Nixon and the Watergate Scandal

Chapter 22 Section 1

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Nixon was:◦From a modest family◦Worked his way through school◦A Navy veteran◦Former US Representative◦Former US Senator◦Eisenhower’s Vice President

Nixon’s Policies Target Middle America

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Believed he represented the “silent majority”

Disliked “big government” of the Great Society

Felt responsible for public safety and the environment

“New Federalism” reversed the flow of tax $$$ from the States to Washington with revenue sharing

States were then responsible for controlling the spending of federal dollars

Nixon Calls for a “New Federalism”

Even though he sent $$ and power back to the states, he still pushed for many new federal programs and laws◦ OSHA – Occupational Safety and Health

Administration◦ DEA – Drug Enforcement Administration◦ EPA - Environmental Protection Agency◦ Clean Air Act - 1970◦ Increased spending on Medicare and public

housing

Nixon Expands the Government’s Role

Stagflation – simultaneous recession and inflation

Economists had not seen this before Rising foreign competition in the global

market cause US companies to lose business

US budget deficit (Vietnam War spending) caused inflation

Oil prices skyrocketed also increasing inflation of prices on consumer goods

The Economy Struggles

www.economydecoded.com

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

OPEC placed an oil embargo on Israel and her allies (including the US)

(Embargo – banning the sale of a product) US was dependant on OPEC for 1/3 of our

energy needs Oil prices rose 400% in one year Gas stations had shortages and people

waited in line for blocks at stations that had gas

OPEC

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In order to win re-election, Nixon wanted to increase the number of blue collar workers and whites in the south who would support him

Nixon Follows a Southern Strategy

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Nixon appointed multiple conservative southerners as judges on federal courts

Nixon spoke out against forced busing that was designed to desegregate southern schools

He won support from many whites who opposed busing

Controversy Rages Over Busing

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Philadelphia Plan – initiates affirmative action by requiring labor unions and federal contractors to hire minorities

Nixon Proposes New Civil Rights Initiatives

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Nixon’s approval rating was high by 1972 Positioned himself as a moderate Won 61% of the popular vote and a great

majority of the electoral votes First Republican candidate to “sweep the South”

Nixon’s Strategy Succeeds

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June 1972 – Nixon aides hire thugs to bug the Democratic National Committee’s headquarters at the Watergate Hotel = epic fail

During the trial of the burglars in 1973, it came out that Nixon administration officials had been involved

The Senate investigated and witnesses said there was a cover up that included the President

Watergate Scandal Brings Nixon Down

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Washington Post reporters uncovered the story

Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein

Source “Deep Throat”- secret government informant (30 years later revealed to be W. Mark Felt the #2 guy in charge of the FBI)

Nixon denied the allegations saying, “I am not a crook.”

Watergate Goes Public

www.loc.gov

Summer of 1973 it is discovered that Nixon has been secretly taping conversations in the Oval office for years

Many people think the tapes could reveal Watergate plotting

Fall of 1973 Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned due to an unrelated corruption scandal

Nixon nominates Gerald Ford as VP

Meanwhile – Never a Dull moment

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Nixon refuses to give the tapes to the special prosecutor

Claims executive privilege July 24, 1974 – Supreme

Court orders Nixon to cough up the tapes

Investigators discovered that many important parts of the tapes were not there

Nixon said his secretary must have erased them by mistake

Revealing the White House Tapes

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The tapes had enough info to make Nixon look really, really bad

The Judiciary Committee of the US House voted to impeach (they make the recommendation to the House)

They charged that Nixon had obstructed justice

Before the whole House of Representatives could hold a vote for impeachment Nixon resigned

Nixon Resigns

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Used “dirty tricks” to get elected◦ Spying, sabotage, lying to the press, forging document,

etc Had an “enemies” list Used federal agencies to go after those on the

list Had the FBI tap phones

of people he didn’t trust including government employees and reporters

Gets the nickname “Tricky Dick”

Other Nixon Narf Narfs

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Damaged the honor of the office of the Presidency People less trusting of the government Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974 created to limit

private political donations Demonstrated the solidity of our system of checks and

balances Proved no US citizen is above the law

Watergate Leaves a Lasting Impact

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