1. The Rise & Fall ofRichard M. Nixon PA 510 Fall
2012Prepared by: Jovee Basa Joshua Perez
2. What Led to Watergate?O Nixons Political BackgroundO State of
the CountryO Nixons Character 3. Political BackgroundO 1946:
Elected to House of RepresentativesO 1948-49: Alger Hiss CaseO
Catapulted his political careerO 1950: Elected to U.S. SenateO
Nickname Tricky Dick was dubbed upon him 4. Helen Douglas Interview
5. Political BackgroundO 1953-61: Vice-PresidentO Accused of
keeping slush funds of campaigncontributionsO Checker speech 6.
Checker Speech 7. Political BackgroundO 1960: GOP Candidate for
PresidentO Loses to Democrat John F. KennedyO 1962: GOP Candidate
for Governor of CaliforniaO Loses to Democrat Edmund Brown, Sr.O
Speculation of political career had come to an endO 1968: GOP
Candidate for PresidentO President Johnson, not seeking a 2nd termO
Robert F. Kennedy assassinated 8. State of the CountryO Vietnam
War, escalatesO 1968: Assassination of Martin Luther King,Jr. and
Robert F. KennedyO riotsO Democratic convention riotO Ongoing
social and cultural revolutionO sex, drugs and rock n roll 9.
CharacterO Very intelligent / ambitiously drivenO Ruthless / tough
politicianO Life shaped by hardship (middle-class)O Distrusts
people tendency to be letdownO Obsessed with powerO Introvert 10.
Events leading to Watergate O 1971: Pentagon Papers O Containing
secrets prolonging the war O Leaked to NY Times O Nixon attempts to
prevent publishing, citing National Security O NY Times vs. United
States O NY Times sues Nixon O NY times wins Supreme Court ruling
& publishes papers O Media gains more power of freedom of
speech 11. Events leading to Watergate O Nixon starts recording
conversations in White House O Thoughts of conspiracy against him
begins O Sets up The Plumbers to investigate leaks O Creates
committee to re-elect the President (CRP) 12. Watergate BurglaryO
June 17, 1972: Break-in at the WatergateHotel, headquarters of the
DemocraticNational CommitteeO Five burglars discovered and arrested
13. Washington PostO Who were the five burglars and why were they
placing bugs in the Democratic Headquarters?O Two journalist
investigateO Aided by a whistle blower called DeepThroatO Seven
accused of scandalO President Nixon re-elected 14. Plumbers go to
courtO The trial of the Watergate burglarsO Role of Judge SiricaO
The bribery of the plumbers not to talkO Nixon aid reveals secret
tapesO Congress investigatesO President claimed executive
privilegeO Grand Jury indictmentsO Charged with conspiracy to
obstructjustice and perjury 15. Secret TapesO Nixon tapes revealO
Burglary / buggingO Extortion / liesO Cover-up: Smoking gun tape -
using CIA tointerfere with FBI investigationO H.R. Haldeman = Chief
of StaffO L. Patrick Gray = FBI directorO Mark Felt = Assoicate FBI
Director (#2 incharge); Deep throat (revealed in 2005)O Vernon
Walters = Deputy Director CIA 16. Smoking Gun TapeCIA interference
of FBI Watergate investigation.Nixon and his Chief of Staff,
Haldeman discussing it 17. ResignationO July 1974: the House of
Representativesvoted to impeach President NixonO August 9, 1974:
President Nixon resignedO September 1974: Nixon granted fullpardonO
1977: Frost interviews NixonO When the presidents does it, its
notillegal 18. Nixon ResignationAugust 8, 1974 19. D. Frost
interview w/ Nixonwhen the presidents does it, that means its
notillegal 20. Lesson LearnedO No one is above the lawO Distrust in
the governmentO Creation of new lawsO The first resignation of a
U.S. President 21. Thank you
