The 50th Anniversary of Watergate
The Watergate Scandal: A Turning Point in American Politics
Watergate, one of the most significant events in American political history, marked a seismic shift in the nation’s faith and trust in institutions. The scandal, which began in 1972, was not just an event, but a mindset – a paranoid and conspiratorial style of politics that Richard Nixon brought to the presidency.
The Origins of Watergate
The Watergate scandal began in the fall of 1968, when Richard Nixon was running for president against Vice President Hubert Humphrey. Nixon, desperate to win the election, engaged in duplicity, working with a Washington socialite named Anna Chennault to send a message to the South Vietnamese government, promising them a better deal than they would get with Lyndon Johnson. This scandal, known as the Chennault Affair, was kept buried at all costs.
The Pentagon Papers and the Leaks
In 1971, the Pentagon Papers, a secret report on the Vietnam War, were leaked to the press. The report revealed that Lyndon Johnson had a secret plan to expand the war, despite his campaign promises to the contrary. Nixon, fearing that the Chennault Affair would be exposed, sent the Justice Department to court to stop the New York Times from publishing the report. The court eventually ruled in favor of the Times, and the leaks continued, emboldening the press to challenge the government.
The Burglary and the Plumbers
In June 1972, five men, including G. Gordon Liddy and E. Howard Hunt, broke into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C. The burglary was linked to the Nixon re-election campaign, and the men were caught and arrested. The scandal, known as Watergate, was kept alive by The Washington Post, which continued to publish stories despite pressure from the Nixon administration.
The Senate Hearings and the Saturday Night Massacre
In March 1973, James McCord, one of the burglars, revealed that there was political pressure and perjury involved in the trial. The Senate hearings, which began in May 1973, brought the scandal to the forefront of national attention. The Saturday Night Massacre, in which Nixon fired the special prosecutor, Archibald Cox, and two of his top aides, marked a turning point in the scandal. The public and the press were outraged, and the scandal continued to unravel.
The Tapes and the Impeachment
In the summer of 1973, Alexander Butterfield revealed the existence of secret recordings in the Oval Office. The tapes, which showed Nixon trying to use the power of the presidency to order the FBI to drop its investigation into the Watergate burglary, sealed Nixon’s fate. The House Judiciary Committee began impeachment proceedings, and the Supreme Court eventually ruled that the special prosecutor had the right to access the tapes.
The Legacy of Watergate
Watergate forever changed the way America looks at its government and the presidency. The scandal marked a turning point in American politics, as the public and the press became more skeptical of official narratives and more determined to hold those in power accountable. The legacy of Watergate is one of hope, as it shows that the system can work, despite its flaws, to bring those in power to justice.