to one state for whatz his name): "I don't know how Richard Nixon could have won, I don't know anybody who voted for him."